I need to stop worrying about everything. I have been on the move, packing my stuff, unpacking my stuff, throwing away my stuff, buying new stuff, and spending a lot on gasoline for what seems like eternity now. In the 2.5 years, I have lived in NM, CO, CA, NM, FL, VT – in that order.
I used to work in corporate America, gave that up in 2006, and been self-employed ever since. The money sucks but the freedom is mostly worth it. I say mostly because the money has dropped precipitously in the last 6-8 months and I am now considering taking looking for a full-time position somewhere. While the solid paycheck would be nice, I need health insurance – I can’t get it on my own due to having cancer cut out of my leg in 2008. Of course, actually getting someone to hire me in this economy is probably as difficult as getting the aforementioned health insurance. Denial, denial, denial.
In the last week, I have dealt with the following:
- A Jury Duty summons. For the state of Colorado, where I haven’t lived since 2010.
- A letter from the IRS. Seems they were curious why I didn’t report the extra $73,000 in income for 2010. Um, that’s because I didn’t have an extra $73,000 in income that year!
- My web server was hacked. As in, where all my sites are hosted.
- A gentlemen I hired to “fix” some nagging issues on The Good Human actually damaged the hell out of it. Traffic and income have dropped by about 50% since his “fixing.”
- My girlfriend’s grandfather died.
Through all this, I am working hard on letting it all go. Letting it ride, so to speak. Eventually, it all has to stop and things have to turn around – I have to keep that in mind. It ALWAYS works out in the end; sometimes it just takes a long time to get there. I’m not dying, I’m not homeless, and I’m not a drug addict. Things are not that bad in the grand scheme. I don’t believe all that “The Secret” mumbojumbo, but I do believe that things will smooth out, calm down, and work out in my favor if I can allow myself to work with the struggle and not against the struggle.
Already in the few days I have come up a new idea for a business related to this website, gone on a new “diet” (Specific Carb Diet, if you must know) that has completely stopped any and all of my long-standing digestive issues, and…
Decided to move. Again.
Details will be forthcoming, but we are moving. Far. Sometimes you make mistakes that you don’t know are mistakes until you make them. Alas, moving here was one of those mistakes, and we have a plan for remedying it. It’s the best for both of us at this point, and it will pay off.
Right?
Right.
Stop Worrying and Let it Ride. What else are you going to do?
Moving to Vermont was a mistake? I’m sorry to hear it! But glad, of course, that you’re going to do what makes you two happy and healthy. Also, thanks for the update on what’s going on with you; I’m looking forward to learning about your plans!
Bummer dude. Sorry to hear about your recent rash of not-so-good luck. You’re right – things do ALWAYS turn around, and your thought process (I’m not dying, I’m not homeless, I’m not a drug-addict) is pretty much my way of thinking too. When I get down on stuff, I remember it could be a lot worse (hooboy could it!) and that helps, if just momentarily. Take one thing at a time, and soon enough you will be past this. I promise. Life is an adventure, and you’re living it more than most! I applaud you two for that and can’t wait to see where you’re going next. Cheers and big hugs from NorCal!
Everything will be fine. Try to keep your mind in the present moment, and just do the best you can. That way, when you’re old like me, you’ll have no regrets. Best wishes!
I’m not sure what kind of income you make on this site, but I know I used to visit you all the time. Then, you just dropped off the map. You were posting regularly and your articles were interesting. Then, poof. It seems to be about the time when you and your wife split. Not sure. When you two were together and living in NM, for good or ill, you were posting all of the time. Things that I wanted to read.
Like I said. I’m not sure if this site made money then, but it was definitely one of the blogs I tried to read everyday if there was a post. It was you, get rich slowly, the simple dollar, and gather little by little.
Now, you just keep moving and traveling. The site seems more like a diary/journal and less about the things that interest me.
Sorry if I’m mistaken about anything. The site just doesn’t seem the same to me anymore.
Look through your analytics from around that time and compare it to now. Is there a difference? Can you pinpoint what it is? Did you make more then versus now? Be honest with yourself. Are you the same person? Are you still a go-getter? Do you spend money on things that don’t matter? How much does it cost you to travel and relocate all the time? Would the money be better spent staying still for a bit and concentrating on work?
If nothing has changed in you, and you still put in the same amount of work but the income has just dropped off, figure out why that is. But again, be honest with yourself.
All of these are things that I’ve noticed. I’m not judging.
I hope it all works out.
Thanks for the comment, Ben. However, this site has never made a dime. When your entire freelance life depends on online income though, you have to concentrate on the web properties that do pay your bills, and thus not this site. I am hopeful this was the reboot I needed to bring it back, as I am starting a business around this very website now. It’s very hard to continually write about getting rid of stuff or organizing one’s bills once you have done it :). But I will do my best to bring the site back to include interesting topics, especially since I am intending for the site to make money (in an indirect way) in the near future.
Always here supporting you, my friend.
I do find it interesting with many blogs, including my own, that the topics do reachable logical conclusion. Sort of like musicians who release their first album, which is usually the culmination of their entire life’s work, and then begin their second album, which often only represents that short period of inspiration between the first and second albums. (of course the argument can also be made that the first album was just an immature warmup, and the second album is where the real art begins.)
I think it is fine for a blog to reach its logical conclusion. Or go for a hiatus. Or make a change in direction. But it is nice if it can also bring its readers along with the process. Somehow. People who seek to change their lives for the better need constant renewal of their vow to change it seems.