Four Lessons I’ve Learned from Not Working
1. It stinks to not have regular money coming in.
2. The principle that the less you use, the less you need is true. Without a regular job, I didn’t have to spend a lot of the money I used to have to spend. I now realize that I had to work just to have the money to spend on things that allowed me to continue working.
3. Work is a life cage. I knew this before, but I had no idea how true it really is until I stopped doing it. Work, for most people, is so spirit draining that we apply all sorts of frivolous distractions to convince ourselves that our lives are not rubbish. Without work, when I had all the freedom I wanted, I didn’t need those distractions—movies, concerts, even vacations. Again, tons of money saved. The downside of this equation is that I had no money coming in either.
4. Not working is a great diet plan. I’ve lost four pounds without even trying. All the restaurant lunches are gone. I eat when I’m hungry and only as much as I need. I no longer have to eat enough at breakfast to make sure I’ll make it to lunch—and enough at lunch to make it home without passing out.
Still, I can’t live without an income yet so I have to do something. Luckily, I’m feeling good about my new adventure.