“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”
- Theodore Roosevelt
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always dreaded corporate life - the rigid structure, seemingly closed cubicle environment, and awful commute (especially the evening traffic). Everything about it (sans the wonderful people) felt very uninspiring to me. Don’t get me wrong, a corporate lifestyle allows you many resources, comfort, and world class benefits, but it’s not for everyone and I happen to be one of those individuals.
Anyway, as soon as I started my first corporate job, I quickly began feeling like a robot, living this highly regimented lifestyle of going to work, coming home, cooking dinner, having to make time for things I actually enjoy like online shopping and reading blogs, and then impatiently waiting for the weekends. Repeat. Week over week.
I organically fell into this weekly habit, even fooling my own strong-willed mind that this was the life everyone lived and it was okay (albeit feeling unhappy and even more unfulfilled). Then weeks turned into months and months into years until I just snapped out of it. It makes no absolute sense to do something you’re not really happy doing for the rest of your life. I never thought it’d be possible to make a living doing something I love and was actually good at or what that might even be. All I had was one big goal in mind: To get out of corporate by 28. And I’m so ever thankful and grateful that it’s finally coming to fruition.
It gets harder to explain to people what I will be doing now, but that’s not relevant…the most frequent reactions I’ve been getting are: “How’d you do it?” and “I hope I can get there some day too”. Funny thing is I used to be in the same exact shoes, constantly speculating and on the search for how people (without the means) step out of the comfort of corporate life or whatever stagnant situation brings them comfort.
And I’ve come to realize that the VERY first step to living the life of your dreams is to simply decide that you absolutely don’t want to be where you are today.
Yes, you have to dislike your current situation enough to where you’ve developed the willpower to constantly work towards getting out of it. Like me, you don’t have to know exactly how that will turn out, but you’re consciously aware and doing something to get there. The easy part is acknowledging your dissatisfaction because this confession provides you direction. The hard part is finding the willpower and tenacity to work and work until you’re out even when your efforts feel worthless.
“Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.”
- Swami Sivananda
XO,
- Susan
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Image Source Credits - Unsplash, Daniel Faro
