Paycheck? Or Passion?

That is most definitely the question.  I have been sitting here thinking for the past few weeks; What are my goals?  What do I want to do?  What can I accomplish?  I have just successfully completed one year of being a stay at home mom.  And let’s be honest here, there were several times along the way that I didn’t think I was going to make it, at least, not with my sanity in tact.  (Well, all that was still in tact when I started).  But now that I have made it past the anxiety of feeling like I need to be gone and on the move all of the time, I am actually enjoying.  I feel that my family is enjoying it as well and my kids are doing much better emotionally.

But there it is, constantly burning in the back of my mind….. now what?  I have completed Certified Medical Billing School, which was my intention when I stopped working, in the hopes of getting a job that I could do from home.  The possibility is still out there, however, I didn’t know when I completed my classes that I couldn’t move on to the next step until I receive my certificate.  Which they don’t give you until your loan is paid off.  So, that gives me 4 more months that I can use to study, I guess, or forget everything that I have learned.  That is not too much time to wait I realize, but with Christmas looming just around the corner, I feel dead in the water.

I could get a part-time job during the holidays, that’s doable.  I know there are a lot of places that hire extra staff and I have limited availability, but I’m sure that I could find something that would work.  My point is, I’m fully capable of working.  I could definitely bring in some extra money for my family.  And it would bridge the gap until February.  But I don’t really want to.

“So what do I want to do,” you ask.  Honestly?  I want to be independently wealthy.  Take some pressure off my husband by ensuring we have enough money for every thing we need and want.  Put my time and energy into my writing, start my book, do cool stuff with my family on the weekends, and write my blog.  Maybe take a killer vacation over spring break.  That is my ideal situation.  I like it.  It works on so many different levels.  I have faith that the Universe will manifest my dream life….. in due time..

So until then.  Challenge myself to stick with my dreams?  Or suck it up and provide a sustainable income for my family?  One sounds more responsible than the other, right?  But I have always been responsible.  I put off my dreams for a very long time to provide for my family.  I spent 20 years in a career that I never really wanted, but made great money at.  It took all of my strength, courage, passion, and support from my family to be able to walk away from that world and start doing what I’d always wanted.  The last thing that I want is to do it all over again.

One of my favorite pieces of advice is:

Find three hobbies you love:

One to make you money

One to keep you in shape

And one to be creative.

I think I just answered my own question there.  It’s time to start making some money writing!   I choose passion, my friends.  I know there are many people out there who have done the same and I thank you for being brave and an inspiration.  I hope that we all find our way to our dreams and are able to make them our reality.  I know sometimes life gets in the way and we make our choices for the good of others or for what we believe to be more stable ground.  But if what you are doing makes you miserable…..  Then it is time to make a change.  Life if too short and too precious to be unhappy.  We are capable of anything and it’s important to never forget that.

Here’s to writing, loving, learning….. and living our dreams!

Cheers!  🙂