If someone told you they would pay all of your bills for the next 12 months and you could do whatever you wanted, pursue any dream you have what would you do? What would your life look like? So many of us don't have a clear answer to this question because we don't think this way. We do what we've been taught to do. We try to please our parents, our spouse, our children, our boss, or we worry about what others think of us, etc. What does the little voice inside your head say? What is that one crazy thing that you've always wanted to do but haven't had the courage or belief that you can do it?
I didn't go to college straight out of high school because I was brought up with the belief that you had to get straight A's to go to college and my parents let me know they couldn't afford to pay for college so I went straight to work because that was what the expectation was. At that time, I wanted to be an attorney. I didn't even go on the senior trip, overnight to Disneyland. I literally graduated one night and went to work the following morning at 8 a.m. I worked for several years then got married and had two beautiful babies. I still had the dream of going to college and being the first person in my family to earn a degree but it was much more difficult now with a family so I decided I was too old. Then one day I heard a woman on TV say that whatever age you are it isn't too old to do what you want to do! She asked where will you be in five years? You will be five years older. No way to stop that so the decision is do you want to be 5 years older without what you truly want or 5 years older and have what you truly want? That made me stop and think. I am going to get older whether I earn a degree or not so I might as well get my degree. At this time my girls were 1 and 3. I was working full time at a job I HATED but I made more money than my husband and had free medical insurance for the entire family so I didn't feel like I could quit. I spoke with my husband and he said...quit your job! We'll figure it out. You talk about petrified I WAS!! I was the responsible, sensible, follow the rules girl. I couldn't just quit my job. What would my parents and grandparents say? Long story short I quit my job. I threw a newspaper everyday 365 days a year for two years. I got up everyday at 2 a.m. to drive to get the newspapers, then put them together and threw them to 355+ houses. If I was lucky when I arrived back home the girls would still be asleep and I could get another hour or two of sleep. While my husband was working I would take care of the girls and do my homework. When my husband walked in the door I left to go to class. I went to school 4 to 5 nights a week depending on the semester. I went year round and some semesters had 22 credits. I went both summer sessions. I completed 112 credits in two years including 16 weeks of student teaching and graduated with a 3.6 GPA, which upset me because honors was a 3.7 GPA, but I finished! During this time I had many personal issues surface, including the death of my beloved grandpa, who I helped for many months while he was very ill, but I kept moving forward with tunnel vision and my eye on the goal!
I share this story so that you will know YES it is possible to turn your dreams into reality. It is possible to make a plan and stick to it even when challenges come up. It is possible to maneuver through life and take one day at a time, one issue at a time and overcome all the obstacles that come your way and still be successful.
Back to your dream...is your dream to be where you are today? GREAT!! If not, why are you doing what you're doing? Because of what someone thinks? because of how someone will perceive you? because you were raised to believe that's what you are suppose to do? If you are living a life that you are not passionate about then you need to stop!! You are not doing yourself, or anyone else including your family, a favor. The only thing guaranteed in this life is that we will get older, if we're lucky enough to not have our life cut short. Do you really just want to check off the days between now and death without living your passion. You don't get a do over. Dare to dream...dare to challenge yourself to put yourself out there and TRUST and BELIEVE that there is a plan far greater than what you know right now. YOU ARE MEANT to live the life of your dreams.
Make a plan and follow your dreams.
God Bless,
Nena
PS If you need help or ideas on how to achieve your goals please comment below or email me at nena@getoffthescale.com and I will be happy to help you!
#getoffthescales #lifeoffreedom #dream
