Today I was reminded of a blog post I shared from David DuChemin. He is one of my favorite photographer/writers. His blog and Facebook pages are full of inspiration and motivation. I have a couple of his books, I’m a fan. Anyway, I reposted a blog entry he wrote about building your own ship. Your “ship” is not coming in, there is no ship, you cannot wait to “be discovered” because success doesn’t happen that way. It happens by putting in hard work. The post is here if you are needing a kick in this area of your butt.

I really like being reminded that success and dreams come out of hard work. I am in the middle of doing the hard work for my dreams. I am renovating an old house and weeding a thousand weeds for success. I have had half my house packed in boxes for two years for success. I’ve been packing and moving and packing and moving for two years for success. I’m not doing all of this just so I can have a pretty house, or 10 acres. I’m not doing it so I can finally unpack boxes and sit around and look happy. I’m doing it for so much more

At 50 years old and medically retired, I’m not even close to wanting to stop. I have huge plans of making art and building a business I like to call “an empire.” My family laughs at me because I’m always talking about building a business that will support all of us, something I can leave for them. I believe and feel it in every fiber of my being. It’s going to happen.

Am I a dreamer?

You bet!

But I’m also a believer. I believe things happen when people put in the work. I’m more than willing to work. I’ve seen it happen in other people’s lives. If one man has done something then other men can too. I started working at it the day I made this blog. I believed then, and I believe now. At some point all of this hard work will pay off. I’ve been asked why I even have this blog, and what I want to have come out of it.

I want to build a life out of it.

It may not happen tomorrow, or even in five years, but I believe that if I keep at it, something will come of it.

There are days I can’t write or even post because I am too busy working, packing, painting, or doing whatever else needs to get done. Half the month I don’t even have internet or a computer because I’m working up at the ranch. However, every couple of posts, I get a new follower. I’m trying to bring people along with me by sharing our journey. I’m trying to tell you all that more is ahead and to hang in there with me if you want to see whether or not hard work really pays off. Trust me when I tell you, I’m waiting to see if it does too!

I’m going to put 110% into this new life because I believe everything I’ve heard from every motivational speaker and writer. I believe every successful person who made it from putting in the hard work. I stopped looking for my ship to come in a long time ago and started building my own little boat.

This Wednesday, I begin the real journey. Emma and I will be moving up to the ranch. I’ll be getting up early every day to weed, and then I’ll work on the house. In July, we’ll return to move up the last of everything we own. We’ll be picking up my oldest daughter, Alix and leaving my husband behind for two more years. I’ll be a “single mom” working on building my business and taking care of Emma. Steve will be up at least once a month.

I’m scared. I’m excited. I’m not sleeping.

I have no idea if it will work, but if it doesn’t it wont be because I didn’t work hard enough.

Join me.