the cost of your dream

I came back from my two day writing retreat last week, and announced to Mr, “I’m not watching TV with you on weeknights”.

I know, I know … giving up telly, really! Honestly everything we watch is on demand anyway, what am I talking about?! It’s no big deal! And it doesn’t seem like a big deal when I write it here, or even in the middle of the day when I announced my intentions to him.

But at 8pm after we have bathed the kids, and eaten our dinner, and done the dishes, and made lunches for the next day. That is where it costs. That is where I just want to crash in front of the telly, and unwind. That is where it is really hard to leave him watching a show, and head off to work. Sometimes he’s not even watching a show, but the fact that he has that option is enough to make me waver!

You see if I want to get this book written there is a cost. There is always a cost to following your dream. There needs to be a choice about what you are prepared to give up. Because no matter how much we multi-task we all still have exactly the same number of hours in the day. There is a choice about what you are going to do with your time. And we all have our own pressure points. Maybe it is TV same as me, maybe it is social media, or maybe like J K Rowling it is housework (I like that one!)

People very often say to me, “How did you do it? How did you raise a baby and write a book?” and the answer is, I didn’t do housework for four years! I’m not Superwoman, and living in squalor that was the answer.

– J K Rowling

The point is, if you think life will continue as before while you are trying to follow your dream you are deluded. Life has to change, for the dream to become reality. I know television is just one of the small costs on this road to writing this book. There are many many more. But they are costs I am willing to make.

Join me for the journey,

Jodie