Dismiss the Doubters and Say 'Yes' to Your Passion

For some people, their career is their passion, but for others like me, a career can be a means to get there. I have never known a time in my life when I didn't want to be a writer. But that dream was just a dream while I was busy 'doing life'--- getting my education and raising a family.

Looking back now, my job as an English teacher was training for my future author role. I was exposed to so much literature and so many different writing samples during that time. This exposure was a crucial building block of my writing.

When my career ended after 36 years, I was ready to move into my destined role of writing novels-- romance novels. But the enthusiasm of some others was waning, shaking my confidence. I supposed I should have wanted to write non-fiction or something that required research, at least something scholarly. But I was burnt out on that type of writing. I was ready to do something fun. I wanted to write romance-suspense.

More than once people challenged me, asking why I would choose that genre as if it was not good enough. They asked where the 'merit' was in such an adventure. I defended my choice but then thought that no one should have to explain their passion. And this is when I dismissed the doubters and got serious. Now I had something to prove. I was going to be best darn romance-suspense author there ever was. Or at least I was going to be the best I could be. But that was a tall task.

I'll explain the daunting process of following my heart and pursuing my dreams. I'll impress on others that no one should go through life without a passion, and that passion is valid and needs no explanation of defense. How did I finally pursuit my passion and catch my dreams? All the steps will be revealed. The takeaway-- dismiss the doubters, invest in yourself, and say 'yes' to your passion. Your happiness will be your reward.