Pursuing Unconventional Dreams and a Magazine Feature

Happy Friday Y'all!!! I hope you had a great week! We have made it through {I hope} a last ditch effort at this NC winter thing and are holding our breath for blue skies and 70 degree temps coming up!

I have a bit of exciting news to share with you but first I want to chat a little bit about dreams, particularly the unconventional kind.

I am a dreamer. I mean a head in the clouds, have 50 million different ideas and interests, don't know what to do first kind of dreamer. And at first you might think this is a great quality, and it can be, but there is a catch.

If you have amazing dreams but you can't focus on any one dream for any length of time, focus and direction can become a problem.

 {photo by me, quote by me}

Let me help you put this in perspective. I've wanted to be a veterinarian (not sure why because I can't stand the sight of blood), an FBI agent (because that would be super awesome), a night club owner (this one's for you Ki), an interior designer (not too far fetched), a travel agent (don't get my parents started on this one), a real estate agent (this one is sort of true), a singer (this is still true but you haven't heard me sing), a sports photographer/writer (this is probably the path I should have taken).

I could go on and on. My family teases me about what type of "agent" I will be next.

I also have big non-career related dreams. I want to volunteer at an orphanage and help children or travel for a cause, I want to travel the world and take my kid(s) to live abroad for a year, I want wanted to adopt, I want to create an amazing home for my family, I want to paint, I want to live at the beach (particularly Charleston, SC) and so on.

My point here is that as I have grown I wished I had been able to settle on a handful of dreams or career options to focus on earlier but deep down in my heart I never let the dreams die.

This is what comes from pursuing radical dreams and how can I argue with that?

I don't know what gave me the courage to follow my dream of adoption as a single mom with not a big income but I know my faith in God carried me through.

"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7 NIV

The reason big dreams are on my mind right now is that I have discovered that this blog has become one of my dreams. Such an unusual way to realize a dream I think but it is part of me now. Finally I am able to channel my love for photography and writing, decorating, relationships, creating and sharing all in one place. Why didn't I figure this out sooner?

And, the reason I feel like my dream is actually coming true is because little ol' Simple Stylings has landed it's very first magazine feature! Our local Lake Norman Currents is a beautiful, glossy, lifestyle magazine that is truly loved in our area!

I reached out to the publisher, Sharon Simpson whom I met years ago when I was an intern at the Lake Norman magazine, to let her know that I am around and would love to contribute to the magazine if she ever had a need for any DIY features. The next thing I know the editor emailed me to ask if they could feature Simple Stylings in the March home issue and of course my answer was a very quick and resounding YES!

I am truly humbled by this and I really can't believe it still!

This feature is so special to me because this is my home, my community and I am so thankful I get to be a part of it. So local folks let's get involved!

Check out Currents and Simple Stylings and all the great local thrift and antique shopping in our area...hey that might be a new blog post topic! Would you like a post about local shopping? There is a feature article in Currents about this right now!

And a huge thanks to Lake Norman Currents and all of you, my faithful readers, because without you these dreams wouldn't be realized. I would rather be dreamer any day of the week than dreamless, wouldn't you?

Have an awesome weekend!