Never give up on your dreams, they told us as kids and, because they were smart adults, we held onto that advice tighter than our favourite snuggly toy or blanket. It was the advice that saw us registering for useless courses in university, the ones we slept through anyway and resulted in far more years of eating Mr Noodles and waiting tables than we’d anticipated.

The less than idyllic truth is this: sometimes our dreams are bullshit. (Sorry, kids!)

Sure, have goals and go after them and achieve things and be proud and all of those great things. But don’t have guilt when you let go of a dream.

I used to dream of having three sons, close in age. Unless I happen upon a time machine, that’s not happening. I dreamt of getting married and being married to that person until I died: the same sentiment applies. Sometimes dreams aren’t meant to come true, and that’s not only OK… sometimes it’s fantastic. More recently (like in the last, say, six years), I dreamed of becoming a public relations dynamo. But I’m not going to be that.

It’s a hard pill to swallow when you realize a dream can’t come true. And yet, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

Sometimes, you have to – hell, sometimes you should give up on your dreams. Why? Because it makes room and time and energy for new dreams. Different dreams. Bigger or even better dreams. So go ahead. Let go of a dream you’re holding onto because it’s safe. Put it on the backburner to chase another.

Give up on that dream you’ve outgrown. You’ll be better for it, I promise.