For the longest time, the word “aspiring” lived in every bio I wrote and every job application I submitted. I was reaching for something just beyond my grasp—a creative role that aligned with what I knew, deep in my heart, I was meant to do.

I’ve spent years working for designers, but never as one. I can’t count how many times I’ve gone back and forth, delaying my career shift simply because I chose stability over passion. But even then, my past jobs were a witness how much I longed to do creative work. Every time I was given the tiniest opportunity to design, I gave it 200%. And those moments didn’t go unnoticed as people in the room started to pay attention. But grateful as I was, I still craved more: more creative freedom, more chances to build and design. Because somewhere inside, I was still that person dreaming of becoming more.

Looking back at every decision I made over the past month, they may have seemed calculated, like I had it all mapped out. But the truth is, it was a quiet leap of faith. I had no guarantees, just a gut feeling that it was finally time to bet on myself. And I did.

Now, I’ve finally crossed something off my bucket list that had been sitting there for what felt like a lifetime: to become a designer.

It still feels surreal to say it out loud. After years of channeling all my creative energy into personal projects—most of which existed only in my mind or stayed tucked away in my notebooks—I now get to bring ideas to life in the real world. And not just on the side, but as my actual full-time job.

Just a week in, I’ve already poured out more creativity than I have in ages. And not because someone told me to. But because the creative thirst that I’ve carried for so long finally had a place to go. A real, professional outlet. One that values it. One that invites it.

I guess this is what happens when you’ve been dreaming of designing for so long, and the stars finally align. When your work begins to match your dreams, you don’t just show up; you soar. You make the best out of every opportunity because you know what it’s like to wait. And to want.

To anyone still writing “aspiring” in their bio, don’t stop. Your moment will come. And when it does, it will be everything you hoped for, and more.