If It Ain't Working Maybe It's Time To Think Outside the Box

I am embarking on a journey towards better health and happiness in my life.  I started the journey a number of years ago, but really wasn't sure what direction to head in, I just knew I didn't want to be living in my cubicle anymore and doing work that was meaningless and unsatisfying.   I started off by just exploring other "safe" career options, and determined that a degree in nursing would warrant a relatively open job market anywhere in the world, so as a first step, I began taking classes towards nursing.  My initial plan was to stay at my safe job until I got my degree in nursing and then transition safely and effortlessly from one corporate position with state government into one health related position with a hospital or doctor office or some other entity that would guarantee a paycheck every week, biweekly or whatever. 

Along the way, I became intrigued by the idea of self employment...of figuring out some way to make money on my own, without having an employer to answer to.  While the idea of a regularly scheduled paycheck is VERY appealing, the idea of having to be at an employer's beck and call is NOT appealing.  I began to get disillusioned and  uncomfortable working for someone else, and found myself angry and frustrated each day while I was at my job.  It became unbearable to have to be there 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and before I knew it, I had taken that very scary step of actually quitting my "safe" job!  

For the first few months after quitting my job, I had full time classes to keep me busy.  After the needed classes were finished, I found part time work because it was ingrained in me to have a job so I knew I would get a paycheck every week, biweekly, what have you....

In less time than I would have liked, I became disillusioned with even working part time for somebody else.  Obviously the money was less than what I had been making, but again, the work was not satisfying, and the job duties were limiting and I felt held back from doing what I was supposed to be doing.  Granted, I wasn't sure yet WHAT I was supposed to be doing, but I knew it was not what I WAS doing.  At the time, I had a 900 + a month mortgage plus utilities that had to be paid to even have a roof over my head.  That was so overwhelming, I didn't have time to even THINK of doing anything else.

 

Instead of thinking of how to make more money to live, I began to think outside the box of ways to not have to work for somebody else.  In exploring other options, I began to think of ways to lower my expenses rather than increasing my income.  By lowering expenses, I would be less likely to have to feel like a slave to a "real" job because I wouldn't need as much money to live.  Sort of unexpectedly, I found a way to downsize my monthly expenses drastically, and without over thinking the whole thing, I jumped at the chance. I contacted an individual who was interested in purchasing my home in lieu of foreclosure and I took the money I had in a retirement account from my previous job to buy a property for cash. Fast forward 8 months and here I am in Florida with no mortgage and minimal monthly expenses. 

Because I decreased how much money I need each month to pay my "living expenses", I now have MUCH more freedom to explore various ways to make a living without being slave to some employer.  That huge burden of needing at least $1000 or more a month just to keep from being homeless has been lifted, and now I can happily keep a roof over my head for less than $300 a month, leaving a lot of leeway for finding ways to make money.  It is MUCH easier to come up with $300 a month doing something part time for a few hours here or there than it is to come up with $1000 or more. Because I changed the way I thought about things, I was able to change the way I lived. Instead of being a slave to an employer for 40 hours a week who will give me a steady paycheck, I can pick up a part time gig here or there, and still have a lot of time to "become" who I am meant to be.  I am still far from where I want to be in my journey, but I have a great deal more freedom to explore various paths. 

So, if you find yourself at a place in your life and you are not happy and just can't do it anymore, take the time to look at things from a different perspective. You just might figure a way to get out of that place and begin heading to where you belong!