Have you ever had a dream

[jreeds]

Or a life goal, whatever you want to call it, that you were too afraid to pursue?

[Deleted]

No.  There's a goal that I want to pursue that could be really wonderful, but I need resources that I don't yet have to pursue it.  

[glassofsyrah]

I am too afraid to take the time to figure out what my dream or goal is. I am ashamed to say that I just have no idea where to start. I know I could be amazing at many things but what are they?? I am now totally hindered by the responsibility of taking care of my family with the job I currently have.  I need a life coach.

[joshlyman]

Not afraid to pursue, but unsure how to I guess.

I have to work full time to support myself, and the masters degree programs I am looking into require lots of internship/field work hours. Don't know how to get those two things to mesh.

[AmeliaBedelia]

Kind of. I always wanted to model, and got an awesome contract my freshman year of college, but I was worried that I'd focus too much on that and too little on school, and then if modeling didn't work out I'd have no back up plan. I ended my contract after only 6 months. Now I wish I would have just gone for it.

[jreeds]

Sept 24, 2013 18:39:30 GMT -5 glassofsyrah said:

I am too afraid to take the time to figure out what my dream or goal is. I am ashamed to say that I just have no idea where to start. I know I could be amazing at many things but what are they?? I am now totally hindered by the responsibility of taking care of my family with the job I currently have.  I need a life coach.

This is where I'm at. Well except I've figured out my dream, but not how to make it happen.

[jreeds]

Well geez now you guys are giving me a complex! Ugh I guess I'm just sad because I feel like I missed my chance to make it happen.

[iamgrace]

No, but there are some I'm too lazy to pursue. Lol.

[lime]

No, not really. Some things I've been afraid to do and delayed a bit, but I have gotten there eventually.

What's your goal? Can you find a mentor that can help you get there?

[glassofsyrah]

Sept 24, 2013 18:50:39 GMT -5 jreeds said:

Well geez now you guys are giving me a complex! Ugh I guess I'm just sad because I feel like I missed my chance to make it happen.

No way you have missed your chance unless your dream is to be a 17 year old Olympian.

[jreeds]

Sept 24, 2013 18:52:49 GMT -5 lime said:

No, not really. Some things I've been afraid to do and delayed a bit, but I have gotten there eventually.

What's your goal? Can you find a mentor that can help you get there?

If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh...

I have always wanted to be a photographer. I dropped out of college after only one year (stupid I know). My ultimate dream is to get a degree in business management and run a small photography business from home.

The thing that is stopping me now is time/money. I am out straight with work and family stuff as it is, I can't imagine throwing in school and then after that starting a business by myself. So for now I settle for driving DH and the kids nuts chasing them around with my camera.

[jreeds]

Sept 24, 2013 18:59:47 GMT -5 glassofsyrah said:

Sept 24, 2013 18:50:39 GMT -5 jreeds said:

Well geez now you guys are giving me a complex! Ugh I guess I'm just sad because I feel like I missed my chance to make it happen.

No way you have missed your chance unless your dream is to be a 17 year old Olympian.

Ha! Yeah there is that too!

[game blouses]

I've always wanted to write a novel. I believe I have the chops and training to do it. But it freaks me out to settle on one idea and just...write about it.

[glassofsyrah]

Sept 24, 2013 19:05:01 GMT -5 jreeds said:

Sept 24, 2013 18:52:49 GMT -5 lime said:

No, not really. Some things I've been afraid to do and delayed a bit, but I have gotten there eventually.

What's your goal? Can you find a mentor that can help you get there?

If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh...

I have always wanted to be a photographer. I dropped out of college after only one year (stupid I know). My ultimate dream is to get a degree in business management and run a small photography business from home.

The thing that is stopping me now is time/money. I am out straight with work and family stuff as it is, I can't imagine throwing in school and then after that starting a business by myself. So for now I settle for driving DH and the kids nuts chasing them around with my camera.

That isn't laughable at all. 

[jacquie]

I'm not afraid of what I'd like to do from a work requirement standpoint, but I am afraid of the money it would take. One day, I will do it. I just have to figure out how to more easily afford it.

[fuckyourcouch]

Sept 24, 2013 18:52:42 GMT -5 iamgrace said:

No, but there are some I'm too lazy to pursue. Lol.

this is more my problem.

[BaliHai]

Yes. I wanted to get a degree in Journalism - or something more specified - in order to be a proofreader, but the fear of spending all of that money just to not land a job or to be stuck in dead-end jobs for years on end, already approaching 30 (just turned 28), completely holds me back.

