Monday, December 13, 2010

Opportunity

What is opportunity?
Is it a matter of luck, or do we create it ourselves?
I think opportunity is being open for possibilities. I believe it’s setting yourself up for good things to happen.  I believe that when you make room in your life for the things that you desire, and you practice what you want to do, even before it happens, you will be creating the life and space to welcome even the smallest dreams to come true.
I found my first passion in the fifth grade. It was writing. Then, in 1997, I found my next passion;  parenting.
Then, I wrote on and off from 2001 to 2006, and for those six years I always had dreams of becoming a non-fiction writer and public speaker, but I never did anything about it. I hadn’t done a single thing with my dreams, except file them.
In 2005, I was sad that I never tried to do anything with my ideas. And so I began to write more often and with purpose.
Then in 2007, because I’d been focusing on writing and my goals, I had built up experience and a strong belief in myself. I decided to approach a local newspaper in my home state of Connecticut, and proposed that I write a column based on the trials, tribulations and lessons learned as a divorced mother of three. It would run weekly, I would be a paid writer for the paper, and my column would be complete with email communication between myself and the public. Born was: Life Goes On.
It was a successful column which drew readers from all areas, ages and genders. At the end of Life Goes On, I walked away feeling blessed for the opportunity, and then dreamt again of one day writing for the public.
This time, I did not let go of my dream.
For the last three years I’ve been practicing my craft. I’ve been reading and writing and attending the local writer’s conference. I’ve been researching publications I would like to submit my work to.
I’m keeping my passion alive and I’m always thinking about ways to create opportunities for myself.
In October of this year, I began my Yellow Inspiration blog. Since I started it, I have been dreaming of doing more. I now dream of creating a parenting website and asking others to join hands and hearts to help me do it.
So, it seemed ironic that a couple of weeks ago, while I was reading the paper I noticed an opportunity staring me square in the face.
I seized the moment, wrote an email, hit send, and by Monday, I’d received a positive reply.
Last Thursday was a busy day. At 7:00 I was headed to a networking meeting forty-five minutes away, then back to work where I had a very full day. Later on I had kids to pick up, at different places and at different times, then in the evening we had to go to practice for a church performance. Somewhere in between all those I squeezed in a meeting with the local newspaper to discuss my parenting blog….
…would the opportunity have been there if I hadn’t been looking? What if I didn't believie in my dream? What if I wasn't ready for it or didn't make time?
I started my Yellow Inspiration blog because I knew I needed to give myself the opportunity to learn to blog before I actually needed to know how….low and behold it paid off.
Hang on to your dreams, believe in yourself, and be ready to receive the things you’re seeking.  Set yourself up so that  an open door doesn’t turn into a missed opportunity.
To improve the golden moment of opportunity, and catch the good that is within our reach, is the great art of life.

 Amber
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