So last week as I was mopping the floors of the bar that I work at (living the dream), I was listening to a masterclass which I highly recommend as it usually gets the thoughts flowing and what's better than multitasking?! So, I'm getting the floors sparkling and listening to author Dan Brown and his masterclass and getting motivated. Motivated to write... to travel... to explore... to start making some changes in my life. I have been known to run in the seven-year itch cycle. With my coast-to-coast moves I get to my destination... settle into work and then all of a sudden seven years have flown by and then I suddenly uproot and move on. Well my darlings, I don't have that kind of time anymore. I'm not in my twenties and in a little over a year's time, I won't be in my thirties either and that is an absolutely terrifying thought. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful every day for this second chance at life and the fact that I have made it this far. But I suppose I have that underlying need for "more".
What is more? What more could I possibly ask for? I rent a beautiful apartment close to a job that provides me with enough hours to live comfortably. I have a car that although I won't be taking it to Georgia anytime soon, she gets me safely to work and to the beach with is only a 25 minute drive from home. I mean seriously, what is my problem?!
So as I was mopping and thinking and starting to allows ideas to take hold in my little brain, I had a bit of an epiphany. I can do all of the things I want to do. If I want to travel... well... yes, I can. I want to write a thriller novel. Yes, I can. Instead of thinking about all the negatives, I focused on the YES. I CAN. Will the things and experiences I would like to enjoy in life be easy to achieve? No. I have to hire and train staff to cover shifts at my job to cover days I would like to travel if I can even get that time approved. But YES, I can. I need to properly research my topics, set up interviews, outline, set aside time to write, but YES, I can write a thriller novel. So on and so forth.
I grew up in a very sheltered bubble. Where the answer was expected and 95% of the time NO. You want to go to summer camp? You want to experience more than 1 extracurricular activity? You want to go to the dance? You want to go to college? NO.
Granted my experience growing up was different than yours. Every child's story and circumstances
are different. My parents worked hard and my mother at one point worked two jobs while on food stamps, etc. There wasn't exactly money for the things I "wanted". I grew up understanding what it was to appreciate having what you "needed" and working hard for everything in life was the only way.
However... I thoroughly believe if I had a mentor other than the characters I found in books, like a real life person who wasn't afraid to speak up who told me... YES. You can... I might have not be a grown woman about to turn 39 years old feeling as though I wasted so much time. Someone who said, you want to join the color guard and play soccer? Okay, Yes, You can. It will not be easy but let's sit down and figure out what needs to happen to make that goal accomplishable. You want to go to college? Okay, yes, you can. There will be challenges, financial obstacles and a lot of hard work, but YES. YOU CAN.
Those three little words. YES, YOU CAN... are so powerful and motivating. I can wake up in the morning and just want to crawl under the covers because I've loaded my plate full of things to do. But if I say those three little words out loud... remind myself that YES, I CAN... I will... I do... and I'll do it all over again the next day.
I want to travel, I want to write, I want to stay home and relax... YES, I CAN. I can do anything I put my mind to and so can you. You want a garden? YES. You can. Sit down with a pad and pen and write out the steps that you need to take to achieve that goal. Can't afford it right now? That's okay. And it's okay to have a box with goals that you are working towards. It's okay to literally have a piggy bank that you put a dollar in every day that you can because one day that piggy bank is going to be full and you can take your garden goal sheet out of your goal box and say: Today is that day that I WILL. And that might mean going to Walmart and picking up a little tomato starter planter. And you put it on your window sill and you water it and you watch it grow. Then when you nurture that plant and you see your first tomato, you will be proudly and say YES, I DID.
It's 2022 friends and I truly believe that you can do anything you set your mind to. Whether you are single, have a partner or a big ole family.... YOU are enough. You are SPECIAL and YOU... yes YOU... can DO ANYTHING.
Thanks for traveling with me on this journey. I have faith in you and your dreams and goals. Life is for living.
-Blondesheep