What You Can Do Now

So what can you do right now to change your life? Well, I have some thoughts on that. Starting today, starting at this very moment, you can decide to follow your dreams again. Yes, your dreams. Remember those? Yeah, it's those things you've stuffed into a tiny little box at the back of your brain.

So let's peak inside that box. What's in there? Oh, you don't remember?

Okay, I can understand that. You've lived many years working hard, supporting yourself and your family. The real world has taken over and your dreams have taken such a back seat that they're nearly forgotten.

Nearly.

But they're still there. Waiting.

So let's take a peak into that box. What's in there? You still don't remember, huh? Okay, then let's go back in time. Keep going. Back, back, back. Back to when you were a kid, say ten or eleven years old. Twelve at the most. What did that kid want back then? What did that kid want back when he or she thought the whole world was open to them? Back when they believed they could do and be anything.

Remember those times? Remember back when you were in sixth grade and the teacher would go around the classroom and ask everyone what they wanted to be when they grew up. I remember those days. I remember there being a lot of firemen. A lot of policemen. But I also remember other interesting things, too. I remember one girl saying she wanted to feed the world. I remember one girl saying she wanted to make clothing. I remember a boy saying he wanted to race cars.

I remember another boy saying he wanted to write and draw comic books.

Yeah, that last one was me. I loved comic books. I loved drawing and writing them. And I was pretty good at both.

But then around age twelve something interesting happened. I discovered Choose Your Own Adventure novels. Remember those cool books? Those were the books where, at the bottom of the page, you could actually make a choice for the character. If you wanted him to climb a rope ladder, turn to page 10. Or if you wanted him to explore a spooky tunnel, turn to page 21. And so on. Yeah, I was hooked, and I wrote a few of those, and after that I abandoned wanting to be a comic book artist. No, instead I wanted to be a novelist.

I haven't looked back. To date, I've been published primarily through small presses. At the moment, I'm putting together my first big sale. It's taken me 24 years to get to this point. 24 years of rejection and heartache. I have hundreds, if not thousands, of rejection letters from magazines and publishers and agents. Yes, I also have some sales, too; just enough to keep me going.

So let's get back to you. What did you want to be back when you were in elementary school? Back when there were no limitations. Back when you could do anything. C'mon. I know you can remember.

Oh, you loved sports and wanted to be a ball player? And now you're too old for that?

I see. Then why not coach your local high school team? Or go coach your local little league. Or try-out for you local minor league baseball team. Ho, ho. You think I'm joking? I'm not. Go on, do it. So what if you don't make the team. At least you tried. And who knows, you might just make the team and Disney might just come knocking on your door for the film rights to your life. Stranger things have happened.

Oh, so you wanted to be a model when you were a young girl? Well, get yourself back in shape again. Or not. Be a plus-size model. Magazines and designers need models of all shapes, sizes and ages. Or start a fashion magazine. Or a fashion website. Become a fashion photographer. I have a 45-year-old friend who recently modeled for a popular tourist destination. She's right there on all their brochures.

Yes, I know the above are extreme examples. But the point is this: there are always answers. Perhaps you didn't want to be a ball player or a model. Perhaps you wanted to start your own business. Perhaps you wanted to draw or paint. Perhaps you wanted to write or sing. Perhaps you wanted to find a cure for a rare disease. Perhaps you wanted to design beautiful homes. Perhaps you wanted to be a deep-sea scientist. Perhaps you wanted to work for Greenpeace. Perhaps you wanted to help hungry children. Perhaps you wanted to work in politics to change the world for the better. Perhaps you wanted to keep our streets safe. Perhaps you wanted to fight fires. Perhaps you wanted to teach archeology in college.

But did you really want to do what you are doing now? Did you really want to give up your life for a job you didn't love? Did you really tell yourself as a kid that you were going to put long hours into a job that you didn't love? If not, then why are you telling yourself that now?

But none of this is realistic, you say. You have obligations, you say. You have hungry mouths to feed. Yes, I know. We all have obligations. It's part of what happens when you live your life.

Well, my friends, start making some plans to find time for yourself. Start making plans to find time for your dreams. It's easy. Simply do it on the side at first.

Oh, you are too tired to do anything on the side? Your job wears you out. You come home exhausted and there's just too much to do at home.

Consider a new job. One that isn't so taxing on you. One that gives you joy and peace. But please be responsible here, folks. If you have obligations, then you need to honor them first. But you can start right now creating a new and better life. A life that gives you joy every single waking moment of your life.

Don't you deserve that?

Don't you think that's what God wants for you?

Do you think God wants you to be miserable? I doubt it.

Crack open that box, my friends. Peak inside. And shine your beautiful light into our world.

God bless,

Jon Gregory
Author of THE RETURN OF ARTHUR: A Spiritual Questnwww.lulu.com (Available now)