The Little House and Grad Day
“I controlled everything… until THIS happened. The lesson changed my life.”
— edna castillo
The Moment I Let Go: What If the Detour is the Path?
What if all your careful planning was never meant to work out—and that’s exactly what opens the door to your dream?
When my daughter was in middle school, I was already planning her college career. She was bright, motivated, and dreamed of attending a UC. As a single mom, I wanted to make sure she had every opportunity—without either of us ending up in debt.
So, I came up with a plan.
The “Perfect” Plan
My solution? Move to an exclusive neighborhood with a prestigious public high school. Every Sunday, I’d scan the real estate section. One day, I found the perfect little house. I peeked through the windows, stepped into the yard, and imagined our life there.
I asked my agent to find the owners and deliver a heartfelt letter explaining my mission to give my daughter the best shot at her dreams.
As it turns out, the owners had bought the home with similar hopes for their daughter. Moved by my story, they sold it to me off-market. I felt like I had done it—I was playing life like a chessboard, and I had planned my way into the win.
When Everything Changed
But life had other plans.
When high school arrived, my daughter chose a prestigious Catholic school instead. I supported her decision. Then—just one week before school started—I lost my job. The real estate market crashed, and so did my career.
We could no longer afford private school, so she enrolled in the public school I had worked so hard to get her into.
And it was heartbreaking.
She came home in tears every day, feeling bullied and out of place. When a classmate asked if she sold drugs—just because of how she looked—I knew I had to act. The next day, I pulled her out.
We chose another school—one I had initially avoided—where many of her friends were. And there, she thrived.
She became class president from sophomore through senior year, earned a 4.6 GPA, and got into UC Santa Barbara—her dream school.
And we did it all without debt.
The Truth I Needed to Learn
That experience changed me.
I learned that holding a clear vision is powerful—but trying to control every step is not. Life doesn’t respond to micromanagement. It responds to who you’re becoming.
Dreams manifest when you align with them.
Your job isn’t to know every step. It’s to follow the inspired breadcrumbs—even when they don’t make sense.
That’s where so many of my clients get stuck. They do everything “right,” but they can’t stop trying to control the process.
What Really Brings the Dream to Life
Here’s what I’ve seen over and over:
Your dream arrives when you’re ready to live it.
That’s why people who win the lottery often lose it all—they weren’t a match for the life they imagined.
If you’re tired of overplanning, second-guessing yourself, and exhausting your energy trying to control outcomes…
I invite you to take a different kind of step.
✨ Join my next group coaching program starting next week.
Schedule a free call with me—and let’s get you in.
We’ll explore what you want, what’s in the way, and whether this space is the right next step for you.
Let’s shift from control to trust—so you can actually live the dream that’s trying to reach you.
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