We received this story from someone back in Canada. He asked for his name to not be revealed because he wants to be, quote; “left the f@ck alone”. We debated taking out the swear words, but rather than do that we’ll just add a disclaimer that there’s some coarse language up ahead…

How I came to realize you have to live life on your own terms

I was probably just like you, and you are probably just like I was. I went to College. I graduated. I got a job.  I worked in an office in one of those tall skyscrapers in a VERY large city. I took public transit, but I had a car – a really, really, REALLY nice. Fucking. Car.  I worked out regularly. I ate red meat. I practiced yoga. I was zen. I drank a ton of booze whenever I wanted. I worked long, hard, hours. I made good great money. I had nice clothes. I had a nice condo. I had nice furniture. I had tickets to sporting events any time I wanted. And not the cheap seats, the good seats you see empty when the game starts because we would be entertaining clients in the club lounge. I schmoozed. I sucked up. I stuffed my dignity somewhere in my sock like a kid hiding a $20 bill on his way to the store for the first time on his own. And then it all went away.

After busting your ass for a company for so many years you don’t even realize you’re busting your ass for them. It becomes your life. It becomes commonplace. It becomes the norm. It’s your routine. And sometimes, it’s all people ever know.

Some people aren’t as lucky as I was. Some people work for the same company for, literally, their entire. Adult. Life. Some people enjoy it. Some people thrive off it. Some people loathe it. Some people become depressed by it.

I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m one of the people that got a second chance. I’m one of those people that got called into a Human Resources office, and I’m one of those people that got “walked out”. I’m one of those people that was told the company was; downsizing, restructuring, re-organizing, making changes, off-shoring, going in a different direction. I’m also one of the lucky ones because I got that rude awakening that your employer…does NOT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU!

Hey chief, kiddo, sport, man, amigo, bro, pal, buddy, dude, guy, dear, honey, sweetheart – Guess what? You don’t have a job. What do you do? Get another one, right?

WRONG! FUCK THAT! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. THIS. IS. YOUR. WAKE-UP. CALL. GO FOR IT. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?

DON’T KNOW? FIND OUT! STOP COPPING OUT. STOP FINDING EXCUSES AND FIGURE SHIT OUT. I DID.

There’s no secret. There’s no special advice. There’s no tell-all book of what to do. There’s no six-figure salary in the next month if you just “click here”.There’s no “get rich quick” scheme. There’s no magic formula. There’s just you. There’s just what you want. There’s just your own self-doubt. And there’s just those standing in your way.

I make enough money for my lifestyle.
I make my own food and provide my own shelter.
I make my own way.
And I make myself happy.

Do you?

Well, that one hit home for us. I’ve been “let go” more than once and it isn’t fun. It’s also what eventually led us to our minimalist lifestyle. That doesn’t mean go out and tell your boss off then quit your job. Just realize that one day you may not have a job, so you may have to – as the Mama’s and the Papa’s said – “make your own kind of music”.

So, that’s the question…Do you live life on your own terms?

Now go sell all your stuff!