It is my day off and, I must say, it is glorious. If today had a soundtrack, it would be “Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves (try to unhear it now…lol.) Nothing but blue skies and sunshine everywhere. I’ve been filling bird feeders, feeding my Koi and enjoying time with my sister, who I don’t see often enough. All this nature and relaxation have given me an endorphin rush that has, I must say, put me in an extremely euphoric mood. I’m feeling thankful and motivated. I’m feeling almost unstoppable and I want to dive headfirst into my dreams even more so than usual. Don’t worry, I have not Amazon Primed a superhero costume and I won’t be standing atop buildings with a cape whipping behind me in the breeze (at least not right now.) But I do want to share some of this good-good I’m feeling right now.
Most of the time I am a glass-half-full type of person, but sometimes I don’t recognize just how full my glass really is. Sometimes I fail to see when I have realized a dream because the realization was not exactly how I imagined. For as long as I can remember, I have had two dreams…to be a professional fiction writer and to be a hairstylist.
Let’s address the hairstylist one first. Fresh out of high school I decided I wanted to be a professional hairstylist. When I told my parents, they said “Absolutely not! You can’t make a decent living doing that.” So, I followed the career path they suggested and wound up successfully working in finance. The only problem was, I hated it. I made good money but was so stressed out that I was miserable and my health suffered badly for it. When, I had to be taken out of work to try to regain my health, I was offered to be taught a trade through a wonderful organization known as Vocational Rehab. I accepted without hesitation. I worked full-time at Walmart and went to cosmetology school simultaneously because I had bills to pay. But, after a year and a half, I graduated with honors and landed my first job at an upscale salon on the Outer Banks. My dream had been sidetracked by circumstance and I was in my late twenties when I achieved it. But I ACHIEVED IT! Now, I own a successful salon in my home town (not exactly how I envisioned it but how it was ultimately meant to be.) I am so blessed!
Now for the lifelong dream that has taken the longest to realize…being a published writer. I have written my whole life…songs, plays, poems. It was always my biggest dream to be a published author like so many gifted storytellers I loved to read. I had half-heartedly tried most of my life to no avail when I finally wrote THE story…the one that was so unique I was sure it would be picked up by someone immediately. At the time, the story lended itself better to screen play. So, I wrote it that way. The morning after it was completed, I was in a terrible accident in which my car and my laptop (containing the only copy of the screenplay) ended up under water. I was sure my dream of being published went down with that laptop.
I had put my heart and soul into that story and, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t recapture the magic. Thank God for the wonderful people in my life who believe in me even when I lose the faith! My partner, Bobby, believed in the story so much that he would not let it die. I complained that I could not recapture the magic I had written the first time. So, he pushed me to make it better. He literally would not let me give up. It did not resurrect as the screen play it once was but it did resurrect as my first novel, Eden’s Edge.
I share this to let you know, if I can realize my dreams, so can you! Whatever your dream is, chase after it. It is never too late, you are never too old, or any other lie you tell yourself. You may have to re-imagine your dream, but that does not mean you cannot achieve it. It is my belief that sometimes a re-imagined dream is better than original.
Today, I want to be your “Bobby”; your cheerleader; that motivator that pokes you with a stick and tells you that you will not give up. Whatever you want to achieve, you can make it happen. That’s right, I said MAKE it happen. Don’t wait for destiny to fall in your lap. Make your own destiny. Cut your hair; go back to school; try that crazy hair color you’ve been wanting to try; run a marathon; lose that last 20 pounds; quit that job you hate and find work that feeds your soul; write a book; audition for a play. Do whatever makes you feel alive and inspired and excited and whole. Just stop procrastinating and DO IT!
Now I’m gonna take a breath and a sip of water, bid you adieu for a bit and enjoy the rest of this gorgeous summer day. If you haven’t embraced it, go outside, look at that beautiful blue sky and let the warmth of the sun kiss your face. Warning: it is addictive! Set a goal or 100 goals and start taking the steps to achieving them. You are an amazing human and your potential in infinite. Okay, dropping the pom poms now…
Health, happiness and good vibes to all!
