Stuck Between A Dream And A Paycheck
I currently work a full time job overnight stocking for grocery and a part time job during the day packing clothing for delivery. As you probably guessed that doesn’t leave much time to hone my writing skills.
I want to become a full time writer and I’m a full believer that the more times you do something the better you are at it. Unfortunately that means I’m not an expert at writing yet because I’m an expert at all the little things I do at work to get paid.
Do What You Love
For the past two years I’ve been on a self help kick and if you’re anywhere near self help you’ve heard of the phrase Do What You Love.
It’s easier said than done.
As it turns out when you work a job that isn’t anywhere near what you’re dreaming of doing, finding ways to make the job and dream intersect can be pretty difficult.
And the longer you’ve been at that job the harder it is.
Because even if you were to use a popular self help tip — find work that’s in the realm of what you’re really wanting to do — none of those other entry level jobs will pay near as much for what you need to live on. And so you’re stuck.
Stuck Between a Dream and a Paycheck
Stuck between wanting to pursue your passion in life and keeping your rent paid.
At times I dream of quitting my jobs, living on the road, and somehow surviving while writing like crazy.
Weirder still is that sometimes I think about settling.
It’s scary even, thinking about letting a dream go and somehow learning to love the working world. Thinking sometimes that it isn’t so bad.
My jobs give me medical benefits. They give me paid time off. They give me security.
But I won’t pretend my jobs are my dream.
I may be stuck for the moment but I don’t think I’ve been stuck long enough to justify complaining about it.
I’ve only known that I wanted to become a writer for four years now and have actively pursued it. In that case I could argue that the path to my dream job is in it’s infancy.
If It’s Not Too Late
I will say though that had I’d known I’d wanted to become an author when I was younger I would have chosen a part time job in the realm of writing as soon as I could.
Maybe it isn’t too late for you.
But even if it’s a little late, if you can afford to start again — by living at home, with a roommate, or below your means — please start again. It might be a couple years back at entry level but it’ll pay back tenfold.
Make the Job Work for the Dream
If I can’t call myself an expert at writing, yet, I can at least call myself an expert at many things to do with writing — knowing people, being organized, time-management, empathy, observation, problem solving, imitation, and all the things I am learning and fine-tuning, FOR FREE, because of my jobs.
And most importantly, I’m never short on material or words because I’m constantly engaged with people and conversations.
Soon enough I’ll be a writer full time or an author far away nestled inside Minnesota. And I won’t be there accidentally. And I definitely won’t be there a newbie. I’ll have all my skills with me and all my memories and all my non-linear writing experience.
My name is Alicia Alcantara-Narrea but I write as Alicia Narrea. Both of my parents were born in Lima, Peru. I speak English very well, Spanish very well (according to me only), and French as a beginner. I can’t turn back time or dwell on what ifs, I can however consider where I want my future to be and work actively in my present to achieve it. I’ve learned that things take time but more importantly that they take fun and patience with an appreciation of the now.
