Last updated on October 25th, 2019 at 01:41 am
When I started blogging back in 2003 I didn’t really think about the public judging what I was publishing. I simply had to write. I couldn’t stop myself. Besides, I was driving all my friends crazy who were tired of saying, “You should be writing.”
And they meant, for a living. And they were sick of saying it to me.
It’s interesting how others can see your life purpose before you do.
I don’t know what finally clicked for me, but one day I just woke up and had to start writing every day. I had to do this weblog thing I was hearing so much about. I couldn’t stand not writing anymore. It was like someone lit a match to a trail of gunpowder leading to the explosion of determination to be creative ALL THE TIME.
And that creativity was screaming at me to write–to write just like I did for my school newspaper. Say what?
I’d already made enough mistakes trying to find security in men, corporate America, a regular paycheck, smart business suits, and living my second 20’s in my 40’s, that I wanted to go back and start over. I wanted to reboot.
I knew I wasn’t doing for a living what I was supposed to be doing with my creativity. I needed to change.
Talk about crazy-thinking for the mother of a young son.
Therefore, I wanted the reboot to benefit my son too. He sacrificed much the few years I traveled across the U.S. for work. I wanted something more for him. I wanted to offer him a different way to live–a more creative way where your family could be a part of it and not have it all happen offsite in some cubical somewhere.
GULP.
As it turns out, the universe, or God, Buddha, the wind, and whatever else you would like to name it has a great sense of humor.
I should have quantified that must-do reboot to a new way of living by saying “… and make a comfortable living at it.” If that’s important to you, please make sure that you add that to the end of your dream sentence and put a date on it like “by the end of this year.”
I’m not kidding.
Otherwise, the universe may test your commitment to your dream. Go ahead, ask for the money too.
When I started down this 8 Women Dream road with my first blog on AOL no one knew what I was talking about. “You’re w-h-a-t? Logging?”
Try telling your elderly aging (sorry mom) mom that you are now blogging – back in the early 2000’s when AOL was still around and people were on dial-up . . .
“That’s nice honey. Is there money in it? Do you have to buy anything? Does it come with benefits?”
“No mom. It’s this way of writing … kind of like a journal.”
“Be careful what you write on the Internet. Nellie, my neighbor’s daughter’s boyfriend has this friend who has this cousin who had cancer and he wrote about it somewhere, I’m not sure where. But work found out.”
“Did they fire him?”
“I don’t remember. Something happened to him though.”
That’s what it’s like when you start down your own change-your-life-purpose path–whatever it may be. I now believe it is a sign that you are on the right path when it feels strange to everyone, including you. Yet, you know you have to do it. Going in a new direction requires real change and this will make those closest to you cringe–maybe even you too.
And that’s not a bad thing.
If you become a blogger, your life will change when you self-publish. You will grow with your writing experience.
When you find your purpose, that thing that you are meant to be doing, your life will change along with you. So do it anyway. Take a chance on finding what you are passionate about doing. Do that thing the world calls you to do.
Follow your bliss.
I blog at our kitchen table. In fact, I’ve pretty much taken over the dining room. By the way, a big dining room table is the perfect desk. Every now and then my son brings his books and sits down across from me and does his homework. I get to spend a few hours sitting quietly with my son while our minds are fast at work. And every now and then I will ask his teenage, manly wisdom on something I am working on and he will give me a fresh, young perspective. In return, I help him formulate ideas for his opening sentence on an English paper.
Most days now I am at bliss while I work my dream.
I couldn’t have done this in corporate America. Going after my publishing dream from my dining room table was the perfect way to start the reboot of my life and spend this valuable time experiencing my son’s teenage years. Along the way, I’ve managed to incorporate my publishing abilities with companies looking to expand their own publishing efforts.
I’ve gone from worrying about tomorrow to living my best today. Right here.
Did I blog today?
Did I paint today?
Did I enjoy the sun?
Did I smell the flowers?
Did I tell my son I love him?
Did I work to make the world a better place?
Did I learn something new?
Yes. Yes to all. I can say yes because I’ve learned to hit the publish button in other creative areas of my life too. Your life will expand beyond what you thought improbable.
Once I stopped looking for my answers outside of me and began to produce what is inside of me, my life purpose showed up.
This is the profound life-shift of the dreamer. You should join me.
Catherine
Catherine Hughes is the editor and founder of 8WomenDream. She’s also a magazine columnist, content creator, blogger, published author, and former award-winning mom blogger. Catherine collaborates with companies to craft engaging web content and social media narratives. Her work, highlighting stories of the resilience and success of Northern California residents, appears in several print magazines. Outside of work, she treasures motherhood, her close friendships, rugby, and animals.
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