Manifesting Your Dream Job Through Journaling

Dreams don’t simply materialize—you have to make them happen. Laura Galvan embodies this principle, having landed her dream job as the director of social media and brand marketing at Favorite Daughter. At 31, she’s reached the “not giving a f***” stage of life. “I care about the things that matter. I don’t care about rejection or not being invited somewhere or if I don’t look good. It comes from developing a relationship with yourself and being your own best friend.”

Sara Foster sits down with Galvan on The World’s First Podcast, describes her as “the only person who can talk sh*t to me and put me in my place.” Their conversation covers how Galvan manifested her dream job, what it’s like being the mind behind a brand’s social channels and working with the Foster sisters, and the importance of knowing your worth.

How to get a career you’ll love

Galvan documented her journey to land her dream job through journaling. After a pandemic breakup, the New York native decided to spend a month in L.A. When she fell in love with the city, she flew back to New York, finished her lease, and created a vision board for life in L.A.—which specifically included working for Erin and Sara Foster.

“You have to be specific and clear, but you don’t have to worry about the ‘how.’ That’s not your job,” she says.

Four months after Galvan made that vision board, she came back to L.A. and coincidentally met Erin outside a restaurant. After following up via LinkedIn, she landed an interview. Though the position was entry-level, Galvan successfully negotiated higher pay and a title that matched her experience.

Galvin’s advice for job seekers: Say yes to any opportunity. “Just apply so you can build a relationship with the HR person. Make the connection so they put a personality to the person. Just apply if you love the company, even if the role is not a match, because you never know what can happen,” Galvan says.

The power of journaling

For Galvan, documenting the journey is crucial: “It’s so fun looking back at my entries when I was insecure and trying to figure out how to get secure. I literally have Point A to Point Z of what it took to get to the dream,” Galvan says.

Foster suggests journaling both reality—daily gratitudes and events—and future hopes and dreams (aka a dream job). Galvan agrees and says that journaling is about not waiting for life to come to her, but creating her wildest dreams. 

Though she’s always kept a journal, it became particularly valuable after her breakup, providing clarity and confidence. “Journaling is the most therapeutic thing ever. You write a problem and keep writing and writing until you figure it out. If you’re feeling insecure, you journal about what gives you worth and value. You have to figure out what that thing is that no one can take away from you,” she says. “When I’m feeling insecure, I have trained my brain to go to that list. You can’t f**** with me.” Read our post on How to Journal for Mental Health.

Ways to become valuable at work

When Galvan joined Favorite Daughter as head of social—despite not having expertise in social media or video content—she decided to fake it until she made it. Foster says that Galvan went above and beyond and was willing to do tasks above and below her pay grade. By carving her path and owning her work, Foster says Galvan effectively created her own value within the company.

For Galvan, going the extra mile isn’t difficult  because she is passionate about the brand—her ultimate dream job: “I want to see Favorite Daughter grow. I care, and because I care, it’s not a big deal to unpack a box or drive to our warehouse in Compton. I want to see the brand succeed.”