Because I want to
It’s a complete sentence.
As I’ve gotten older and more mature and as life throws more curveballs my way, my desires have shifted in tandem. One of my desires is for more space. Another is for more pleasure for the sake of pleasure and for “Because I want to” to be a complete sentence.
Why do you write a newsletter? Because I want to.
Why did you do that to your hair? Because I want to.
Why are you going for a run? Because I want to.
Why are you taking a nap? Because I want to.
Why are you finishing that puzzle? Baking a cake? Decorating puppets?
You decorate puppets because you want to.
Because it’s fun.
You go to your job to make ends meet. You work on your Dream Project because you want to.
I’m not arguing that you throw caution to the wind and go all in on decorating puppets. Instead, what I am saying is if your dream is to decorate puppets, you don't need to justify that dream to anyone but yourself.
Because you want to.
Like dreaming, saying “because I want to” is uncomfortably revealing. It says, “This is who I am and this matters to me.” It opens the door to rejection and mockery and, most of all, to being seen.
When you lean into “because I want to” you can’t hide anymore. You’re out. You’re exposed. You’re open.
And you just might get what you want.
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This is very inspiring! ❤️ The contrast between your dream project and your job made me think. Yes, you "make ends meet" with your job but there is more to it. If you have a job, you contribute something to society. That's why you get paid. You create value, for someone else and you receive a part of that value in return. You move the needle for other people and society in general. Even if you can't see it. A job is also rewarding on many levels. You meet other people and collaborate. You achieve something together. You get out of your own head. You do something from a different perspective than yourself. If you're lucky, you can bring these two worlds close together. Your job can become a part of your dream project.
Still, I fully agree with the sentiment of this article. Because there are more people involved in your job, it won't feel the same as your dream project. Especially if the dream project is just in your head or you're still all by yourself. And working on your dream project can always be the start of something wonderful. Maybe even eventually a job that is close enough to your dream ✨
Enjoying how much this is reminding me of Chop Suey.
"Why'd you put your keys upon the table - you wanted to..."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSvFpBOe8eY
Anyway, this hits me on a deep level. I could sit around and watch TV in my free time, but it would drive me crazy - gotta do my thing!