If you’re waiting to do something you’ve always wanted to do — DON’T! — Just start the process. Here’s why:
What Happens to Us
More than likely you too have experienced similar things over the years to those I’ll mention. It starts when you’re young and want to do something that society as a whole, your parent,s or your peers are not doing. And it continues probably all the rest of your life.
What is it? It’s people feeling they have to tell you very emphatically — that what you want to do — can’t be done. You’re either too young, too old, too fat, too thin, too tall, too short, too poor, too rich, you live in the wrong place, you don’t have the right friends, you have children, you have to work for living, you have too many responsibilities, your relatives are sick, you’re too frail, your kids are sick, the economy is too bad, things aren’t just right — and on and on it goes.
You Start to Believe It!
The sad part is — in most cases one starts to believe this propaganda and doesn’t follow through on the things that could make life great, rather than just muddling through in the grey zone. Then eventually they proceed to tell others why they could not fulfill their dream. They use excuses (called reasons) like the ones mentioned above.
Not having enough time or money seem to be the favorites.
The Price Has To Be Paid
Accomplishing a goal is not always easy, but it can be done if you are willing to pay the price. Most of the time the price will be criticism from friends, family and folks in general. In some cases it will be doing without one thing or many things to have another.
If you start out realizing that freedom always has a price to be paid and that you can’t expect anyone else to see your dream or share your enthusiasm, your attitude will be better from the start. Makes it a lot easier to deal with the difficulties when they come.
The Most IMPORTANT Thing to Remember:
What you accomplish and what you are able to do has more to do with how much you want to do it than it does with how much money and time you have.
An Example to Help Make the Point
When we moved to this area with only $80 to our name, many considered it a very foolish thing to do. It gets more unbelievable when you realize that our goal was for my husband to earn a living in art! And here we were moving to a then very remote area, knowing no one and with no income. And we didn’t have a clue what we were doing— no doubt about it. The only thing we knew was the end result we wanted.
It was NOT easy. Poverty is never fun. But somehow we managed to get through more than 20 years of doing without just about everything including things that are regarded as necessities.
We were in this area about 6 months before we started a little garden, not knowing anything about gardening either. But if we wanted to eat, we knew we needed to grow something.
The only tools we had were a shovel and a hoe and a small hand tool that were in the shed of the property we were living on. At the time we knew nothing about gardening, but applied the principles that we saw nature apply. (We were told over and over that we could not garden successfully this way.)
Everyday we did whatever we could do towards our goals and I’m happy to report that although it took us more than 20 years to learn how to do what we wanted, we finally worked out of poverty. We now earn a living by Bill’s artistic abilities. We are able to grow most of the food we eat and have successfully gardened without the aid of harmful chemicals and in cooperation with nature for 32 years.
Decide What You Want to Do
If you want to raise your own food, raise it organically, and not be so dependent on the “food industry” you can. Just walk in that direction. Don’t wait for the right time — in all probability there will never be a perfect time. Ignore the excuses your mind will hand you — like no time — no money. Just go forward and TRY. Do only what you can. One small step at a time. Keep pushing.
Again, what you’re able to do has more to do with how much you want to do it than it does with how much money and time you have.
You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.
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WOW!! You really hit the nail on the head. What an inspiration you are.
Thank you
Hi Beppy,
As always – I appreciate your comments. You provide the inspiration that makes it easier for me to keep writing.
Thank you!
Warmest regards,
Theresa
Fabulous article! My experience was very similar. Everyone scoffed at my gardening efforts in the beginning, predicting that I would give up after the first year and that the yard would turn into a patch of weeds. That was 15 years ago. When I started my online business, I had to put up with the same negative predictions all over again. But here I am, still in business after 7 years. I just feel sorry for the people who never live their dreams. Thanks for sharing your story.
Hi Diane,
We’ve all got it in us to do and accomplish great things. All we have to do is go forward and turn a deaf ear to all the negative comments. That can be easier said than done ——-but it can be done. You and I are living proof!
Sure appreciate your adding your story. More encouragement for others to try.
All my best,
Theresa
Thank you for a wonderful post. I want to turn my entire yard into a garden. I have a sm. raised garden, potted herbs & a watermelon patch all organic but want to grow most of my food. I dont have much gardening experience but I guess just need to jump in & try! Hopefully by next spring I can decide where to put the planting beds. I love your Blog & appreciate your taking the time to publish it.
Hi Sheri,
I think turning your entire yard into a garden sounds wonderful! How much yard do you have?
And yes, just jump in. And by all means stick with the information on this site. I give you a lot of good time saving and practical tips on how to get the job done. Maybe not conventional stuff — but it works. If you have specific questions that you would like to ask, just email me at Theresa@tendingmygarden.com.
And by the way, how long have your been reading my posts and how did you find my site?
Thanks for reading!
Warmest regards,
Theresa
Sometimes it’s the, just jumping in, part that’s the hardest. After that, it’s not so bad. Sort of like getting into a cold pool of water, maybe!
In making that comparison Sandra — just remember — the sooner you jump in the sooner you can start swimming.
This will be another post I will read to my husband tonight!
I so admire your determination. It was so hard for me sometimes when even my husband would keep repeating statements like “nothing is going to produce if we didn’t add some 10-10-10 to ‘help’ it”.
Every time I would start getting results from enriching the soil we would move!
It has truly been an uphill battle, but one I would do over & over again.
It makes it all worthwhile when my grandchildren can grab lettuce, a cherry tomato or a green bean and pop it in their mouth in the garden and I don’t have to worry that they will get cancer or have a seizure.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for teaching me so much!
Betty
Betty, I certainly empathize with you. When a mate keeps repeating statements that are contrary to what you are doing it makes it very difficult.
The real facts are 10-10-10 does more harm than good after it’s used several years. I’ll write about it one day.
People think they need it because it is a programming of conventional agriculture. When people hear it from everyone over and over they come to think it’s true. It’s not!
And the real facts on that are REALLY amazing and I will be writing more and more about it in the future.
Keep on keeping on Betty!
Nice to have you reading.
Theresa