What is the biggest demand on your time? What is taking the most energy from you? The largest barrier from accomplishing dreams I hear about is - work. If you are the average American worker, you most likely will spend around 1/3 of your life working. Remember you will also spend another 1/3 of your life sleeping - leaving you with 1/3 left for yourself. Better hope you like work eh? If these numbers seem cruel and unreasonable to you, don't accept them.
I woke up a few years ago when I met my husband. I was in the rat race like everyone else - struggling to make a paycheck and pay the bills. I was bitter, resentful, and discontent with my life. I felt that God had given me a hard hand and I was failing at managing it. When I met my husband, I was jealous of him. He owned his own business and seemed to be able to do whatever he wanted. He travelled. Took days off whenever he wanted. Relaxed. And he enjoyed the work he did. The funny thing is my husband is not wealthy. He does not make an incredible about of money, but he makes enough to LIVE, and he is content. At first, I thought he was spoiled. How dare he live so comfortably when everyone else had to work so hard. I had a lot to learn.
As he lived comfortably and I worked my butt off, I continued to read, grow, and listen. Finally, I started to learn. Fear was keeping me at work. Fear of losing all the material things I had accumulated. But they were not worth losing my life over it - literally. My priorities needed rearranging. Work is simply a tool. Money is also a tool. It is not necessary for work to define your life! We all know money is not fulfilling, yet so many of us are obsessed with the idea of making a lot of it. Even if we are able to manage to get the career we dream about, our most priceless gift (life) slips away from us while we are working those 40-60 hours of career achievement. I believe this is a very simple example of losing sight of our real priorities.
So how do you get back to your life now that you are thoroughly turned around? Start to incorporate the little things again. For me, I had lost so many things I used to enjoy. I had stopped reading, listening to my favorite music, writing, and taking care of my body. I did not spend quality time with those I loved and I had lost all of my friends that meant anything to me. Survival had become the only thing defining my life for a long time. I had to release my fear and the illusion of control over my financial future, before I could take the risk to take care of myself and my life in shambles. Once I took very small steps towards living my life instead of letting the fear of money and work control me, I began to experience freedom and joy. The funny thing is - life will reward you for this choice. The less I focused on work, the more money I didn't seem to need. I can't explain that - it's just what happened.
I just received my W-2s for taxes this year and I realized I made roughly the same about as I did last year. Yet this year, I feel like I have lived in excess. I did not stress about work nearly as much and I did so many wonderful things to enjoy my life. Today I read, take time for myself, enjoy music and writing, and practice extreme self care. I spend quality time with my husband and family. I am working on building new friendships. Yet, my finances did not change. They are not the goal anymore. Work does not define me - and I work about half as much as I used to. I will not allow work to take over my life or rob me from my potential and my joy.
Is work the centerpiece of your life? How have you prevented work from becoming an obsession to you? I would love to hear about it! Start the conversation here or message me at defytheaverage@gmail.com.
I woke up a few years ago when I met my husband. I was in the rat race like everyone else - struggling to make a paycheck and pay the bills. I was bitter, resentful, and discontent with my life. I felt that God had given me a hard hand and I was failing at managing it. When I met my husband, I was jealous of him. He owned his own business and seemed to be able to do whatever he wanted. He travelled. Took days off whenever he wanted. Relaxed. And he enjoyed the work he did. The funny thing is my husband is not wealthy. He does not make an incredible about of money, but he makes enough to LIVE, and he is content. At first, I thought he was spoiled. How dare he live so comfortably when everyone else had to work so hard. I had a lot to learn.
As he lived comfortably and I worked my butt off, I continued to read, grow, and listen. Finally, I started to learn. Fear was keeping me at work. Fear of losing all the material things I had accumulated. But they were not worth losing my life over it - literally. My priorities needed rearranging. Work is simply a tool. Money is also a tool. It is not necessary for work to define your life! We all know money is not fulfilling, yet so many of us are obsessed with the idea of making a lot of it. Even if we are able to manage to get the career we dream about, our most priceless gift (life) slips away from us while we are working those 40-60 hours of career achievement. I believe this is a very simple example of losing sight of our real priorities.
So how do you get back to your life now that you are thoroughly turned around? Start to incorporate the little things again. For me, I had lost so many things I used to enjoy. I had stopped reading, listening to my favorite music, writing, and taking care of my body. I did not spend quality time with those I loved and I had lost all of my friends that meant anything to me. Survival had become the only thing defining my life for a long time. I had to release my fear and the illusion of control over my financial future, before I could take the risk to take care of myself and my life in shambles. Once I took very small steps towards living my life instead of letting the fear of money and work control me, I began to experience freedom and joy. The funny thing is - life will reward you for this choice. The less I focused on work, the more money I didn't seem to need. I can't explain that - it's just what happened.
I just received my W-2s for taxes this year and I realized I made roughly the same about as I did last year. Yet this year, I feel like I have lived in excess. I did not stress about work nearly as much and I did so many wonderful things to enjoy my life. Today I read, take time for myself, enjoy music and writing, and practice extreme self care. I spend quality time with my husband and family. I am working on building new friendships. Yet, my finances did not change. They are not the goal anymore. Work does not define me - and I work about half as much as I used to. I will not allow work to take over my life or rob me from my potential and my joy.
Is work the centerpiece of your life? How have you prevented work from becoming an obsession to you? I would love to hear about it! Start the conversation here or message me at defytheaverage@gmail.com.
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