The Cinderella Fantasy We Secretly Carry
-
Ramya Harman
- January 24, 2026
Most of us would never admit it out loud. But somewhere between childhood stories, romantic movies, and quiet daydreams, many of us grew up carrying a Cinderella fantasy.Not necessarily about a prince. Not always about wealth or castles. But about being chosen.
Rescued. Loved so completely that life finally feels effortless. Even as adults, even as practical, independent, modern individuals, a small part of us still hopes that one day, something or someone will arrive and make everything fall perfectly into place.
Where the Fantasy Begins
It starts early. Stories where love fixes everything. Where the misunderstood girl is finally seen. Where struggle is temporary and reward is guaranteed. Where the ending is written for you. We absorb these narratives before we have the language to question them. And as we grow, the stories change shape, from fairytales to films, from movies to social media, from fiction to curated real-life images of perfect marriages, perfect homes, perfect families.
Slowly, quietly, expectations take root. One day, we realise we are not just living life.
We are comparing it to a story we never consciously chose.
The Adult Version of the Cinderella Fantasy
As adults, the fantasy evolves.
It becomes:
- A relationship that requires no hard conversations
- A partner who understands without explanation
- A life where love automatically solves loneliness
- A home where harmony is constant
- A career that finally validates everythin
A caption for the above image.
Designed A Fun And Dynamic Hackout
We may work hard. We may be realistic. But deep down, there is still a hope that one day we will arrive at “happily ever after”, a permanent state of ease.
I find this prevents us from rabbit-holing on topics that could consume the entire session. With the exercise encourages an outcomes-focused mindset to help us divine actions that contribute to removing hurdles.
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When Reality Arrives, Then life happens.
Love requires effort. Marriage reveals differences. Family brings responsibility. Work brings pressure. Homes need maintenance. Communication requires patience. People disappoint. We disappoint ourselves.
And slowly, we realise:
No one is coming to rescue us from the life we are already living.
This is usually the moment disillusionment sets in, not because life is wrong, but because the fantasy was never designed for real life.
The Quiet Disappointment No One Talks About
Many adults experience a silent grief when they realise life doesn’t unfold like the stories they grew up with. They rarely name it. But it shows up as:
- Feeling something is missing
- Waiting for life to “start”
- Believing joy is always in the next chapter
- Feeling guilty for not being fully satisfied
This is the Cinderella fantasy playing in the background, whispering that the real story hasn’t begun yet.
The Turning Point: When We See Ourselves Clearly
There comes a moment, sometimes through heartbreak, sometimes through exhaustion, sometimes through quiet reflection, when we understand:
No one is coming. And strangely, this is not a sad realisation. It is a freeing one.
Because the moment we stop waiting for rescue, we begin building.
We start having honest conversations instead of expecting mind-reading.
We start choosing partners as equals, not saviours.
We start creating homes instead of waiting for perfect ones.
We start taking responsibility for our happiness instead of outsourcing it.
The fantasy dissolves, and something sturdier replaces it.
Love After the Fantasy
Real love is not magic.
It is maintenance.
Attention.
Apologies.
Shared calendars.
Quiet evenings.
Support during sickness.
Showing up when it’s inconvenient.
It’s less sparkle.
More substance.
And yet, when we accept this, love becomes deeper than any fairytale could offer. Because it is chosen daily, not promised once
The New Happy Ending
The happiest people are not the ones who found perfect stories. They are the ones who learned to write imperfect ones with compassion.
They stopped waiting for destiny. They built partnership. They stopped expecting rescue. They learned self-trust. They stopped searching for perfect. They chose real.
The Fantasy Isn’t the Problem
The Cinderella fantasy is not foolish. It is a symbol of hope, longing, and desire for belonging. Wanting love and ease is deeply human. The problem begins only when we forget that adulthood asks us to become both the protagonist and the author.We don’t need a prince. We need agency.
We don’t need magic. We need consistency.
We don’t need perfect endings. We need meaningful ones
Closing Chapter
Perhaps the real modern fairytale is not about being rescued.
It is about discovering that we were capable all along.
And the most beautiful part?
Once we realise we are writing our own story, the ending is no longer something we wait for.
It is something we create, one ordinary, intentional day at a time.
