Show Your Dreams and Find Your Courage by Shanna Hatfield

Yesterday, Christine Bush shared about having courage in her blog post. It made me think of a favorite quote...

I love Erma Bombeck.

I have since I was in high school and she wrote a column in Good Housekeeping magazine. When my mom would get the monthly issue, I couldn’t wait to see what wisdom and humor Erma had shared. She never disappointed. There was always some gem of knowledge, some sprinkling of wit that made the wheels in my head spin.

“It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.”

Erma Bombeck

I also love what she says with this quote. It does take a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else. Even if you are only showing it to one person... it still requires courage.


When I was in high school, I dabbled in writing for a little publication that was trying to get started in our hometown. I wouldn’t call it a newspaper, because I think it was printed on 11×17 paper and folded in half with maybe one insert page.

But for a young girl who was so shy she couldn’t even make eye contact with strangers, it was a wonderful outlet for the voice most people never heard.

I remember the first time my name appeared in a byline with an article. I was terrified. What would people think? What would they say? Would they wonder why someone like me thought they were good enough to write an article that others might find interesting? Would they find it interesting?


It's hard to share your dreams, to show them to someone else (or, in the case of writers - artists of any type, really - many other people). Some will praise your efforts and others will criticize, but no matter what is said, you still have to overcome that fear of "what if" and forge ahead.

When we show others what lies in the depths of our hearts, we pull back not only the drapes, but the filmy sheers and the blinds, leaving our dreams exposed and bare to the broad daylight of public speculation. It makes our dreams real and transforms them from wispy imaginings into tangible possibilities.

That takes courage. It takes something else, too.

Faith.

Faith and hope and belief.

Because when it comes right down to it, if we don’t believe in our abilities and our dreams, we can’t really expect anyone else to.

~*~

 Seventeen of our Sweet Romance Reads authors have teamed up to offer Sweet Christmas Kisses 3 - a boxed set collection of sweet holiday romances. Join us for the Pre-Order Party Tuesday, August 23, from noon-10 p.m. on Facebook!

 ~*~

 

Have you subscribed to our Sweet Romance Reads newsletter yet? 
Don't miss out on our next issue!
Click on the graphic at the top right of the page to subscribe today.

  

 ~*~

  

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, USA Today best-selling author Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with relatable characters.

   When this hopeless romantic isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Newsletter | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter