As the days get shorter and darker it is a traditional time to look within at our feelings, thoughts, hidden dreams, wishes, and desires. So I figured it was also a good time for me to start writing this blog again. I pulled older posts from years ago and am starting fresh. Using this as a place to focus of my daily thoughts, creative and spiritual experiences, plus recommend books, movies, and so forth.
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Recently I'm thinking a lot about how much time people spend wishing for things. I often have folks say to me "I wish...". I hear wishes of being able to paint, draw, or write better. Wishes of being in touch with magical things, fall in love, or do something else for a living.
The thing is, wishing and dreaming isn't a bad starting point. But it should be just that: a starting point, a motivating force. Too often do we rest on "I Wish" because it's less scary than trying, less scary than doing and risking failing at something.
Here we are with a pandemic and all sorts of other crazy stuff going on in the world. This should show us how unpredictable, and sometimes short life can be.
LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO SPEND YOUR TIME WISHING and not DOING. Cheesy, I know. But also true.
I wasn't born with the skills I use in my personal or work life. I wasn't confident. I couldn't draw or paint or write well. For a long time I felt like I was rubbish at most things and I wished I could be good at SOMETHING, at ANYTHING.
In my late teens I started writing and drawing as a way to cope with life. I had to do something with the crazy feelings and thoughts. I found I really enjoyed the process of putting pen or pencil to paper.
I never expected or even dreamed big enough to think I would create actual books or oracle decks or paintings people would hang on their walls.
Thing is, when you do something every day and enjoy the process... you get better at it. In spite of discouragement from many teachers and friends, I kept doing creative things just for myself. Eventually people started asking me to write something for them, to paint something for them. And then I started getting professional offers for writing, editing, and painting work too.
So here I am, over 20 years later working on my 50th book. That's insane. I get emotional when I really stop and think about it. I feel so blessed and lucky to be able to do this. I'm also forever thankful that my younger self started DOING things, rather than just WISHING I could do them.
So this fall ask yourself: what are you spending a lot of time wishing for that you could actually start doing, even in a small way? What's one tiny thing you could do every day or week to make your wishes into real things? Is it scary, hell yes. Is it worth it? Always. I promise.