Dreams rarely arrive all at once. Most of the time, they begin quietly—inside small moments that seem too ordinary to matter. A child performing in a living room. A parent choosing encouragement over criticism. A community gathering and sharing stories over a hot meal to start the new year.
While reading Higher by Big Sean, I kept coming back to this truth: the life we dream about is often built from moments that feel small while we’re living them.
Those small moments are the seeds 🌱. If we water them with belief, support, and persistence, they can grow into something extraordinary.
The First Audience Matters
One story that stuck with me was when Big Sean talked about performing for his mom for the very first time.
If you’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing a kid’s first performance, you know you could witness anything. Kids do the absolute most sometimes. Saying anything and singing anything. Moving, however, they feel in the moment. I can only imagine what that looked like.
What mattered wasn’t the performance; what mattered was the response. Obviously, his mom, chose support and watered that little seed of creativity.
That’s how art grows. That’s how confidence grows. That’s how dreams grow. 🌱
While reading that part of the book, I couldn’t help thinking about my own son. I want to be the kind of parent who waters the seed. Science tells us that strong emotional support helps protect our kids as they grow and discover who they are.
But beyond science, it just feels right.
Encouragement is powerful.
“Dreams don’t arrive fully formed. They begin as tiny seeds, watered by encouragement and belief.”
The Toddler Sprint Through Life
Another moment in the book made me laugh because it felt way too familiar.
Big Sean talks about his son Noah making a sudden, quick move—one of those full-speed toddler decisions—and ending up bumping his head. Then immediately expressing frustration at the injustice of it all.
If you know, you know.
My son has just entered this stage of life. Everything is fast. Everything is urgent. Everything must happen right now.
Running full speed toward a goal without quite realizing the obstacles along the way.
And as parents, we see the mistake before it happens. We see the collision coming.
And sometimes our inner voice just goes: What are you doing?!
But that’s part of learning. That’s part of growth.
Even the bumps.
“Encouragement is powerful. One supportive moment can water a creative seed that grows for a lifetime.”
A Reminder to Stay Inspired
One of the themes that runs throughout Higher is the importance of finding inspiration everywhere.
That idea hit me recently at a community outreach meeting my tribe hosts.
The gathering was beautiful—community, fellowship, connection. The kind of moment that reminds you why these spaces matter.
In traditional Chickasaw fashion, when we gather at the beginning of the year, we start strong. The meal was hot, buffet-style, and the servers included Chickasaw employees who not only hosted the event but worked the room—helping people connect with resources, answering questions, making sure everyone felt welcome.
The meal alone felt like an act of care: Spring mix or caesar salad, green beans, chicken piccata, brisket, mashed potatoes, brownies and chunky chocolate pecan cookies 🍪.
It was one of those meals where you could take a quick picture, but you don’t. Sometimes it’s important to just stay in the moment.
Moments like that remind me how powerful and important community is.
And in that moment, I thought about something Big Sean urges us to do in his book: Find inspiration – seek it out!
Because growth doesn’t always feel dramatic. Sometimes it feels slow. Quiet even.
But if you keep going, keep searching for your inspiration, you’ll find it, possibility in the most unexpected space.
When that happens, hopefully you will realize something incredible: You’re no longer dreaming about the life you want.
You’re living it.
“Growth rarely feels dramatic in the moment. But one day you look up and realize—you’re already living the dream.”
Rooted Reflection
As I finished reading Higher, I kept thinking about how dreams rarely look glamorous while they’re growing.
They look like encouragement in a living room. They look like toddlers learning the hard way. They look like community meals where people gather simply to be together.
Those moments may feel small, but they carry something powerful. They carry possibility. The And if we stay open to inspiration—if we keep watering the seeds placed in front of us—we may one day look around and realize something beautiful:
The life we once dreamed about has quietly taken root.
Happy dreaming tonight.
Nova.Skye 🌙
Author Bio
Nova.Skye is a writer for Rooted Skies, where reflections on motherhood, intuition, creativity, and community meet. Her writing explores the quiet courage it takes to trust yourself, take risks as we grow older, and nurture the dreams that take root in everyday life. Through storytelling and reflection, she invites readers to slow down, notice the small moments, and remember that growth often begins in the most ordinary places.
Rooted Skies 