On my way to work this morning, the song “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield played on the radio. I’ve heard the song many times before. This morning, I really paid attention to the lyrics for the first time, and reflected upon my own goals.
Many of us feel trapped in the routine of our daily life. We’ve all said at some point that we don’t have enough time. I’ve been using this excuse for two important goals in my life: decluttering my home, and writing my novel. These are things that I know will make me feel happy and proud of having accomplished them. The truth is that none of us “have” time, we “make” time to do what we really want to do. So I must ask myself the question, “Why have I not made time for the two goals that I’d most like to accomplish?”
The clutter in my home is complicated, as much of it was inherited from my husband’s family. For that reason, I feel that my husband must make the decision regarding what to keep and what to sell. Of course, there is no excuse for me not to get rid of my own clutter!
I know that my almost pathological fear of giving things away stems from my childhood. My parents were terrible at managing our family finances, and in our house, it was feast or famine. When my parents had money, they’d literally buy champagne and caviar. When they had none, we had to make do with “mystery” tins (we had a box of tins without labels). I guess it’s the fear of being without that holds me back from doing what I should in this regard. The ultimate irony is that I usually can’t find what I need, when I need it, anyway!
This brings me to my unwritten novel, which I have dreamt of writing for as long as I can remember. A couple of years ago, I signed up to NaNoWriMo, and started to work on my goal in earnest. Then I was diagnosed with lupus and psoriasis – two severe autoimmune diseases that have since wrecked havoc on my life. I was unable to type due to numbness and pain in my arms and hands. Since then, I have abandoned my goal of writing my novel. While my health challenges are certainly a handicap, I suspect that the real obstacle isn’t lack of time or my health, it’s fear. As long as my novel remains unwritten, it can’t be rejected. I can hold on to my dream of being an author “one day”, whereas if I write it and it’s not good enough, I would have to give up on the dream.
You would think that, given the above insights, I’d be able to overcome my psychological hurdles and get on with it. I’m happy to be able to confirm that I’ve started taking baby steps in the right direction. I have given away two large bags full of clothes I no longer wear, and I’ve started writing for World Moms Network again.
To paraphrase Unwritten: each day we get a brand new chance to “begin our book.” No one else can do or say what we are meant to do and say. We’re all unique, and therefore uniquely qualified for whatever it is that we’re meant to accomplish in our lifetimes.
What goals do you have, but “don’t have time” for? If you have already published a book, do you have any advice for us aspirant authors?
This is an original post for World Moms Blog by Mama Simona from Cape Town, South Africa.
Photo credit: Caleb Roenigk / Flickr.
Simona, this is so true. We hold on to our dreams, finding excuses for not doing the things we should do in order to realize them. It may has to do with insecutity or the fear to be rejected.
I decided to make it happen last year. I’ve been writting for the past 20 years.
The only advice I would give you is to start and to write every day, even one line or a couple of words. Just committ to it, even 5 minutes a day. Just do it. Like a meeting with yourself, a way to say “I love you, you are great”.
Wishing you the best Simona with your novel – keep us posted. You’ll make it.
Thanks a million, Marie. Your encouragement means a lot to me. 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!
It’s true: the only way to write is…to write. Every day. It’s exercise, so start small: 20 minutes. Do that for a week or so, hopefully at the same time every day (which may be impossible); then build to 30, and so on. In yoga they call it monkey mind: that insistence that you should check facebook *right now* or do the laundry or make doctor’s appointments or get dinner ready…there are a gazillion reasons to stop writing and they all seem incredibly important, when you’re writing. But really? They’re not. there’s a poem by native american writer Louise Erdrich, “Advice to Myself” that starts ” leave the dishes…” and goes from there : )
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2007/05/29
You can do it.
Simona,
I love your post. My issue has always been “am I good enough to do so and so” and “there are other priorities-excluding me”. Thus many dreams and goals have been postponed. I feel this year has been like “a slap on my face” realizing that nothing is worth delaying what you really want to do. So , go for it girl!
Thank you very much for your supportive comments. 🙂
So much of this resonates with me!
I think I am at the same point in life.
I have already started decluttering my home and it feels so much lighter, but I feel like I am not nearly done. Due to my health I have to postpone decluttering sometimes and take a breather. With the writing, it’s different. I just take it one babystep at a time. First the decluttering because it feels like I am literally making space to work on my dreams.
Be confident that you will get there, your dream is strong enough!
Writing for WMN is already a step closer to your dreams.
Dearest Mirjam,
Thank you for your comment. “First the decluttering because it feels like I am literally making space to work on my dreams.” – I’m totally with you on that. Right now I feel that I don’t have the space to write. I’ve been writing my WMN posts at the office after hours, but I feel that I need a place which is just mine, and where I can focus without being distracted by all the other things that need to get done, for my novel. You’re right though, at least I’ve started writing for WMN again and that *is* a step in the right direction. 🙂