Tag: don't be afraid

I was thinking today about all the things that I have accomplished, and all the things I would like to do, some of which I will accomplish, and others seem to just be nice dreams and inspiration. This past week I talked to several people about my book, and someone asked if I had a college degree in literature or writing of some sort. Actually no. I went to one semester of college when I was 18 years old. That is the extent of my college type of education. I have no training in writing beyond what I learned in high school, and the little bit of training I have had helping my kids as I homeschooled them through middle school. Another group of friends and I were discussing websites. We also discussed selling what we created and getting it out there for others to see. I have found as I talk to people that there are so many people afraid of taking the first step, they don’t feel like they know enough or they aren’t trained in a particular area. I saw this quote somewhere on social media, and I think it pretty much sums up where I come from.

We all have goals and dreams that are way out of our comfort zone. Never in my wildest dreams growing up (or even as a young adult) did I ever think I would be an artist, or write a book, or anything close to that. So today I hope you realize that you are capable of doing whatever you want, regardless of your “education.” There is more than one way to get an education, and it doesn’t always involve a building called a college or university. Some things do, I wouldn’t want a doctor who had gotten an online degree operating on me, but there is so much in life that we can learn, and so many different ways to learn. I didn’t just start building a website one day and finish it the next. I went through all the tutorials associated with WordPress, I read from all the frequently asked questions, there was a ton of trial and error, lots of frustrated evenings, and many days I felt like a failure because I couldn’t figure things out. But I didn’t quit. You shouldn’t either.

When I started writing my book I found a publishing site for those wanting to self publish. The price was reasonable, and when I researched different companies that do self-publishing this one was highly recommended. I didn’t start out with any preconceived ideas, mostly because I don’t really know any better anyway. I just went in, like the website, read everything I could, and then jumped in with both feet. It wasn’t until I was done and on some of the community social media sites for self-publishing that I realized my experience was really easy and awesome. Sometimes there’s a lot of hiccups for people along the way. I did find that following the prescribed methods listed on their tutorials made the process super simple and smooth. Sometimes I think it’s about having the right amount of information, not too much, and a healthy ability to plow ahead and keep trying.

Everyone has unique talents and abilities, everyone has a place they can contribute. Don’t be afraid to plow ahead if it’s something you really want. Don’t worry about the training, that will come, whether it’s through a college, or online learning, or just the process of making mistakes and adjusting course, you will learn what works and what doesn’t. I don’t have it all figured out. There are so many things I would like to do and haven’t yet figured it out, or made a plan. But there is a time and a season for everything and I will just keep plugging away at my list until either the list changes with my changing interests or until I have accomplished the things that are most important on my list. You can do and be what you want. You have the power within you, just get started. What do you want to accomplish today?