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Stop Getting Sidetracked: How to Stay True to Your Vision (Even When Life Tries to Hijack You)
We’ve all done it.
You set a big, beautiful intention: start the business, write the book, leave the job, finally stop dating people who treat you like leftovers.
And then… your cousin calls. The laundry pile glares at you. Netflix drops a new season. Or worse, your own brain whispers: “Who are you kidding?”
I get it. I’ve been there more times than I can count. As a dancer, I spent years rehearsing for the stage while secretly rehearsing every possible way I could fail. Later, after my fiancé died, I perfected the art of going through the motions—smiling, showing up, checking the boxes—while my vision for my life sat in the corner, collecting dust.
And if you’re nodding along, thinking yep, that’s me too—good. You’re not broken. You’re human. And together, we’re going to talk about what it really takes to stop drifting back into “I wish” land and actually live from your vision.
That’s why I teach the importance of creating a vision where you can learn and grow.
Photo by Valentina Conde on Unsplash
And that’s exactly why Steps 2 and 3 of the Radical Embodiment Method — Re-Envision and Re-Design — are so powerful. This is where you stop living by default and begin consciously shaping what you want your life to look and feel like.
Wishes vs. Vision: Why “I Wish” Isn’t Enough
“I wish I were happier.”
“I wish my partner understood me.”
“I wish I could finally stop second-guessing myself.”
Sound familiar? Most of us start here—caught in a swirl of longing. Wishes are honest, but they’re fragile. They rise and fall with your mood, your relationships, even how well you slept.
A vision is different. A vision is rooted. It’s what happens when you stop asking, “Wouldn’t it be nice?” and start declaring, “This is what my soul is asking me to live into.”
In my own life, I stayed in “wish mode” for years. I wished for confidence on stage. I wished for peace after heartbreak. I wished for a life that didn’t feel like a performance. But nothing shifted until I chose to stop wishing and start taking action toward my vision.
Radical Embodiment Step 1: Reflect.
You can’t build a vision without first reflecting on the truth of where you are now, embracing Radical Acceptance. No sugarcoating. Just: “This is my reality. This is what hurts. And this is what I’m hungry for.”
Reflection asks you to pause and get radically honest with yourself. What’s the truth of where you are now? Not the curated version of yourself.
How Creating a Vision Rewires Your Brain
Here’s the wild thing about your brain: it doesn’t actually know the difference between what’s “real” and what’s vividly imagined.
When you create a vision and practice embodying it—seeing it, feeling it, living into it—your brain begins to wire new neural pathways as if it’s already happening. The same areas of the brain that light up when you physically experience joy, success, or love also light up when you envision those things with clarity and emotion.
That means your vision isn’t just some fluffy daydream—it’s literally sculpting your brain, shifting your nervous system, and preparing your body to step into new realities.
This is why people who only say, “I wish…” rarely move forward. A wish is vague, so the brain stays on autopilot, replaying the same old survival patterns. But a clear, embodied vision? That’s a blueprint your brain starts rehearsing.
👉 This is where Radical Embodiment takes it deeper:
Reflect: Get honest about the old stories looping in your mind.
Release: Let go of the blocks in your body that keep you in survival mode.
Re-Envision: Activate your brain’s creative power by vividly imagining the life you desire—feel it in your body.
Re-Design: Align your daily choices with that vision, so your new neural wiring turns into lived reality.
The more you return to your vision, the more your brain normalizes it. Over time, what once felt impossible starts to feel natural, doable—even inevitable.
That’s not magic. That’s neuroscience + embodiment working hand in hand.
What Gets Us Sidetracked
Even with the clearest vision, we all get pulled off track. The detours are real:
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Emotional storms that hijack our nervous system.
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Fear of being seen, of failing, or of actually succeeding.
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The opinions of people who want us to stay in the old roles they’re comfortable with.
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And yes—the inner critic, who loves to show up when we’re stretching.
For me, it wasn’t Netflix binges or procrastination—it was the old perfectionist voice that said, “If it’s not flawless, don’t even start.” That voice stole years of creativity from me.
Radical Embodiment Step 3: Re-Envision.
When fear, doubt, or drama show up, pause. Re-envision what it will feel like when you follow through anyway. Anchor yourself back to the bigger picture so the sock drawer doesn’t win.
Deciding That Your Vision Matters Most
Here’s where it gets uncomfortable: most women (me included, for a long time) put our dreams at the bottom of the to-do list.
We’re experts at “They need me, so my wants and desires can wait.”
Spoiler: that math never adds up.
