Dreamers Gonna Dream

I'm what you would call a dreamer. Ever since I was little, my dreams were way bigger than me. A great deal of my life was lived in fantasy. I had all sorts of stories in my head, with characters that I would carry with me daily. I would talk to these characters, talk for them. Imagine different scenarios and help them work through them. I guess you could say they were my imaginary friends; but I would say that they were manifestations of my dream. Stories were my life. Reading them, imagining them, writing them. Early on, it was clear to me that I was a writer. Way back in my elementary school days, I was writing stories and poems. I was coming up with characters that would stick with me for years to come. Writing was my dream.

But, somewhere along the way, my dream began to fade and hide in the shadows. When telling people of my dream, I would often get the same reaction. Essentially, I was told that writing is a wonderful hobby, but not sufficient enough to make a career. This may sound reasonable to many of you, and it is. However, there was often a comment made that you need to be very talented in order to make a career out of being a writer. Hearing this over and over made me believe that I wasn't good enough and that my dream was nothing more than a fantasy. Eventually, I became scared to tell anyone what I wanted to do with my life; I no longer wanted to hear that I wasn't good enough to pursue my dream. I began racking my brain for other interests I may have. I came up with various career paths that I thought would impress people. But when it came right down to it, I was never satisfied.

In college, I struggled with choosing a major. Once again, I picked things that I thought would make other people happy. But when I got deep into the curriculum, I realized that these things would never make ME happy. Again, my brain was telling me to choose writing, but anytime I leaned in that direction, I was pulled away. Voices, both real and imaginary, were telling me that I could write on the side, but I need to have another career. So, eventually I forced myself into something that would never make me happy.

And here I am. I have a masters degree that was earned with little to no passion. Meanwhile, all the passion I DO have is bubbling up inside of me, waiting to be released. I can no longer contain it. And, frankly, I no longer want to. Who says I'm not good enough to make writing my career? Sure, it will be challenging. Yes, there is sure to be rejection and heartache. And, obviously, I will have to hold some other job while I pursue this. BUT there is no way that I will ever again let myself believe that I am not good enough. I can make a career out of passion. I CAN make my dreams come true.

I am good enough. You are good enough. We are all good enough.

So, the moral of this story?

Dreamers gonna dream; haters gonna hate.

Don't let the haters get in the way of your dreams. You are capable of whatever you set your mind to. Don't sell yourself short. You are an incredible person with the world at your feet. Don't let the voices tell you otherwise. It's time to take that leap of faith. Don't look down. Keep your head up, up, up, and you will soar to the moon. xoxo.