So the title says it all I think. This is something my ex said to me yesterday, or yelled at me rather. Now lets look at this statement... because I think there is a LOT said in that short phrase!
First of all I HAVE a real job... to me anything that brings in money is "real", right? So by those parameters, every job is real. Even the ones people say are not real, or that maybe no one wants
people doing. Now, I am not doing a job that no one wants done... obviously there IS a demand or I would not have been able to meet my bills the last 7 months as a single mom, and although things have been hard, I am still floating, which might be more than I could say if I were working a "real job" as he put it.
I own a business. That is real. I make jewelry components as well as jewelry, and there is a demand for both of these things. The jewelry findings I make, drive people to be creative, and make something to sell, for themselves, to give as a gift, etc... these things are all positive things. So I think the energy behind my business is a great one for my supply shop. As far as the jewelry, it is something I am driven to do, it is not something I just 'want' to make, but something I must make. It is a compulsion, albeit a good one. I make pieces sometimes I think, who out
there will pay this for this piece? And then someone connects with the piece that has the money for it, and it sells. When I see this with some of my more unusual pieces, or more labor intensive, it is a wonderful sight to see the person connect with the
piece, like
magic!
Now on the
other hand if I were to go out a get what he decides is a "real job", I would not have the energy, or funds to do what I do now. And why should I
back peddle anyway? For his comfort? I spent years working "real jobs" and I never lasted at a one of them for more than a few months, because I hated them all. I no longer just exist for next weekend when I can do what I really want to... the weekends to me are just another day, because I can be me all the time, even in my
livelihood now. Rather than bashing me for working doing what I want, even if it means a little sacrifice
money wise for some time, it is still better than being
miserable, just waiting for next weekend, or the end of the day, so you can get one more day closed to the weekend when you don't have to "work", so you can do the things you really want to... he should be asking himself how do I get to that point in life, where I can be happy at work. Yes I said it HAPPY AT WORK!!!! Now I am not saying that I am happy every minute of every day at my "work", but most of the time I enjoy what I make, and I think it shows in the work. I find myself working at odd hours, not because I need to, but because I want to. That says a lot about what I do.
I used to wait tables, and I was good at it, I even made pretty good money when I applied myself, if it were there to make, but then something happened... I remember some time ago, when it hit me, that I would never really be happy until I was doing something I love to make money. I knew nothing would make me happy, other than being an artist... once that hit me, and really sunk in, every day at my job was a huge chore. I felt like I was dragging the world behind me everywhere! Now I still have my days when I get down, or have less energy than I'd like to... but that dragging the world behind me feeling is gone... and no my bills did not go down, they went up, a lot!!! My workload... also went up a LOT... but I have found a happy medium, that I hit most days. And in looking back, life is better now... a lot better!!!!
