| Do you ever feel like you are still trying to figure | | | | freedom, both topics that will be covered in |
| out what you want to be when you grow up? Or | | | | December) and set about doing them. What |
| rather, you always knew what you wanted to be, | | | | would make you NOT drag yourself out of bed in |
| but somehow that got lost in all the craziness of | | | | the morning? These questions are not to get you |
| life. You drag yourself out of bed each morning to | | | | thinking about what 'could be' and to downright |
| go through the routine of the day, not having | | | | depress you, they are to get you thinking outside |
| time to ponder the niggling little feeling that is | | | | of the box. Because in all honesty, we get into |
| saying, "I was meant for something different." | | | | the mindset that what we are doing is our lot in |
| Does your job define you, or are you defined by | | | | life, like it or lump it. We're just not lucky like the |
| your job? It's important to analyze this, to figure | | | | few people who ARE pursuing and fulfilling their |
| out what your life revolves around. Because so | | | | dreams. Stop it! Those people were mostly just |
| many people spend most of their days doing a | | | | like you, they just dared to take action after |
| job they care little about, working on another | | | | answering the questions I just asked you. |
| person's dreams and goals, and sooner or later | | | | The norm in our society happens to be work for |
| find that they've lost sight of their own. I wrote | | | | an employer and have them define who you are |
| an article a few weeks ago about escaping the | | | | to answer to, how you will use your talents (IF |
| rat race and the motivations that made my | | | | you are using them), when you are to work, how |
| husband and I determine to escape the rat race. I | | | | you are going to spend your time and develop |
| discussed our first motivation last week: freedom | | | | yourself, and why these things are important (risk |
| to do what you love. This week I'm going to | | | | of losing job and not giving you or your family the |
| discuss the second motivation, freedom and ability | | | | life they desire). These things are not bad if what |
| to pursue dreams, hoping to encourage you to | | | | you are doing in this context fits you, and your |
| work to break free from the rat race as well and | | | | dreams are obtainable through it. But if your job is |
| embrace the life that you've always desired. | | | | a circular hole and you are a square peg, I'm here |
| The freedom and ability to pursue your dreams, | | | | to tell you that pursuit of dreams is possible, you |
| motivation #2. For us this was/is traveling around | | | | just have to want it really bad, and be willing to |
| the United States more extensively and | | | | work to make it reality in your life. It can and will |
| overseas; mission/charity work; supporting our | | | | be reality if you work hard enough, and the work |
| missionary friends and building a retreat for | | | | that is required until you reach that point is a small |
| hurting children; investing; owning a cabin in | | | | price to pay when you are living the reality of |
| Montana where we could journal, hike, and read | | | | having freedom and ability to pursue your dreams. |
| to our heart's content; and the dream of owning | | | | Quoting someone else who determined to escape |
| a big old house in the country to use as a beacon | | | | the rat race...ask yourself; "I'm attending an event |
| for many a weary soul (with a wrap-around-front | | | | 10 years from now, honoring me. What will they |
| porch of course). I really want to learn to play the | | | | be honoring me for?" My husband and I asked |
| guitar, make pottery, and learn how to sew. I'm | | | | these questions that I've discussed of ourselves, |
| determined to do these things within this next | | | | pondered what we were passionate about, what |
| year. What about you? What do you want to be, | | | | we dreamed of doing, seeing, and how we |
| see, or do in the next few months, the next few | | | | wanted to spend our lives. We determined to |
| years, in your lifetime? I'm going to talk about | | | | escape the rat race, and with hard work and |
| goal setting in a later article, but I really think it is | | | | determination, we discovered a way out. And in |
| important to think about what you would be doing | | | | the process, I get to learn to make pottery, sew |
| if you had no restraints (like time and financial | | | | and play the guitar. See you next time. |