Kind of a random question, but have you ever wanted to write a book before???
Before kids, I had this dream growing that I needed to write a book. I remember when I was in the 6th grade, I climbed my favorite tree in the backyard and journaled how one day I was going to write an entire book. Back then it was going to be a book of poems, but still. It was a book.
When I entered college, I put a time capsule together in one of my classes and was instructed to open it a year later....but forgot about it. I found it buried in the back of my closet 5 years later. In there, was my dream written out how I was going to write a book. (I also was going to have five kids and live in the middle-of-nowhere Montana, buuuuuut, this was written by the girl who had never even changed a diaper before. 😂)
So I Googled, "How to write a book". First step? Actually WRITE a book. So that is what I did. Every free second was devoted to writing, and in the end, I wrote a 365+ page book days before I had our first son. While I was writing, I took community writing classes, had a friend out in Hollywood offer advice, found an online critique group and even was able to find a few agents who actually wanted to read the entire thing. Exciting!! But no offers.
Part of me took that as maybe I wasn't cut out to write books. Part of me reverted back to the day my college volleyball coach told me I'd never amount to anything. And part of me was so exhausted after becoming a mom, that I decided maybe I'd come back to this dream later in life when things slowed down.
Then I went to California on a work trip last month. I stood in line to get a book signed by Ann Handley. Funny because I ran into her last August too at another conference. But it wasn't like I had read all her books or was her hugest fan. However, that dream was lit again. I was determined to talk to her. I was inspired that she had an actual book in her hands that she had written, not to mention a few more. But she did it. And that was all I needed to ignite my dream again of writing. Sometimes we need others out there to remind us it can be done.
I mean, have you ever met someone who has went from realizing their dreams to discovering their calling to getting to do their perfect dream job? It doesn't happen often. BUT we all have to start somewhere. Sure, our journeys can lead us in all different directions, but if the hustle is there, and we can be brave enough to listen to our dreams and keep trying.... one day the hard work pays off.
Keep dreaming, friends!