BELIEVE

by Cassie Shiels

Believe has become my life mantra. It's simple and easy and can be applied in everything that I do. My sweet husband gave me a pink rubber bracelet that says "believe" on it. It came with a cute card that basically said women are amazing and that he believes I can do anything.

At first I thought it was kinda sweet but then I started applying it. Anything meant suddenly that he believed that I could raise our four little kids, and then I had more faith in myself too. Anything meant he believed in me as a writer and that meant it was possible. I wanted to be a writer, a mom, and teach childbirth classes and I was sorta, halfway being successful at it all, but after I looked at the fact that my husband believed in me, I felt like I could really do it, too.

Being a good mom was and still is priority #1 and teaching childbirth always beat out writing because it helps pay for things Writing always took a back seat. But when it hit me that he believed in me and that I believed in myself, I dedicated more of my time to it and fit it in. Since then, I tried nanowrimo for the first time and I won! I wrote my first two children's books and my second YA.

I want those of you who are struggling to believe in yourself! Just believe, then dream, then write. It can happen. You can find a way to fit it all in.

There is another quote which is quickly becoming my favorite mantra after believe and it really works well, I think, along side of believing. It's "If you really want to do something you'll find a way. If you don't you'll find an excuse." I want to do this. I want to write. So no more excuses, I will find a way, I will believe in myself and I can be a good wife, mother, author and educator.

I wear my pink bracelet often, but especially on days I know are going to be stressful or hard because I want to remember to believe in myself. Its a nice reminder and now I look at that simple gift as a huge blessing. And whatever your situation is, whatever you are trying to balance in your life, know that you can too! Just start with I believe.