Less than one year ago I made a decision that is still shaping my life today. I was sitting at work at my day job feeling kind of depressed and like I was going nowhere. I realized that I hadn’t been living up to my potential. I wasn’t doing what makes me most happy.
So, I devised a plan. I needed to start writing again. I had already completed one book and had a good portion of a second one started, but I hadn’t written anything in about two years. I decided I would start this blog to get back on track with my writing. I made some goals, the first was that I would start writing on this blog, second, that I would start working on my second book, the third was that I would self-publish my work and finally, I knew I wanted to start freelancing again, hopefully in the journalism field.
Why did I decide to do this? I mean at a glance my life isn’t bad at all. I have a decent job, in a fairly stable field, why did I feel I needed more?
Basically, I decided I didn’t want to become one of those people that when asked how they’re doing, sarcastically replied “Living the dream.”
I really want to live my dreams.
Slowly but surely, I did what I had to do and I am proud to say, I’m living my truth.
Right now I’m flying high. I’ve hit the goals I lined up for myself. Most of my friends and family are incredibly supportive of me and my work and couldn’t be happier for me. It’s great to have a team of people there for you cheering you on, telling you that you can do it and believing in you. I feel very blessed to have those people in my life.
However, there are a few people who have not been supportive of what I am doing. I honestly don’t know what to make of it. Maybe that’s just the way things are, you can’t please everyone. Maybe the people who’ve been negative and unenthusiastic about my writing career are confused by my choices. Maybe to them it seems like I’m ungrateful, why should I aim for this whole new career path when I’ve got a nice, stable, secure life. I have a job that pays my bills and provides health insurance for me and my husband. Why strive for more?
Like I said, I don’t know what to make of it. So, since I have such a strong support system, why should I care about the very few people who haven’t been supportive of my writing? The short and easy answer is because I’m human and I want approval. I want people to like me.
I have thought about how to address this whole issue and struggled with even writing and publishing this post. I actually started to write it twice, and erased everything both times. I kept telling myself not to write about it, because I was giving those Negative Nellies a voice and possibly, by extension, giving them credibility.
But then I thought what if I can help someone else who is going through a similar situation? What if someone else is trying to live their dreams and are struggling with naysayers?
So here’s my advice:
Live your truth. Don’t worry about what others say. Only you know what is best for your life.
Give your dream all you’ve got. You only get one life, so why not make it everything you want it to be?
Naysayers are usually cowards. It sounds harsh, but you know that cliched statement about how the truth hurts. Generally speaking, negative, naysaying people are that way because they’re scared inside. Maybe they tried something and failed, so they’re fearful that you’ll be successful with your dream. Maybe they never had the guts to live their dreams and they’re threatened that you’re kick-ass enough to live yours.
Naysayers have a problem with the color green. Meaning a lot of times, naysayers are green with envy of those who can and will live their lives to the fullest. Jealousy is a viable human emotion and it’s very powerful.
Don’t take your abilities for granted. My mom had a stroke about a year and a half ago. Since then she has told me numerous times “Never take for granted your ability to do something.” Now, for her, as a stroke survivor, she’s meaning it in the physical sense, since she’s still working on getting all of her physical strengths and abilities fully functioning. I have taken it to heart as a writer. I do have the ability to write, and what’s more, I have the desire to write. Taking my ability for granted and sweeping it under the rug so I can live a more conventional life working 40 hours in a cubicle isn’t the right thing to do. I’m cheating myself. And so are you if you’re not living your truth. You’re doing a great disservice to yourself. Make goals for yourself, work toward them and brush the naysayers off. Know that living the life of your dreams has more impact than the negative words and actions of others.
*The picture of the little pouting girl is me, when I was around two-ish. 😉
Amanda Bretz 