The Dream of Being a Writer
When I was 12, I spent part of the summer in Florida with my dad. I had a routine that consisted of getting up early in the morning and heading to the tennis courts to practice before it got too hot. Sweltering after an hour, I left the tennis courts and went back to the house to change into my bathing suit and head to the pool only to leave a few hours later, scorched by the sun. Back at the house, I showered, had lunch and then went into my bedroom. I dragged the light blue Smith-Corona typewriter and paper out of the closet. I loaded the paper just right and then I sat all afternoon, pecking away at those keys; writing, giggling, pondering and writing some more. What was I doing? Writing a book. Why? Writing made my heart sing.
Fast forward 35 years later to a Sunday afternoon when I was visiting 7 magical, healing horses at a place called Serendipity Stables in West Mansfield, OH. Serendipity is amazing for a lot of reasons, but this one particular day, in the heat of the summer (notice a pattern?), my life changed forever. Lisa Noland, a psychic who did readings for people at the stables, said she had a message for me. I told her I didn’t have time because I had to get home to let my dogs out. She said I had been waiting long enough. She meant me, not her. That comment got my attention. I got out of the car and listened to her intently. Lisa said one thing: “You have always known you were going to write a book. Now is the time.”
In an instant, all of the writing I did that summer of ’74 flashed back to me. Wow! She was right. How did she know this? That summer ended and so did the book. I buried my dream of writing somewhere along the way and never went back to it. I began looking at this scenario unfolding in front of me .¨ this internal truth that had been brought to the surface. I realized I always wanted to be a writer. I just never did pursued my dream because.well, no good reason, really.
The message got me questioning my life and it needed to be questioned. Was I doing what I really wanted to do? If not, why hadn’t I taken the path of a writer? I loved my current job, but as passionate and as well-versed as I was after all the years in the risk management industry, did that job make my heart sing? I dug deeper. I thought about why I took the job. I was careful with my answers because I didn’t want to feel as though I was betraying anyone.
The first answer I came up with was that I enjoyed the work. My branch of risk management had a lot of math and science in it and I love math and science. Of course, I also took it because it paid the bills and after putting myself through college, I definitely had bills to pay. I dug a level deeper and realized I also took that job in safety thinking my mother would be happy with me. It will come as no surprise when I tell you I had to pry that one out of my unconscious mind. So many of us do what we do and don’t do what we want to do simply to please others. That pleasing habit is nothing more than our fears hiding our dreams from us. That ends today. It is time to start the healing process. The only person we betray by not living our dreams is us. For me, that was about to change. In the summer of 2009 I began writing my book once again.
As a side note, when I found the original book I started all those years ago, I was surprised to find the material back then was similar to the material I write about today. It was always in me and it was time to come out. I believe we all have stories like this that need an ending .¨ the ending is living the dream. What’s yours?
We Have the Power!
Albert Einstein said insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. So many of us have dreams we have ignored. Over and over, we make excuses for why we don’t work in our dream job or live in our dream location. We think other people’s dreams come true, but not ours. We think we can’t live our dreams because of money, time, job, kids, spouses and more. We say things like, “I’ll do it when the kids are grown” or “When this or that happens, I can do what I really want to do”. But, these are roadblocks to living our life as we really want to live it; they are excuses. Don’t buy into them anymore.
What would you do if you could do anything you wanted? What job would you have? Where would you live? What would your relationships be like? Take the answer to at least one of these questions and start making the changes that need to be done in order to make your dream come true.
Make a list of the steps you need to take to do something that moves your dream closer to you today. Be creative. Think outside the box. In my dream, I wasn’t initially in the position to leave my main job so I started writing in the evening and on the weekends. I made time to write. The writing wasn’t going to happen by itself. I had to change what I had been doing in the past – which was, obviously, nothing. The mind can never fathom the powerful shift of energy that occurs when you follow your dreams .¨ which is the same as following your heart. So don’t let your mind get involved in your dream. Stay focused.
Whatever you do, don’t repeat the stories you have been telling yourself up to this point that haven’t gotten you any closer to your dream. Do something different. Tell a new story .¨ one that makes your dream a reality. Dreams don’t just happen for some people, they happen for everyone. We are all powerful enough and resourceful enough to make our dreams come true.
As for my dream, I can truly say writing makes my heart sing and being part of the writing team for Viva Glam Magazine is a dream come true. To add to that, I will share with you that the book is nearly complete. It is in the final editing stages. After six years of re-writes, mind-made prisons, personal pain, growth and freedom from old, useless beliefs and thoughts that kept me from my dream, the book is going to be published next year, in 2016. I’ll keep you posted on the release date.
Now, I am going to encourage you – challenge you, even – to make one of your dreams come true starting today. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look a certain way. Allow your dream to show you what it can become. Don’t worry if others don’t support it in the beginning or at all. All your dream needs is your support. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. Doing something versus nothing is divine perfection. Don’t make any excuses for not following your dream. Those excuses are wrapped up in old, repetitive thinking that has held you back from your dream – until today. Go do something now to make your dreams come true. I believe in you. You have the power to make your dream come true.
