I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy. – Rabindranath Tagore I was recently telling a friend of mine a story about a […]
How a Mindset Shift from Fear to Love Transformed My Business Read More »
A few months ago, I was really starting to gain momentum in my life and business. At least that’s what I thought. I had just finished re-branding my website. I changed my domain name to my name and
How I Became Unstuck and Took a Giant Leap Forward In My Life and Business Read More »
“If you want to be happy, find a career doing what you love.”
It’s a simple enough motto, echoed through homes, classrooms, and counselor’s offices across the nation. It was the singular motto of my youth. If I wanted to break out of the family’s dying farming business, I needed to get educated and pursue a career I was wildly passionate about. Only then would I unlock the door to success and fulfillment.
But what happens when you get your dream job, and it doesn’t solve all your problems?
The Myth of the Dream Job and the True Pursuit of Happiness Read More »
Because you are in control of your life. Don’t ever forget that. You are what you are because of the conscious and subconscious choices you have made. – Barbara Hall “How did I end up here?” I thought
How to Get Control of Your Money and Start Living Again Read More »
It took me nearly 18-months to land my first full-time job…and less than two-months to quit it.
I knew how silly my decision seemed to the people who cared about me. But I also knew that not only was I miserable, I wasn’t moving closer to my goals. My dream was to be a journalist, and this position was marketing, not media. That was 12 years ago, and I’ve been freelancing ever since.
Seven Lessons I’ve Learned From Making Unconventional Career Choices Read More »
It all started when I won the lottery. Well, sort of. You see, I didn’t literally win the lottery. But you know how people say “You just won the lottery, now what will you do with your life?” (Or is that the Super Bowl?) Anyway, I won the lottery like that.
I’d just had a baby, and my salary as a social worker barely covered the cost of daycare. It didn’t add up for me to go back to work, and my husband made enough for me to be able to stay home. So I didn’t really have to go back to work. Ever.
It was fun for a while. I’d wear my apron and play Suzy-homemaker, and send my husband off for the day. But it didn’t take long for me to get bored. Goodbye kisses followed by baking cookies was soon replaced by long, long hours of boredom.
How Resisting Change (Almost) Held Me Back From the Work I Love Read More »
In 2006, I had a vague feeling of unease. I felt like something was missing, but I didn’t know what. I was playing poker professionally and making a good living, but I yearned for more. More fulfillment. More excitement. More purpose. More joy.
It’s been over half a decade since, and today I’m making a living doing what I love. I’m absolutely in love with the work I do and my life. But the journey there was filled with stumbling into pitfalls and getting shoved back by walls. That’s why this article is all about the mistakes I made during my path.
5 Mistakes You Must Avoid When Following Your Passion Read More »
About ten months ago I wrote a guest post for this blog entitled 6 Things I Learned From Quitting My Job.
A lot has happened since then. I grew my blog from hundreds to thousands of subscribers, founded a content marketing agency and released a guide to freelance writing amongst other things. But most importantly, I learned a great deal. In fact, I believe that my potential at this point far outweighs my current achievements. Although I am happy with my progress to date, I believe that there is a lot more to come.
6 Things I Learned from My First 18 Months in Business Read More »
I used to play it safe. I spent years upon years living in a city I didn’t like, working in a job I loathed, and dating men who didn’t know how to love.
Essentially, I was flatlining.
Yet I stayed there – in that city, in that job, and in that relationship – because it was comfortable; it was safe.
Lessons I Learned from Outside My Comfort Zone Read More »
I thought that it was never going to end. Wake up. Brush my teeth. Drive to work. Sit at my desk for eight hours. Count the hours from the moment I sit down: Eight, seven, six… Drive home. Make dinner. Eat. … Sleep. Wake up. The truth is, at that point in my life, nothing brought me joy any more. I hated waking up. I hated going to work. By the time I got home, I was so drained and frustrated that I got little joy from my family.
Having a small child left me with virtually no time for myself, and so no hope for recovery from the torture of my mind-numbing job. The only escape I found was the make-believe world of video games, into which I’d dive at every opportunity. As days turned to months, and months into years, I was starting to give up hope. I thought that this must be my lot in life: I was destined to sacrifice myself in the service of others. Although I was dying inside, I held on as best I could in the name of duty.
The Five Words That Changed My Life Read More »
The work that you do to make a living takes up a large portion of your time and energy. Day after day, the average human works for years, logging in hours upon hours of labor.
That’s not a bad thing, if you love your work. Unfortunately, too many of us can barely even tolerate our jobs. We long to do something that manifests our true purpose in life. So why do so many people continue working at jobs that make them miserable?
Finding the Courage to Change Your Career Path Read More »
