As I trudged into work daily I was envious of my fellow writers who stay home and write full time.
In fact, I used to spend hours scribbling away and planning my escape, as though the "day job" held me hostage and my freedom could only be secured through careful planning- digging a tunnel with a teaspoon, carving away little by little, toward that glorious freedom to become the writer I was meant to be.
Until the day I woke up to the sound of a REALITY CHECK (you too can hear a reality check here)!
I realized a few amazing things about my life and the "day job":
1. The "day job" doesn't define me. I am not a day jobber who writes on the side. I am a writer with a "day job".
2. Vince Mooney is right. " If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do. -Lucille Ball"
3. Stop whining. "The time I spent whining about what I can't do, could have been spent accomplishing what I can do." -Tina Radcliffe
4. Appreciate that you even have a "day job." The U.S Unemployment rate is 8.2 percent as of May 2012.
5. Oh, how I love those benefits! I have health insurance, dental insurance, a 401K, an hour lunch break, and I get to wear pajamas to work (scrubs). Then there's those vacation days, sick days, floating holidays that are PAID!
6. It's hard to be creative when the bills are due. The day job ensures the electricity bill is paid.
7. I like chicken. I'm no longer willing to live on peanut butter and jelly. The life of a starving writer no longer appeals to me. So, yes, I like chicken. Not steak mind you. But chicken.
What about you? Should you, could you, quit your "day job?"
There are no definitive figures on the number of writers who make a living with their writing alone, but a search of the internet indicates a very unscientific report of less than ten percent.
Some helpful articles on the topic: When Should You Quit Your Day Job (Harvard Business Review)
Should you quit your day job to blog? [INFOGRAPHIC](IFB)
10 Questions Writers Must Ask Before Quitting Their Day Job by Jeff Yeager (Writer's Digest)
How to Quit Your Day Job to Write Full Time (Holly Lisle)
When is a writer ready to go full time? (Chip's Blog)
Keep in mind that this post isn't about ignoring the possibility that you can quit "day job." It's about being okay, in fact, being more than okay with the decision not to quit the "day job."
The moment that I woke up and embraced MY reality was the moment I began to appreciate how very fortunate I was. My entire attitude changed.
"My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know. Everybody you see. Everybody you talk to. He says that only a few people are awake and they live in a state of constant total amazement."-Patricia, Joe Versus the Volcano
I've explored my options thoroughly and now when I walk into the "day job" it's with appreciation. I give the "day job" eight hours and at the end of the day I'm ready to dance home and step into my writing life.
I invite you to Come Go With Me! (apparently some of you wanted to dance a little longer in your desk chair. Or even on your desk top..for you I present the full length version of the Del-Vikings Song.)
P.S. If you aren't dancing yet, I'd like to suggest a little book that can help.
12 Simple Secrets of Happiness at Work by Glenn Van Ekeren
"Your (day) job (no matter how great or how lousy it is ) can be more than a way to earn a living. Make it an important element in creating a quality life. You don't need to jump into a volcano to light yourself on fire. Reenergizing your work spirit is an inside job."
Comment today for a chance to win a copy of A Family To Cherish by Ruth Logan Herne. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition. (If you already have this book we'll find a suitable Seeker book for you if your name is picked.)
Additionally, if you are a lurker and have never posted before and you post before Wednesday your name will be in the hat for a Seeker release of your choice as available on Amazon. That means a new book, not one that is out of print. Just let us know you are a first time poster. (or maybe a Kindle one-come out of lurkdom and we'll negotiate.)
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