Following Your Bliss

(These earrings
can be purchased at:
www.sachacottagestudio.etsy.com)

Following your bliss. It's not as easy as it sounds. I went through more than a few tortuous months before I jumped ship and set off without a map. It was far and away one of the most "irresponsible" things I have done in my adult life. (OK, there have been a FEW others! I won't give you that whole laundry list. No, really, I'm NOT giving you that laundry list! I left a fairly well paying job with a great deal of security for the Real Estate industry. I was burned out (as it turns out...not burned out of anything other than that specific job), and feeling my oats and wanting to try something totally new. I had a new beau who was soon to become my husband that was my biggest cheerleader, telling me to go for it, and my kids were all full of support. At first, the novelty was awesome, the education even better because I love learning and challenges. Then, reality started to sink in, and I realized that there were far more things I hated about the new career than I liked. Ironically, for a job where there was lots of autonomy and freedom I felt like a caged animal. My nice corner office with windows and a view became more prisonlike every day. I started feeling guilty on top of everything else, because it really wasn't ALL that bad! I worked with such a great group of people....but good God, I had to get out of there.

Here, I am just five short months later still trying to get my groove on, but feeling better every day. There is an inner knowledge that I am where I am meant to be, and doing what I am meant to be doing. But......where is the money? Our financial incumbrances don't give a fancy one that I am out there doing what I love, so please be patient until I start making some money. Now there is guilt of a different sort. A guilt of feeling selfish that I had to be different and go do my own thing, while my family has to make the financial sacrifices right along with me. But, it is the right thing and I know it. In the greater scheme of things, I think I am being a good example to my children about making sacrifices for the right reasons. So I am hanging tough, making every cut back I can find, learning to have a lot of fun on a very little $$, and having the time of my life. Through this path my daughter has found her own vein of creativity and has begun to blossom into a confident, talented, happy young woman. That brings more joy and satisfaction that any corporate paycheck could ever bring. My mantra has become, "Do what you love and the money will follow". Meantime, I get to go off and do some catering on the road this summer to pay off some bills, and in my downtime....keep making jewelry.

Life is good and precious, and I am thankful.