Why You Should

By Nichole Giles

There was a time when I believed that my dreams could be put on hold. I was busy being the mother, the wife, the homemaker—and at the time, that life was something of a dream for me anyway. But even then I had other dreams, other desires. I wanted to create in an artistic sense, be it with music, acting, or writing. I wanted to travel to foreign and tropical places, see the world. And I’ve always, always, my whole life, wanted to live in a house on the beach.

I know. I’m a dreamer. But that’s okay. It’s part of what makes me who I am, and who I am is a creator, a writer, a mother, an artist, a world traveler, and a person who is determined to someday buy that beach house. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming. I think our dreams are what make life good. What make us happy even in the roughest of times.

But sometimes life gets in the way. Things happen. As parents, we often put off the things we want, the things we dream about, in order to prioritize the needs of others, especially our children. For instance, today, I wanted very badly to write. Currently, I have three ongoing writing projects in various stages of development. And I woke up with the bug to work on all of them. It’s been a few weeks since I had a good, solid writing session, and I had high hopes that I could make it happen today. All I would have to do is pick which project to open.

Except…first I had an appointment, and when I got home, something came up. Then another thing came up, then it was time for the kids to get home and I had to pick up the carpool. Then music lessons (four, back-to-back, half-hour sessions), basketball practice at both six and seven, also, my critique group was coming over, to my house. And I had to print a chapter to read and go get copies. To top it all off, my husband works nights right now. So, it’s all up to me. (Thank goodness my oldest now has his license.)

I didn’t get to work on my books. In fact, I’m writing this late at night, knowing that Thursday is my day to blog, and I should’ve had this turned into our blogger group yesterday. But, you know, stuff came up.

It couldn’t be helped. Or could it?

Sure it could. Looking back, I could have set my alarm and woke up earlier. I could’ve ignored the phone, the internet, my email and found at least a half hour for some good solid writing. It’s not a lot, but it’s something. Even now, when I finish writing my blog, I can give up an hour of sleep—and probably will—to work on a chapter or two.

Over the past few years, I’ve realized that I could potentially put my entire life on hold for someone, or something else. Every single important thing, every single day. Something will always come up, and there will always be a reason for me to not do that thing that is so important to me.

If I allow it, life will continue to fly right past my eyes while my dreams and goals sit in a holding pattern, waiting for me to discover a minute when nothing has come up.

But life is too short for that. It just is. I don’t want to wake up one day when I’m eighty and realize that I never wrote that book, never cruised the Mediterranean, never bought that beach house. Not that eighty is too old to do those things, but…why wait until then? Okay, granted, the beach house thing—that does require funds of a certain degree. But if I do it right, maybe living my other dreams will help bring that one to fruition.

Friends, there will always be a reason why you can’t. Why you have to wait. Those reasons are the things that hold us back. But if you can just look past them, you’ll see a whole other list. The title of this list? Why you should.

Do it now. Now. Now! Get to work on fulfilling your dreams. Because believe it or not, there will never be a better time.

Okay, I’m finished with my blog. Now I’m going to write.

**Tomorrow I'm a guest blogger over at Day Dreamer. Be sure to stop by and say hi!