The shift happens when your vision moves to the top of your list . When you finally say: “If this doesn’t align with my vision and values, I’m out. No explanation needed.”
I had a client—we’ll call her Erin—who stayed on a committee for years she hated because she didn’t want to “let people down.” Once she bumped her vision to the top of her list, she sent a polite resignation email, freed up two hours a week, and started studying for a certification. Two months later? She got the raise she’d been waiting for.
Radical Embodiment Step 2: Release
When you decide your vision matters, you release the roles and obligations that were never yours to begin with. It’s not selfish—it’s sacred.
Consistency, Grit, and Showing Up (Even When It Sucks)
We’ve been sold a fairy tale in the transformational space: If it’s meant to be, it’ll be easy. Nope. If it matters, it will ask for grit, resilience, and courage.
When I was training as a dancer, there were nights my body ached, my shoes had holes, and my negative talk would not shut up! But I still showed up at class. Not because it was glamorous (it wasn’t), but because I knew showing up was the actual point.
Visions work the same way. Writers sit at the desk, even when nothing good comes out. Entrepreneurs launch, even when the first round flops. You go on dates, even when it feels like auditioning for a bad reality show.
The win is not the outcome. The win is the showing up anyway.
Radical Embodiment Step 4: Re-Design.
This is where you put structures in place so showing up becomes your normal. A calendar block, a buddy, a ritual—whatever keeps you coming back. Because redesigning your habits is how grit becomes grace.
Why Quick Fixes Will Break Your Heart
If you build your life on desperation, you’ll end up right back in another desperate situation.
I’ve seen women jump into the first relationship after a breakup just to avoid loneliness, only to find themselves repeating the same patterns. I’ve watched clients grab the first job because it was fast, only to email me later: “I hate it here.”
Sometimes the universe slows you down on purpose. The delay isn’t punishment; it’s protection. It’s time to get clearer, stronger, and braver about what you actually want.
(Annoying? Yes. Worth it? Also yes.)
Making Sure Your Vision Comes from Joy—not Misery
Here’s the truth: if your vision is just “anything but this,” you’re not creating, you’re escaping.
The best visions come from joy. From values like peace, creativity, integrity. From the thrill of imagining what could be possible, not just the fear of what you want to leave behind.
When I finally built my Radical Embodiment Method, it wasn’t because I wanted to “escape” my past. It was because I’d tasted what it felt like to move, to breathe, to rebuild after tragedy—and I wanted other women to feel that freedom too.
That joy created the method. That joy keeps me showing up for it every day.
3 Transformational Practices
1
The Mirror Check-In
Each morning, look yourself in the mirror and ask out loud:
“What do I actually need today?”
“What’s one thing I can do that honors my vision?”
Don’t overthink it. Let the first answer land. Write it on a sticky note or in your phone. That becomes your compass for the day.
2
The Sacred "No" List
Grab a piece of paper and list three things you keep saying “yes” to that drain you, distract you, or delay your vision.
Then write “NO” in big, bold letters next to each one.
This isn’t about being rude—it’s about reclaiming your energy. Every “no” makes space for a bigger, better “yes.”
3
The Joy Audit
At the end of the week, jot down:
3 moments that sparked joy or peace.
3 moments that drained you.
Ask yourself: What do I want more of? What do I want less of?
Then commit to one small redesign for next week—whether that’s adding a dance break between Zoom calls, blocking out an evening just for yourself, or ditching the chore you secretly despise.
Learning to Love the Adventure…
Choosing vision means choosing change. It means adventure over certainty, joy over obligation. And yes, it will be messy. You’ll get sidetracked. You’ll fall down. People won’t always get it.
But the only real requirement is this: keep showing up. With humor. With grace. With compassion for your imperfect, brilliantly human self.
Your vision isn’t waiting for “perfect you.” It’s waiting for the you who dares to return, again and again, no matter how many detours you’ve taken.
So… what’s the vision you’re finally ready to stop abandoning?
Share it below—I’d love to cheer for you. Because together, we remind each other: showing up is enough.
Daily Radical Embodiment Reset
Reflect – Pause for 1 minute and ask yourself: “What is true for me right now—in my mind, my heart, and my body?”
Release – Close your eyes, breathe into one area of tension (throat, chest, belly, hips). Imagine sending love and light there, allowing your body’s wisdom to soften the block.
Re-Envision – Visualize one thing you deeply desire as if it’s already unfolding. Feel the energy of it in your body—joy, peace, strength, love. Let it light you up.
Re-Design – Choose one tangible step (big or small) that supports your vision today. Write it down and commit: “I will…”