MOVE
After working ten years in media advertising in Manhattan, I did something completely out of character — I took a leap of faith and started living the life I watched others doing on reality TV. Anyone can do this – just a matter of drawing that line in the sand and saying ‘no mas’. I want something different. I am not stuck.
I loved my career & work mates but needed to create balance. I did not make this change overnight – family, career responsibilities, etc, etc. MONEY. Over the course of one week (during my daily 2-hour Metro North commute from Connecticut to NYC), I developed a 3 year plan, a way-out. I needed it on paper; I needed to better understand why I couldn’t have what the nameless folks of reality [TV] had. What made them so special? Nada. They were simply living their lives freely – maybe recklessly but heck, who was the chump buying his monthly commuter pass every 1st of the month? Hoping, wishing – with a lot of truly great times throughout these years – but stuck.
No new suits, minimal dress shirt purchases, only new ties at Christmas, eating out limited to special occasions only, allowed myself a night out with friends…but only once every week. No big gym membership, looked for ways to SIMPLIFY…do I need the bundle package? Do I need a cell phone? Can I wait a week? Can I buy it on eBay?
Break the habit. LIVE. I don’t have a super compelling story. I didn’t escape a crack house — BUT I too am allowed to LIVE out a dream. We all have back-stories, someone’s done you wrong — but lucky for me, I’m surrounded by amazing peeps (good friends) whom I’ve gathered over the years.
Start training yourself to LIVE – get quiet & start listening for your inner voice. It will come; it won’t always sound panicked.
Everyone has their own path. I’m a spiritual guy so I stay prayed up, get quiet and listen – listen to my God, but also get quiet and listen to sensible answers lost locked, marinating in my head.
Most of us are super smart folks — we just lose our path after following the highway for years.
My lengthy message summed up: LIVE, LIVE SIMPLY and LIVE NOW.
HEY! Living your dream doesn’t mean you plan a complete do-over with friends & family. Tech up! Honestly we’re not too old to learn — just lazy. Skype your friends. Plan your ‘new’ life vacations with your old world peeps. I LOVE showing off my Colorado. If it’s deep/real/true, that joy can be mesmerizing.
Show your friends & family that ‘gloom-n-doom’ guy was only a phase. Stay inspired! K*