Dreams and Regrets
A couple of things happened last week that made me stop and think about my dreams. Firstly Chelle from The Mumington Post shared this video on her Facebook page. It is of a blackboard left in New York where people could write down their biggest regrets. There is a really great message on this video, but the main message the struck me was:
‘Never following my dreams’
Then, I was talking to my Mum on the telephone about my blog, and she said to me ‘well you’re doing something you’ve always dreamed of – writing aren’t you’. The combination of the two has really got me thinking.
You see, I have always wanted to write. I love to read, if you read this blog you’ll know just how much. But I have always wanted to write too. As a girl I had little drawings and stories, in my teens I began my quest to write a novel. I still have plenty of floppy discs, not that I have a computer that will read them mind, of the epic novels I started, as I cannot quite bear to part with them.
After my wedding, when I realised how much free time I had after I didn’t have a wedding to plan, I started a book. It’s currently at 100,000 words – no that isn’t a typo – and it still isn’t finished.
After my son was born, before I went back to work after maternity leave, I went on a fabulous creative writing course run by the author Julie Cohen. Which by the way if you want to write a novel and are thinking of doing one, I would highly recommend.
A couple of years ago, I have an attempt at Nanowrimo. Which if you haven’t heard of it before, is a challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November. I failed – miserably. In my defence I was in the early stages of pregnancy with my daughter and I was exhausted and felt really quite sick all of the time.
I feel very fortunate in my life. I have a great husband whom I love very much. I have two amazing children which for a while there I never thought I would have. I also had a great career which I made the choice to put on pause and I am grateful for the opportunity to spend time with my children while they are small.
But, I will regret it if I never get down to writing the book I have always wanted to write. My dream since I was a girl was to write a book. I am 35, there’s still time. But as I know all so well now that I am a mother, sometimes time has a way of moving quickly.
This week it has been on my mind, these last couple of weeks really I have been thinking about my life. My values, my work, my children and the balance of it all. I don’t want to regret not ever writing that book and if I don’t want to regret it, then I need to do something about it.
At the same time, I am not quite sure how I am going to fit it all in. Life, as anyone with small children that tries to do some work from home around them, or even if you don’t! Is busy. So I am going to start small with just one hour. One hour a week dedicated to writing, not my blog, not any freelance work, but writing my novel. Even if it means I do one less blog post a week, that is what I am going to do.
Do you have a dream you have yet to fulfil? And if not, do you have a plan on how you might achieve it?
Oh crikey I could have written this post! I have endless notebooks Vitwhere I’ve written stories or characters, and while I enjoy my blog, it’s not quite what I wanted.. Reading this maybe I’ll sit down and start to write what I want? – If I can be brave enough to try 🙂 Good luck! x x x
Good luck to you too, I am currently just trying to work out who the characters are!
Awww lovely, I was the same as you as a child. I remember reading Enid Blyton books and wanting to write my own. I started to write some and never finished. I carried that wish to write a book with me into adulthood and still wanted to write even up to a few years ago. It is something I would love to do.
I love your idea of using an hour a week to write your book. Fab idea and I hope you manage to finish it 🙂 It may give me the kick up the bum to maybe make a start on my own 🙂
Good luck lovely 🙂
Gemma xx
I adored Enid Blyton too! Good luck and do let me know if you do start writing 🙂
That’s an amazing dream to have, Laura. I say go for it, if it’s what you are truly passionate about! Writing has always been one of my favorite hobbies as well. 🙂
Thank you Cara for your words of encouragement x
This sounds fab. What a lovely goal to have. I too want to write a book and have not worked on it for ages but need to find time to do so! I saw this video and it’s a great one! Angela
I know it’s always about the time isn’t Angela – good luck to you with yours 🙂
I think putting aside 1 hour a week to write your book sounds totally manageable, I can’t wait to read it! I always dreamed of writing a book when I was younger, but I’ve certainly never got as far as writing 100,000 words! I don’t have any regrets that I can think of. Although I may not have always made the best decisions and choices, they have got me to where I am today. Xx
Yes I think the same in terms of regrets, by the title I meant I don’t want to regret it in the future – here’s to an hour a week 🙂
I love writing, so I know exactly what you mean. I’m as far as having a finished book, but I still need to submit it somewhere. Good luck with yours, I know you’ll get there. 100,000 words is a lot already, so keep up the good work :).
Oh well done on your finished book – I hope you have success with it x
I am sitting here with tears rolling down my cheeks. Your post has really touched something in me! Thank you so much for sharing this and for making me realise that I need to get off my backside and start living more! I wish you the best of luck with your book, don’t give up!!!
Oh wow Catie, I am sorry I have made you cry. It sounds as though something in my post has resonated with you – good luck in achieving your dreams xxx
Ah how exciting, it sounds like you’ve done brilliantly getting to such a high word count! I know what you mean about finding the time though, it’s impossible to do anything for yourself when you have small kids. But I think carving out some time once a week is a great strategy, go for it! xx
Ha! It so is, they take over your life which is why I thought maybe an hour per week would be feasible x
Go for it Laura! The fact that your making time to writing your novel is a positive step in the right direction. Good luck with it 🙂 xx #picknmix
Thanks Rachel I appreciate it x
Good luck with your book Laura. I’m totally awed by anyone who manages to achieve such a big feat while mothering and living a full life. I’ve lately realised that I’ve stopped dreaming for myself and have just been getting through the day to day for a while. I love that you’ve put your big dream out there and have a plan to achieve it 🙂
It is very easy to focus on the day to day with small children I think – I hope you find a little time for your dreams too
I always wanted to be an author as a child, and have done naniwrimo three times although I never was convinced I had found my fiction ‘niche ‘. Blogging has actually made me think non fiction may be what I write one day, even though I adore fiction too.
Which book are you going to work on? Or are you starting a new one? Small tangible goals like an hour a week sound like a great way of getting making a bigger change. Enjoy! Xx
My big book I have been writing is such a beast and I have plans for a whole series that I may start with just a novella to get into it. Thanks Zoe
Love this post and I look forward to reading your book one day! It is such a juggling act with everything, but I’m sure you can do it lovely,
Thanks for linking up to #PicknMix
Stevie x
Aww thanks so much Stevie xx