My days have gotten much more palatable since getting laid off in July. Rather than squeezing tiny drops of enjoyment from things like my drive home from work and stolen moments of frantic writing, I now look forward to every day. Every damn day. It seems a little excessive, huh?
Granted, not every day is a cake walk (a couple of hours job searching in this economy is enough to crush even the chipperest of souls). But since deciding to go the freelance route, basically I wake up every morning excited.
I love my first cup of coffee of the day, steaming and bold. While sipping those first precious drops of my absolute favorite beverage, I absorb a chapter of whatever book I’m currently reading for pleasure. This process helps me wake up, as I am not one of the lucky few who bounce out of bed ready to wrestle an angry bear or similar. I don’t sleep very well, and I don’t wake up very well. Don’t talk to me for at least twenty minutes, m’kay?
I love writing every day. Every day. Not just furtively during my lunch break, or when I’m bone tired after working a full day with maybe overtime and then making dinner. I can write more, too, not just a blog post now and again. I can work on the writing I show no one, I can work on my novel, I can write for other websites.
I love that I have time to exercise now. Digging my hands into the cool, wet soil of our planters and ripping out weeds, pushing the lawn mower across the yard. Don’t be fooled by anyone, gardening is totally exercise. Or maybe I can do an hour of yoga, or a half-hour run. No, I can’t run any more than that; don’t ask me to, because I can’t won’t do it.
Shh, don’t tell anyone, but sometimes I even dance in my kitchen.
I love making myself a healthy lunch, not snacking on whatever I’ve thrown into a sack that’s got to last me the whole day or else I’m binging on the candy dish by reception. Stupid candy dish, with your Butterfinger minis and Snickers bites, I am free of you.
I love working because I love it, not because someone’s holding a financial gun to my head. It’s what I’ve dreamed of doing since starting my Master’s six years ago, though maybe it looks slightly different from what I’d envisioned.
Even still, I’d kind of given up hope I’d be one of the ones lucky enough to do what I love for a living. Okay, I’m still not exactly making a living yet, but it’s a start.
And I’m so excited.
Granted, this is still new to me, and maybe I’ll tire of it someday. But for now, the best part of my day is every moment I’m free.
Freedom!
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