How are you living today?
When I created Fiery Living last year, I was a 46 year-old in the middle of a pandemic thinking, what do I do now? All of a sudden, I had all of this time. I wasn’t rushing to work or rushing to get the kids to school. I was sitting outside thinking and watching all these birds in my backyard I had never seen before. For the first time in years, I had time to be creative and play. I started remembering the person I was before. The person that had so many dreams and believed anything was possible. The person that never worried if there was enough money because living was simple back then. Like many adults, I traded fulfilling my potential for financial comfort, and I did this without processing or acknowledging that this was what was happening.
In my early twenties I spent a lot of time writing scripts. I had huge aspirations for my future. Coming from an underclass, immigrant, imposter syndrome mindset, I received the clear message that writing was only a dream. I was told by several trusted people in my life that I should focus on the pursuit of financial stability instead of my creative talent. Writing should be a hobby, not a career. I agreed with the naysayers and started down a dependable career path with a salary and an office. This path was fine, and I did enjoy most of it. Then the kids came and again, I made choices to keep money coming in. I made many unhealthy compromises in the name of my kids, my husband, and my job. I traded creativity for mundane stability.
Fast forward to 2016 when I woke up one day not feeling great. I had become accustomed to running on autopilot most of the time. I was a creature of habit and routine. I kept a to-do list and finished all the tasks and chores by their deadlines. From the outside looking in I was great. My family was great. Then my oldest son was working on an autobiographical book report and interviewed us. He first asked my husband, his father about his hobbies. James had many. He was a triathlete, a cyclist, a singer in several music bands. He was able to really engage with this question and it was impressive. When it was my turn to respond I didn’t have any hobbies to list. My spirit was not engaged in anything meaningful. I was the typical mom prioritizing being a mom. I was silently and slowly killing the women I once dreamt of becoming. After that interview I went to the garage and pulled out my writing box. It was filled with stories and scripts I had written decades ago. I sat for hours reading my work. Some of it was absolute trash, but some of it wasn’t bad, and some of it quite good. Then and there I decided to start writing again and return to filmmaking.
Jump to 2020 and I now can say that I have written a book that I hope to publish in 2022. I have started a blog that I LOVE. I have co-written and produced a film that has won two festival awards this year. I went from sitting on the couch to walking down the path of my dream self. I made the necessary mental shift to prioritize my mental well-being and spirit. I chose to again be creative and return to the dream I had deferred so long ago.
Fiery Living is about you finding your path, returning to your dreams. It’s about you choosing to regain something you may have lost or start something completely new that you have always wanted to try. It’s about setting time aside for yourself to do whatever you want for no reason other than sheer desire! It’s about living in a way that makes you feel happy and fulfilled. It’s about finding your joy and reclaiming ALL of your dreams.
RECLAIM YOUR DREAMS
Today I encourage you to take a moment to remember the person you were before life became complicated. The person you were before kids and jobs and adulting. Who were you then? What did you love about that person? What did you love to do? And then make a plan to reconnect with your dreams. For me writing was the way I reconnected with my dream self.
Let go of the numbness and GO GET IT!
If you are interested in joining this Fiery Living journey of reclaiming your dreams let’s talk. Send me an email (fierylivingme@gmail.com) and get the ball rolling! We’re here to encourage you along the way. Just remember that the journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step, and the decision to take that step.