October 4, 2012

Dear <<First Name>>:

Welcome to another edition of the life [simplified] letter.

News

Abundance ideas

Last week's letter generated this reponse from a reader:

"quiet my thoughts....do yoga.....focus on my breath........all this creates an abundance of peace for me and also it makes me feel as though I am doing something to 'take care of me'.  Doing crosswords or word searches helps to create a intellectual 'mental abundance.' Just sending you a few of my thoughts that came to mind."

Thank you for sharing.

Trading Money for Time

It's a lifestyle choice

Time is valuable, and when it is gone, it is gone. Time is wealth, and unlike money, when it is gone, you cannot replace it ~ Napoleon Hill

This week will be my eight month anniversary. I quit my job on January 6, 2012. At the time, I was elated, scared, relieved and optimistic; all at the same time.

It has been interesting to hear people's reactions when they find out I left full time employment. For example, some people were aghast that I would leave a good job. What they didn't know, was what appeared to be a good job, was not a good job for me. I was bored, I was not permitted to work to my potential, and the stress of not doing meaningful work created health issues for me. Even if I was successful financially, I wasn't feeling successful in any other way. I am not surprised that I have lost ten pounds since I left.  

I get many inquiries about what I'm doing now that I don't work full time. I say I do casual, contract work and I write. I do a great deal of volunteer work. I can tell some people are puzzled that I'm not looking for a full time job again. They ask me when I'll be going back to work. It is as if contract work is just a stop-gap before I get a "real" job.

What they may not understand is that I have made a choice to trade money for time. Yes, I have real limitations on what I can afford to do. My lifestyle is a bit different now. Yet, I'm more content than I've been in a very long time. I have time to write. I have time to volunteer when I'm needed. I have time to cook healthy meals. I now have time to pursue a lifestyle that suits me.

When some of my former work colleagues ask if we can get together for lunch, I find it amusing how long it takes for them to fit me into their schedule. I can pretty much go for lunch any time. I have fewer commitments now and my time is my own.

So while I may seem poorer on the earnings front, I can assure you am far richer on the time front. And yes, I prefer it that way.

Your life [simplified]

What would you do with the extra time if you traded money for time?

Please let me know your ideas.

Have a great week!

Cheers,
Catherine

P.S. Check out my letter archives if you are interested in reading back issues.