I have spent today around books. Lots of books. Not only at my normal haunt at the library but at the local bookstore as well. The kid decided to come here and shop so Mom is bumming the wifi after looking around some…
I looked around at the books within and it amazes me how many titles claim to be the solution, the cure for this or that.
Solutions to wealth, success, solutions to relationships, marriage, raising kids—cooking the right foods—you name it there’s a book claiming to have your answer right there sitting on the bookshelf!
I’m not complaining, mind you. I’ve read a good many “solution” books in my day but only a single title caught my eye tonight. While it didn’t raise enough interest to justify the price (and having another physical book in my life) I scanned through the pages and one thing stood out: there is no magic cure.
There really isn’t you know. What we think of as magic is simply hard work with perhaps a bit of luck thrown in—but mostly work.
Simplicity actually takes work. You can’t wake up one morning and decide that your life will be simple from then on. You have to focus on one thing, master that and then figure out the next step and go from there.
How nice it would be if we could wave a magic wand and *poof!* our latest goal would be accomplished! This isn’t going to happen, however. If we want to make things work, whether it is simplicity, minimalism, frugality or even our job it takes several things:
- A goal or dream.
- A conscious decision to work toward accomplishing our goal or dream.
- A single step we can take toward that goal.
- The work necessary to complete that first step. Repeat with the next step.
- The determination not to quit.
That is what it takes. Nothing magical about it at all.
It’s funny—I hadn’t realized until this evening that I have been a freelance writer now for a year and a half. I wasn’t really thinking about it much but I kept plugging at it one article, one blog post at a time.
Which brings me once again to my point. Instead of sitting on my laurels tonight I’m sitting with a laptop writing one more thing while I have the time.
Instead of continuing to wander around looking bored I’m blogging.
Yes, I could be making more money by working on another how-to or something but that isn’t the point—the point is that I’m still working towards my goal of freelance writing.
Perhaps it doesn’t make sense to you but it makes perfect sense to me: the articles I write pay for my present but these blogs—they are my future. Every single post is a deposit in the bank account of the future while simultaneously being a record of my journey there.
One day I will not only be a freelance writer, a single mother living the simple life paying the bills on her schedule but I will also be--
I dunno. I went to finish that thought and realized that I haven’t fully established my next goal. I know I want my blogs to become more successful and perhaps to help people somehow.
I know I want to finish my book and determine the best way to publish it—be it online, in print or a combination.
I know that I am not fully where I want to be yet, because there is a little part of me actually nagging me to get a traditional part-time job to go along with my writing so perhaps some self-confidence is lacking.
I will figure it out. Until then I’ll not worry about a magic cure to life, the universe and everything. I will keep writing, I will keep cleaning, I will keep minimizing, I will continue simplifying and above all I will keep growing.
Who needs a magic cure? We have everything we need to accomplish whatever it is we desire inside us right now!
What do you desire? Is it a simpler life, less bills, more money, less stress?
What step can you take to head toward that desire? Pick a step, any step. If it is more money can you find one little thing to make a little more of it? Heck, you can pick up an aluminum can off the street and be progressing toward that goal!
You think I’m joking, don’t you?
*Sigh*
Years ago I was pregnant with my first child. I was so broke they were trying to repossess my car and I had nothing with which to provide her the bare basics. One day I was driving home from work and I happened to see some aluminum cans tossed alongside the road.
I stopped and picked them up. I ceased feeling so helpless that day and walked mile after mile in my spare time just picking up aluminum cans. I didn’t get rich—in fact after crushing them I ended up giving most of the earnings to my mother but I did something other than sit on my butt and whine about my life.
I took one simple step.
Every article, every post, every word is a simple step in my journey. Every single time I tap a key on this keyboard it means that I am not taking what life throws at me lying down but I’m actually contributing to my freedom and well-being.
I’m not giving up. I’m not waiting for a fairy godmother to wave some magic wand and say *poof!* you’re a successful writer, or *poof!* you have an organized home or even *poof!* look how clean your kitchen table is today!
Instead of waiting for life to hand me the answers I am working toward them and it feels really good.
What step can you take toward a goal that you have?