Have you ever had a dream that it makes sense? A dream that stayed with you even when life kept proving it impossible. I have learned something about dreams. They don't disappear when you fail. They don't vanish when doors close. They don't die when plans fall apart. Dreams only become dangerous when we stop speaking life over them. Today, I want to talk about the power of dreaming anyway. And why, what you declare over your life matters more than you think. Hey everyone, it's Dorica Valsamis , your host of the girl who smiled through the storm. Welcome back to the podcast. Please make sure you have subscribed so you do not miss out on any episode. Now, today's episode is about still dreaming. Declaring life over your future. There's something powerful about a dream. Not the kind that arise with a clear plan and perfect timing. But the kind that whispers to you quietly, long before you understand how it could ever work. Dreams often come when life is uncomfortable. When circumstances don't match what you are hoping for. When loss, fear, or limitation tries to convince you to think smaller. Many of us learned how to survive before we learned how to dream. And over time, some dreams become quiet. Others were buried under failure, rejection, or delay. But here is something I have learned. Dreams do not die because life gets hard. They die when we stop speaking life over them. Most people think dreams come after clarity, but often dreams come before understanding. You may not know how it will happen. You may not know when. You may not even know when the dream exists. You just know it does. And that alone is enough to begin. Difficulty is not proof that your dream is wrong. Often it is proof that your dream is real. There were moments in my own journey when nothing around me suggested progress. Those were closed, effort didn't always produce results. Failure was loud, and doubt was constant. But I learned something important. If I could not control my circumstances, I could still control my words. I learned to speak hope, even when my emotions didn't agree. To declare possibility even when logic protested. Because words are not just sounds, they are seeds. When you say, I will find my way. This is not the end. I am capable of more. You are not lying to yourself. You are aligning yourself with the future you are growing into. Positivity is not denial of reality. It is resistance against despair. One of the greatest lies we believe is that failure disqualifies us. But failure does not cancel a dream. It educates it. Every setback teaches you something about discipline, timing, and character. Failure is not a verdict. It is feedback. There were seasons where I had to start again. Mentally, emotionally, and practically. It felt so hard. And felt so slow. But looking back, I see now that nothing was wested. The dream was being refined. And so was I. Declaring posivity over your life is not naive. It is brave. It takes courage to say, I will try again. I still believe my story is not finished. Especially when people around you have stopped believing. Sometimes you have to speak life over yourself before anyone else can see it. Sometimes you have to believe in yourself. Even when there is no evidence yet. And that is okay. Dreams are personal, and so is faith. If you are listening to this and feeling stuck, delayed or discouraged, hear this out. You are not behind. You are not incompable. You are not foolish for still dreaming. Your journey may look different. Your pace may be slower. Your path may be different. But none of that disqualifies you. Let me leave you with this message. Remember to always say this to yourself. I choose to believe again. I choose to speak life over my future. I choose to trust that delay is not denial. I choose to dream even when it feels risky. What is meant for me would not pass me by. And my story is still unfolding. Thank you so much for listening and have a great day.

The Girl Who Smiled Through the Storm is a reflective podcast about resilience, faith, and becoming — inspired by the book of the same name.

Through short, honest episodes, Amara shares moments and lessons from her journey without giving away the full story. This podcast is an invitation — to reflect, to heal, and to discover the story behind the smile.

📘 The full journey lives in the book.