D is for Dreams

I was always taught that with hard work and sacrifice, I would be able to pursue my dreams and achieve anything I set my mind to.  While this may be true for some people, I think it’s an over-simplification of the process.

I did everything right and sacrificed a lot, and yet my true dreams have yet to be achieved.  I realized at some point that this collaboration of hard work and sacrifice wasn’t enough.  There has to be a drive to take risks and a hope that it is all going somewhere in order for that sacrifice to get transformed into something really powerful.

Weight loss showed that to me.  Unless I thought I would be able to lose weight and do well, none of my self-punishing sacrifices meant anything.  The same with my writing career.  If I was going to spend all day at work because it was the right thing to do, nothing was going to just magically happen to the novels sitting on my hard drive.  Taking time to work on my writing or to practice self-care is necessary to doing well in the long run–just as important as believing that the time spent on me is worth it in the end.

Every dream in our life is possible and deserves to be worked on—especially when it means a practice in self-love and care.