Happy to be back!
Happy dog
So you know those friends you have that you haven’t talked to in forever, but your connection is still as strong as ever when you do? I am hoping that’s how our relationship is. I know it’s been a hot minute since I posted. And believe me when I say, it’s me, not you. Those of you who’ve been after me to post again, thank you. Seriously, your support is hugely motivational.
As I have continued down my path, I realized I didn’t really want to be a freelance writer after all. When it shifted from just writing whatever I wanted to actually making a living writing, it stopped being fun. In my last post I told you I found a day job in the life insurance industry, which is actually not boring at all, as I initially thought.
I jumped in head first, as I generally do. The first months were brutal. No money and much pavement pounding. Then I started getting good at it, got promoted to management, went to a leadership conference and came back pumped to go for the next management level.
And then I checked myself. There is huge potential to make a shit-ton of money and be 100 percent vested in just 10 years. Very attractive indeed. I realized, though, if I continued pursuing a full-time career path in the life insurance industry, it was at the cost of my other dreams. So recently, I took a step back and am pushing forward on both the writing and restaurant consulting paths. Currently, life insurance pays the bills and is truly allowing me the freedom to fully pursue my passions.
Slinging life insurance isn’t easy, but now I feel that I could sell just about anything. I travel around the great state of Texas to meet business owners and convince them to let me come in and talk to their employees about insurance. We actually give away a couple of no-cost policies as well. So it’s a win-win situation. It’s great checking out little Texas towns like Brenham, LaGrange and Luling. I have a much greater understanding of the geography and demographics of where I live, and I’ve eaten some pretty fantastic BBQ.
My father raised me to understand the importance of insurance and since I graduated college and was on my own, I have always been fully insured. I find providing valuable financial protection for families at the worst time of their lives, when they lose a spouse, or get in an accident or get a cancer diagnosis, actually feels pretty darned good.
I’ve cleared my roadblocks, re-booted my soul, positioned myself solidly between freedom and security. I am out of excuses. It’s go time! If the stories don’t come out of me soon and onto the page, I may implode or self-destruct.
Me on my 40th birthday.
I turned 40 this year and while approaching the dreaded milestone birthday literally brought tears to my eyes, once I turned it, I’ve had a much more “fuck-it” approach to life.
Fuck it! I’m 40 now. Not where I thought I would be in life, but fuck it, I am, so what do I have to lose but go for it full force?
Yeah, I’ll wear flowers around my head all day if I want to!
In full pursuit of a peace and joy-filled life, I started online dating. Apparently Mr. Right isn’t just going to walk into my living room to scoop me up off the couch to save me from a life of bitter loneliness. I was apprehensive as hell at first. But I have met some really cool cats I never would have had an occasion to meet if it wasn’t for the cyber-dating world. There have been, of course, a handful of not such great matches. I am only 5’4” and have been surprised to find out how many guys there are out there that are actually shorter than me.
Just because I didn’t get to ski in 40, doesn’t mean I can’t wear my helmet!
The best addition to my world, though, came to me through one of my roommate’s dates, coincidently the very same day my dating profile went live. She texted me and said her date was fostering a dog he rescued and was in search of a good home. I said about a year prior that I wanted to adopt a 4-year old, neutered Sheppard and Happy was exactly that.
I should have added healthy to that list too, because Happy is currently finishing out his final weeks of heartworm treatment (and doing great). He is the sweetest dog I’ve ever met and a true blessing in my world.
There’s the nutshell re-cap of my past 10 months. It’s good to be back. Thanks as always for reading. I promise it won’t be as long before my next post.