Saturday, June 2, 2018
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
The Question of Why...
Today was presented with a great question… what is my big WHY? Why am I trying to really change my career and the daily grind that I have set up for myself? This was a powerful question early in the morning and I pondered it earnestly. I wanted to get to the most honest answer I could give myself to protect myself. Three things happened this morning, the first was that I woke up and had a reminder on my phone to pray for a little boy that I don’t know but is having heart surgery today. He is just a baby I saw on my news feed and it asked for a simple prayer, so I bent my knees and prayed hard for him. I had apparently set up this reminder two weeks ago and so my day started with a private prayer for this beautiful blond, blue eyed infant taking a valiant journey into such a big surgery; I gave thanks for all that I have and especially for my family.
This gave me focus appreciation for the day and I proceeded to enjoy my family and our morning routine, kissing my daughter and making funny noises, massaging my wife’s sore neck and making sure they both knew just how much I love them. Dropped my little pumpkin at the daycare and went to work to begin my workday. I was immediately drawn to an article, the first one of the day, an article about the end of life. No, actually that’s wrong, it was an article about life and what we regret about it when life is coming to an end for us. The article, posted on RealFarmacy.com, was short and sweet; apparently a palliative nurse has asked for and collected from her dying patients their end of life regrets, what they wished they had done differently.
What surprised me was the simplicity of the regrets. People did not want to have had a better job or earned more money or have been famous, they all regretted not spending more time with their loved ones. Especially the men of older generations; they regretted not spending more time enjoying their children when they were young. People regretted not living the life they had dreamed about living, conforming to the expectations of others when they should have been listening to their heart. People overwhelmingly wished they had allowed themselves to be happier and live more open and emotionally honest lives. This article, like the reminder of the young boy facing surgery for his heart, awakened me and focused my appreciation for my life and my family.
Lastly, I got an email from Ed Gandia asking me a big question, why am I doing this? Why am I thinking of leaving a steady paycheck to venture into the world of writing? Why am I trying to make this change in my life, why do I want to write? How did he know I was thinking about this today? But regardless, I know the answer now; it’s my family… that is the big why. I desperately want to raise my kids, I want to love my wife fully every day, and I want to pass onto the next plane with a heart full of love and memories. To leave my family happy, with memories they can grow from and pass on to their children and grandchildren. This is my big WHY.
I cannot do any of this for my family from a cubicle chasing the dollar on an hourly bases, I cannot live my life and then wonder at the end… should I have dared to try my dream. Since childhood, I have put pen to paper, would I really allow myself to pass on without even trying? But now, my family has created a looking glass, a surgical focus on the reality of what is important in this short gift we call life. I am going to dare to dream but more importantly, I am going to dare to “do” in order to be able to say that I at least tried. Here is to my family, I do all that I do for you, I love you.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Its Not Easy Being Green…
So I have not written in my blog in some time. This, as I understand it, is the cardinal sin of writing… you must write! So here I am wondering when I will get more organized with my time for writing. Now, in my defense, I am a full time employee for a large sales firm, have a young daughter at home and another young one on the way. Did I mention I am also a full time student in a legal studies program? My plate is full but I am not complaining, I am thankful.
Being in the predicament I am in is wonderful if not tiring. No, I mean it… think of what we do and where we live. Hell, a bad day in the USA is still not too bad of a day usually (baring major catastrophes or passing). I get to work in a clean cool office working with people everyday to help better their lives. I have a comfy home for which I pay a fair market value price, I drive a nice American made SUV and have food on the table. My family is happy and healthy, what more can any man want.
No sir, I am not going to complain, not one little bit. I am thankful for the abundance of work I have and the ability to explore my writing in the way that I am doing; I am happy to report my first earnings as a writer have come in… a whopping $27.13 all for me. Its a small step but its a step and I am excited about what the future holds. I am tired and sometimes my patience is tested and yes I fail at times. Life is a journey however and I am committed to making a change in how I dictate my career and writing will be my vehicle for this transformation.
However, if anyone would like to offer me a writing assignment on some far off deserted island, please contact me…. I will pay my own way!
The Perfect Wave
What are we looking for in our career as writers? Is there such a thing as a perfect profession, the area that gives you the freedom to earn a nice living, affording you certain assurances in life while also enjoying what you do for a living? It seems that everywhere I turn, I see happy writers that are making a living online; exactly how much is being made is always, of course, a leap of faith.
The more I read the more excited I feel but, there is always the doubt when starting anything new. Can it be; will it be? I see claims of six figure incomes and a life that affords more time for family and personal growth. Don’t get me wrong, there are programs out there which are obvious wastes of money. They are evident from far away and are rampant; maybe an area to explore for the benefit of new writers in the future. Whatever… I am excited and I am trying not to be, I want to run this as a pure business with no emotional attachments right now. This has to work or it doesn’t, it is either for me, or it’s not. Who am I kidding, I’m excited.
Listening to and reading about so many niche areas in which one can focus but, the priority is the niche in which I could flourish, something I find interesting and gripping. I want to find this career that I am eagerly researching, absorbing, digesting and hopefully turning it into a powerhouse for my family. So it is time to get the actual ball rolling. I will soon be opening a new website on Word Press and begin to focus my writing into targeted areas. The plan is a simple, three prong attacks at the industry concentrating on white papers (or case studies), e-newsletters, guest posts and obviously, blogging.
To make sure I accomplish everything I have set on my plate, I have started scheduling specific periods of time to accomplish each task. Staying organized is one of the most important things to tackle when starting any business. It is critical to understand how you should manage the time of your business to ensure production of a sustainable income for you; making time for your business and organizing your time will help you stay on track and motivated. I am becoming intimately acquainted with my iPhone's calendar and reminder options. Every minute accounted for to ensure dedication. I currently have four minutes left to finish this post and start school work so I will cut this short.
I want to say thank you to all of you who have given me feedback on my posts and support in what I am trying to do. Help me spread the word if you think it’s worth it and keep an eye out for an announcement to my next website. I will invite you all to jump in and mess around with what I create, I look forward to it! Thank you again…. Two minutes to spare.
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