Lately I’ve been putting a lot of time and thought into what it is I want to do with my life, particularly as far as my career goes. Well, I suppose that was how this blog started, so that shouldn’t surprise you. I guess what I mean, is I’ve been making some headway in this area. And I’m pretty darn excited – not to mention, pretty scared. In the last several weeks, maybe even months, I’ve started to realize some of the things that I truly love to do. Not that I didn’t realize what I loved to do before, I’ve just always tended to make these things my hobbies. I would tell myself I couldn’t possibly make a living at that, so I’ll just do it for fun on the side. But you know what – I’m tired of that attitude! I’m tired of people telling me to be logical and choose a career with guaranteed payouts (not to mention, I sort of did that the first time around, and look at me…it didn’t exactly work!).

My friend, Carrie, inspired me a couple of weeks ago by announcing that she was quitting her job. She was going to start her own small business, work for herself and also be a homemaker, things she had always wanted to do. Her father’s illness, among other things, helped her come to this decision. She said life is too short to waste it doing things you don’t want to do.

I happen to agree with her.

So I thought…well, what do I want to do? God knows I don’t want to do what I’m currently doing. Well, lucky me, I already know what I DON”T want to do. How hard could it be to determine the opposite? Ok, so it wouldn’t be completely honest to say that I figured this out over dinner one night after a conversation with Carrie. I’ve been searching for the answer pretty steadily since that damn Science Channel show about giant squid! It’s been quite the process…I’ve made charts, read books, talked to people in different fields, taken classes. And I’ve realized that what I want to do is something I always knew I loved to do. I want to write.

Here’s the thing: I’ve always loved writing. I liked writing reports in college, I loved health communications in grad school, I like writing this blog. I come up with stories and book ideas in my mind all the time. And I think…if only I were so lucky. Ha! I AM so lucky. Why not??? I like writing fiction, I like writing non-fiction and I like writing articles. So I’ve got some plans in my head, and I’m working on it. I’m learning about how to get freelance writing gigs, and I’m doing a lot of writing at home in my free time. I signed up for a writing class to stretch those creative muscles I so often ignore. I’d like to do some freelance writing on health centered topics (magazine articles and such), and I hope to be able to publish a book eventually. I’ve got some great ideas I’m working on.

I’ve also set some goals that I am unabashedly putting out there. By next year at this time (let’s make that July 1, 2010) I’ll only be working part time. The other part of the time, I will be writing. And another year after that, I’m not working at all – well, not for someone else that is. In some way, shape or form, I will be a writer – and getting paid for it! So there we are. Those are my goals.

(Total side note: In case you aren’t up to date with what happened with those fellowships I applied to, let me fill you in. I didn’t get them. Well, one of them I wasn’t selected for. The other one had its budget cut, and they cancelled the program. It totally sucked – as they would both have been great opportunities. But, I choose not to dwell on what might have been. I’ve decided it’s all worked out for the best. Now I have time to focus on what really matters to me.)

So…I’m putting together a notebook of article ideas and such. If at any point you come across any health or wellness ideas that you think would make a great article, drop me a line or leave a comment. I’d love to hear it. Every little idea helps!

photo credit: Belinda