Today I've had a headache all day, which has caused an enforced day of rest. Between that and a power outage, computer usage has been low today. So has brain usage.
Sitting around nursing a headache sometimes forces you to take stock of what's going on in your life. On days like today, I think about what a wonderful thing it is to live in a place that is so quiet. While reclining on the sun room, I heard a neighbor drive by. Only four families live beyond us on the road, so traffic is rare. I can usually recognize the distinct rattle of each neighbor's vehicle.
At the time, I was reading a book that is set near where I grew up in Washington, D.C. The main character is a sucessful psychiatrist residing in a one-bedroom apartment off M Street, working 60 hours a week, and living on frozen dinners, coffee, and donuts. By many standards she's living a perfect life: a respected professional making lots of money. But it reminded me of all the reasons I left the East Coast 15 years ago. That noisy, busy, crowded lifestyle just wasn't for me.
Society hammers us with the message that we all have to make more money or we are "failures." But life is full of choices. For example, this week I had an offer from someone who wanted me to head up a syndicated magazine publishing operation. He told me how it had the potential to make me a LOT of money. They'd provide the content and I'd find people to sell ads.
I told him no. I know that there's no way I'm ever doing ad sales again. I like the creative end of the publishing process. Writing, editing, layout and design interests me. Ad sales do not. As a salesperson, he is probably annoyed because he felt he was giving me this great opportunity and I turned him down. But a great opportunity for him is not necessarily a great opportunity for me.
Every day you can change your life and make it the way YOU want it to be. And decide how you DON'T want it to be. Much like my move from the East Coast, or our move from Southern California to Idaho, I chose quality of life over money. It works for me every time. |
