Don't wish for it - Work for it

I found this little sign at the gift shop at the Deer Park in Wisconsin Dells.  I saw it and it spoke to me. Don't wish for it. Work for it.

The sign says it all. If you want something to happen in your life, you need to stop wishing it will happen and make it happen. Put your nose to the proverbial grindstone and work towards your dreams.

My dream? To be able to make a living with my crocheting and knitting and quit my day job. I would love to be able to do craft shows and have orders coming in on both the Etsy page and the website and live off the income from both of those.

But I'm not going to wish it to happen. I'm not going to wish for orders to magically appear. Granted, I love it when they do, but I know that if I am going to succeed, I need to work on both my websites and put the blood, sweat and tears into every piece I make. Eventually, I would like to have more patterns for sale of items I have designed. Trust me, I have the ideas. They all go into a little book I carry around with me along with notes on how to improve other patterns I use or fun yarns I want to try out. It is my brainstorming book and I've always carried one.

Back when I was trying to be a writer, I always had a notebook with me to take notes on different story ideas, or sometimes the outline of a new scene. I still have all those notebooks, now tucked away in my bookcases for the day when I want to write again. Hundreds of story ideas, just waiting to come to life.

What do you want to happen? Do you want to retire before you are too old to enjoy the world around you? Do you want to buy your dream home? Or own a vintage car?  Any dream you want. Take it into the palm of your hand and feel the weight of it. Then, work towards it. Don't say, "Oh I could buy it if I win the lottery." That's wishing it would happen. Make it happen. Save a little here, a little there. If you have the time and the means, get an extra job and work towards paying off your debts a little earlier so you can enjoy the money you make. If I truly wanted to be a writer, I would write every day.