In this post, I will spend a few moments just being really frank with you about my passions. You see, as a writer who planned on writing something for others to read for approximately 25 years before I actually did it, I feel qualified to talk about this subject.

Dare to dream

Dreams are great, but until I decided to act on them, that is all that they were: just my dreams. For much of my life, strangers, customers and sometimes acquaintances would often ask to purchase my books. It always came as a surprise; I did not realize they thought I was a writer. You see, they knew before I did that I was a writer. They could see my passion and my dreams when I spoke. My problem was that I never had any books to sell them. I was not living my life to the fullest, so I would answer, “Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t have any books.”

“Well, you should,” was typically their reply.

At first I would feel honored and flattered, but then I would feel disappointed in myself. I was never moved enough to actually accomplish anything that I dreamed of doing. So I continued serving as a speaker when asked, and co-hosted women’s retreats whenever and wherever I could. I did write some articles and a homemade manual for these retreats, and I started a book about money matters, but I never actually followed through to the end. I would work on them in my spare time or when I needed last-minute resources for my role as a guest speaker. Again and again I would suffer this disappointment when an interested, enthusiastic participant asked to buy my book, and I would have to repeat that I was sorry, but I had not completed my work. It was a dream, but not a priority.

That was until last year, when my husband Michael began to prompt me to publish “that book” I was working on. As you can imagine, I had so many that I had started that I did not know which one he was referring to. “You know, the one that everyone needs,” he said. “You have to finish it. People need it.” Well, as a writer, I felt like everything I wrote was needed by my readers–whoever they were.

I often hear people ask, “Where do you get the energy? What makes you think you can do this? Who do you think you are?”, while others say, “Please write more! Your book changed my life! Oh . . . you are a self published author? Where can I buy your books? What else are you writing?”

Hot air used in the right way can lift you up

As you can see, I have those who are my encouragement, while others seek to tear me down and are actually insulted that I had the audacity to believe in my work.

What I have come to realize is that my work is valuable. I do have stories, and lots of them. I find joy in telling them and I find more joy in hearing what others have to say about them. It is simply rewarding to accomplish my dreams. We all have them, or at least we’ve had them at some point in our lives.

I want to encourage you to live your dreams. If you have lost them, ask God to resurrect them or to birth in you a new dream. Reach deep inside of your heart and discover what it is in life that makes you tick. What brings you joy? What puts a kick in your step? Then talk about it, write about it, brainstorm about it and then act on it. When you encounter resistance or are discouraged by those who tear you down, remove yourself from those influences. Find people who will support you. There are plenty online who will offer encouragement and inspiration by way of blogs, Facebook, websites, etc. Look for us. We are here, just waiting to share our dreams and to help you to believe in yours.

Resistance can make you stronger. That is why lifting weights is such a popular form of exercise.

Strengthen your dreams

Failure, on the other hand, is just learning what not to do next time. Everyone falls down. That is how we learn to walk.