Giving Up On...Saving Money

 Time for another ‘giving up on good” link up with Naptime Diaries and The Tiny Twig.  Sharing something “good” we are giving up so we can do something “better.”  And the hard part: giving up the guilt, too.

I have some kind of exciting news. 

No, I’m not pregnant.  Southern Writers Magazine hosted a short story contest.  I entered with a story about a flight attendant who finds love during an inflight emergency.  Hey, write what you know. There is a first, second and third place and ten runner up winners.  I’m one of the runner up winners!  My story will be published in the August issue. 

Let me tell you why this is so special right now.  I feel like this award is confirmation for my decision about the Influence Conference. I was so conflicted about whether or not this was the right season to invest time and money into my writing and into a new career.  Such a sweet gift and at just the right time.  (I was kind of hoping to receive some financial confirmation, but I’ll take whatever sign I can get.)  I know there will be enough money in the end and I've quit worrying about where it is going to come from. 

What I am still struggling with is using the money, when it comes, to invest in my blog.  In myself.  Jason is supporting me 100%.  I mean he listed all his model airplanes on eBay.  (He loves his model airplanes.)  He has worked a lot of overtime, too.  So the money is coming, but it is dragging a whole lota guilt behind it.  I’m thinking of all the other things we could use this money for.  Debt snowball.  Dinner out.  Family vacation.  New model airplanes.  But we are using it to fund my dream.  Turning it into “our dream.”  

I’ve given up on worrying.  Working on guilt.

And I'm packing stripes for the Influence Conference!