[sineadorebellion]

I'm afraid every day of my freakin' life. I want to do something, I want to go to school, but the careers I'm really into require lots of time, grades, and hands on experience. I have time but that's about it, and even then I don't want to be going to school all of my kids lives. I grew up that way and it sucked. I'm thinking about going but I just don't want to screw everything up!

[circa1978]

Politics.

[curtains]

Sept 24, 2013 19:11:15 GMT -5 BaliHai said:

Yes. I wanted to get a degree in Journalism - or something more specified - in order to be a proofreader, but the fear of spending all of that money just to not land a job or to be stuck in dead-end jobs for years on end, already approaching 30 (just turned 28), completely holds me back.

someday - before you can blink - you will be approaching 40.  Then 50.

do it!

[circa1978]

BaliHai You probably made the right choice. Still, the years I spent in journalism were the best of my life

[lime]

Nothing laughable about wanting to be a photographer.

So, start small. Photograph family events or other things (sounds like you are already doing that) and post them on a website.

Get a business license for your state. Find out what types of equipment/costs you can deduct and advertise yourself for free or very cheaply in order to get things going.

Try to join a local group or find a mentor that has a successful business that would let you help out or give you overflow work. Do background research on what it would take to get this going.

Set a certain amount of time that you are willing to devote to it. Maybe this is 20 hours a month?

Even if you try and it doesn't get off the ground financially or you end up not enjoying it as much as you thought you would, then you pursued it to the fullest. I've certainly had things I have tried and realized that it wasn't what I hoped for, so I changed direction.

GL!

[BaliHai]

Sept 24, 2013 19:15:57 GMT -5 curtains said:

Sept 24, 2013 19:11:15 GMT -5 BaliHai said:

Yes. I wanted to get a degree in Journalism - or something more specified - in order to be a proofreader, but the fear of spending all of that money just to not land a job or to be stuck in dead-end jobs for years on end, already approaching 30 (just turned 28), completely holds me back.

someday - before you can blink - you will be approaching 40.  Then 50.

do it!

You make a good point. I just don't know that I'll pull the trigger any time soon, especially with having our first baby and not having any idea what to expect financially or time-wise (which I know sounds like excuses, but is probably just more fear talking). Maybe in a few years when we're into a groove, it will be something I can give serious thought to again.

[snickers]

I would love to be a paramedic or a nurse, but I am too afraid of people throwing up to do it.

[Deleted]

I go through phases of what I want to do with my life. Right now I'm thinking yoga teacher. I love yoga so much, and it is the most peaceful part of my day. I really think I could be a great teacher and I know have the ability. The only thing that holds me back is the time commitment of the teacher training. It takes 6 months, at least, and our schedules are so hectic right now I don't know if I could get to training regularly. I probably just need to make the commitment and find a school that will work with my schedule. I'm also worried I won't be able to find a job when I actually get my certification.

[TC]

Pursuing an CAAB (Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, involves a masters and hundreds of hours of experience) and doing professional dog training for working and service dogs.

I switched gears to pursuing animal rehabilitation massage for working and service animals (animals now, because it includes horses) and people physical therapy. And basically I am a huge sap about how satisfied I am with this and sometimes I get teary that I stumbled into it, but training will always be the Big Dream that I knew I couldn't hack. I was too scared of what the perfectionism would do to me and my relationship with dogs.

[lpcats]

I think I would really enjoy cake decorating/baking bt I like the salary from being an engineer too much to switch.

[jreeds]

Sept 24, 2013 19:20:45 GMT -5 lime said:

Nothing laughable about wanting to be a photographer.

So, start small. Photograph family events or other things (sounds like you are already doing that) and post them on a website.

Get a business license for your state. Find out what types of equipment/costs you can deduct and advertise yourself for free or very cheaply in order to get things going.

Try to join a local group or find a mentor that has a successful business that would let you help out or give you overflow work. Do background research on what it would take to get this going.

Set a certain amount of time that you are willing to devote to it. Maybe this is 20 hours a month?

Even if you try and it doesn't get off the ground financially or you end up not enjoying it as much as you thought you would, then you pursued it to the fullest. I've certainly had things I have tried and realized that it wasn't what I hoped for, so I changed direction.

GL!

Great tips!

I've been talking to DH tonight about this and decided Tom start allotting more time on weekends to get out and start practicing more. I have some friends/family members in mind that in going to offer to shoot pics for to start a portfolio. As for a mentor, I'll have to check around but that is a great idea. The guy who did our wedding pics used to take on 2nd shooters to mentor them so I'm going to start there.