By 
I have a friend who never shares what she’s dreaming, planning, or doing – not online or off –because the fear of not living up to the declaration is terrifying. I don’t know if she thinks the world will all stop what they’re doing to laugh and point, or declare her a loser. I’ve honestly never asked her reasoning, because I’ve found people with this type of fear aren’t placing too much value on reason.
Well, I’m the opposite. Like, complete opposite. I tell everyone everything I’m working on, or thinking about working on, or wishing to someday work on.
Ironically, both approaches are rooted in ego. My friend feels she will bruise her precious ego if she for some reason cannot live up to her ambitions. I, on the other hand, give myself the possibility of looking like a genius if I do follow through. I’m some magical sorcerer who can predict the future. I can speak things into existence and manifest my life right before you.
In this month’s book club meeting, we discussed how challenging it can be for women to accept compliments. Admittedly, I struggle with this, but there’s a reason (I’m into reason, you see). I want people to know that there is not much magic involved, just work and timing and talent and luck. If you tell me you love my dress, I’ll tell you how much it costs, because I don’t want you to think you can’t have it. And if you tell me how inspired you are by my ability to manifest *insert random thing I claimed I would do*, I’ll make mention of all the other things I mentioned that didn’t come to fruition.
It’s not magic. It’s just ego. Well, maybe there is a little magic. I jump out there and yell what I want to do from the rooftops because I know a secret that I don’t think my friend understands (I’ve tried telling her, trust me). This is a secret I hope will set you free.
Last December, I realized in 2021 I’d published writing on my blog a total of (taps furiously on one of those large accountant style calculators) zero times. Not once. Just a gap in my portfolio, like I had nothing to say publicly, although I do want to remain a writer. I’d released no books, worked on no drafts, not even one ghostwriting gig. It was as if I’d retired, but I hadn’t and I didn’t want to.
So, I loudly (to all 20,000 followers and email subscribers I have access to) announced that in 2022 I would be writing and publishing something every day. I went to bed on December 31 with excitement bubbling in my chest. I was eager to get into the office the first day of the year, clean my desk, open up Word and let the words flow.
And they did. It would be a funny ending for the story to halt here with writer’s block, but that’s not what happened. Scroll through the blog, you’ll see the evidence. I wrote and wrote, published and published. I was on a roll for weeks.
Then, one day I forgot, and the next day I didn’t prioritize it, and then a week had passed. I didn’t publish anything for a week. I’d failed. And here is the secret that will help me do this thing I love to do – sharing my dreams and goals with everyone who will listen – over and over again. Ya ready? This is it. This is why you shouldn’t be afraid to share your dreams.
No one cares.
They don’t care if you do it, they don’t care if you don’t. Even more, nice people are nice. Nasty people are nasty. It doesn’t matter what you do. Nice people will support you, encourage you to keep going, and restart when you fall off the horse. Nasty people will tell you the idea is stupid, why they don’t like your work, and why you shouldn’t waste your time sharing it.
And so, as I get back to writing, I wanted you to know that I failed at the resolution. Didn’t even make it a month. And not only did no one care, I published more in the first week of this year than I did in all of 2021.
Share your dreams for yourself. Make them grand and so ambitious your voice cracks when you speak them, but say it. And then, do it. Feel the magic of manifestation when you recall (or reread) your own words claiming exactly what you accomplished. It’s good for the ego.
