Tunnel of Love Week Guest Blogger: Katherine Garbera
UPDATE: This contest is now closed. The two winners are Erika Lynn & Karin. Congrats!! Please send you physical addresses to contests(at)knightagency.net.
Find what you love to do. Find your passion. Know what makes you want to get up in the morning, that's all you need.—Condoleeza Rice
Find what you love to do. Find your passion. Know what makes you want to get up in the morning, that's all you need.—Condoleeza Rice
From my earliest memories I've known two things: 1. I love to make up stories and entertain people and 2. I can't resist a happy ending.
The fact that I had this knowledge was a nice start to my career as a writer but if it hadn't been for the support and encouragement of my parents, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today.
Doing what you love isn't something that's embraced here in the U.S.A. Most of us find work doing what pays the bills or supports the lifestyle we want. And we live our lives in a quasi state of happiness. I'm saying we but to be honest this isn't me.
I had a job as a secretary at Walt Disney World. It was a nice job with nice people but I had no passion for it. I was a hard worker and excelled at my tasks always earning praise from my superiors but there was no sense of satisfaction from the job I was doing.
I took a leap of faith and started writing. I'm often asked why do I write romance and this goes back to my number 2. I love happy endings. I love the thought that two people are going to fall in love and be happy. And without that I'm not interested in a story. I love to read but I need to know the characters who's lives I've gotten tangled up in are going to be happy. That they are going to get a life together to have kids and build a family.
When I started writing romance novels I realized exactly what Condoleeza Rice is talking about. I have never had to "make myself" go to the computer and write. I long to be at my computer writing. When I'm not, I'm cranky and a bit out of sorts. Writing is so much more than a job to me, it's a part of who I am and I'm so grateful I figured that out at an early age.
What about you? Do you do what you love? I have two prize packs today for two randomly drawn lucky blog participants. The pack includes SEX WITH A STRANGER and BODY HEAT from Brava along with some Valentine's Day chocolates!
Happy reading!
Kathy
www.KatherineGarbera.com
Kathy
www.KatherineGarbera.com
Labels: katherine garbera, tunnel of love
posted by Jia Gayles at 9:20 AM
21 Comments:
I know exactly what you're talking about. I spent over 20 years in various management positions in financial services, was paid very well, earned lots of recognition but I never felt "successful." Then in 2004 I took a severance package, went back to school for journalism and am now trying to make my way as a freelance journalist/writer/audio producer. I don't think I worked as hard as this in my corporate job - there are always tasks and projects on my to do list. However, I have a much greater sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. And best of all, I love the control I have over my life .....
Mandy; I agree doing what you love does require you to put in more hours for less pay a lot of times but the joy in the work makes up for it.
Kathy :)
I'm pretty much doing what I love, I work at a public library so I'm surrounded by books, which is the way I like it. I'm not sure what the future holds. I would love to be a writer eventually, probably when the kids are older, but for now, I'm happy.
Deidre
I haven't quite managed to find a job that I love yet. I was in the middle of working on a graduate degree and discovered that I really didn't love what I was doing as much as I thought... So I'm still working on finding my place. Thanks for the great article!
I absolutely do what I love! I'm a journalist, so I get to write, which is my passion. I get to spend a lot of time with my grandson. I freelance, so I get to work at home on my own time. Life is good!
I do have a job I love so it doesn't feel like a job. I work in college athletics and getting paid to watch sports is about the best thing ever.
I'm a stay-at-home mom and most days it is the best job in the world. (Of course, I would like to take a vacation every once in a while, lol).
Ps - I think the covers of your books at HOT, HOT, HOT!!
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I do an I don't. But that is true for most jobs. I work at an academic library (Deidre, my dream is a public library!) and for the most part I do love my job. If I took a calendar and drew a happy face or a sad face on each day after it was done, I would have a TON more happy faces. But there is always the little things that you can't control that just kill me.
It honestly doesn't make sense to me to do anything BUT follow your passion. What's the point of working really hard at a job you don't love? Okay, some of you are saying "Money, duh!" But I feel that when you do what you love, the money will follow.
I am a writer. It's my passion. It's what I love to do. I do some other things to pay bills, and they're my secondary loves, and things I can get excited about, but the goal has always been to support myself with writing novels.
(I also love a guaranteed happy ending. If I want to be depressed, I'll watch the news.)
I've done both - work at a job to pay the bills and work at a job that I loved. Even turned down a promotion and a raise because I knew I wouldn't like the new job or the people I would be working with.
Right now I'm enjoying what I'm doing but I also know I'll be needing a change soon. Change can be painful but also good.
After years of not doing what I love, I am glad to say that I finally am - writing. This is my one true love.
Margay
Hi Kathy, I've mostly been loving what I'm doing - I'm pretty easy to please! I work in customer service and it is always a great feeling when the customer leaves happy. Of course, there are days when I wish I could run away from it all and do nothing but sleep in, eat my fav foods and snuggle up with a good book - I guess that is what days off are for, lol!
I don't know if I've found what I love yet. I haven't really looked all that hard at other jobs aside from the one I currently have because it fits so well for me. I have an amazing boss who is completely flexible with my schedule and the times I need to take off to help my grandparents or to help my mom with my niece and nephew.
I'm hoping I'll eventually find what I love, but I plan to enjoy what I do until then.
For 30 years, I did what I loved...I was an elementary school teacher. Now I REALLY do what I love because I am absolutely loving being retired! :-)
I've always loved animals and right now i'm studying to become a vet tech. And I'm loving every second of it.
I do what I love, but not where I want to do it. Does that make sense?
There are things that I would love to do, but would never be able to though.
I don't do what I love but at the same time I'm happy and feel a great sense of accomplishment. I was in the military. Not something I dreamed of from childhood on but I was proud of my input. Now I'm a civilian working for the military and take a great deal of pride in helping the soldiers.
I will agree that if you hate your job you need to find something else.
Writing can be hard, those days when the characters are being stubborn or the plot just won't gel--I think you really HAVE to love it to stick with it! Because that's what really makes it all worthwhile in the end.
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