Holstee is a design firm that creates and sells sustainable products. Sustainable products is a tough term for me to really wrap my head around but, for the purpose of this post, I’ll just say that I really like this company and what they seem to stand for. What initially drew me to Holstee was the manifesto they created (and show on their About page). This has been making its way around the web for a couple of years and is a reminder for me to re-evaluate where I’m at, what I’m doing and why I’m doing what I’m doing. Check it out.
Michelle and I recently moved to a new house in San Luis Obispo (on the other side of town) that better suits our lifestyle and helps us more easily abide by our belief in small community and localized living. The reality of this move allows us to more easily ride our bikes to the places we most frequently need to go. Our move has given us the ability to expand on the choice we have made to live more car free. This decision is one we have been working towards for a long time and this was just another step in the process.
And this decision makes me happy. And being happy is important.
I’ve talked about how it took me a few years to realize that I should be a wedding photographer. And how it was a decision that both Michelle and I made as a way to better our lives. This decision was a risk as there is nothing set in stone saying that a career or small business will take off. Fact, 72% of wedding photographers that start their business in 2011 will be out of business within 2 years. This is an outstanding number! Now I have no data to support the failure rate of other types of businesses but, by simply looking around and reading the paper (online :)) it is obvious that many people are struggling in their chosen fields.
I was raised with the idea that I should exploit my gifts and potential, but most importantly, I should enjoy my life. I don’t know if this lesson was planned or simply the bi-product of having parents that lived through the 60’s. Either way, it has taken me a long time to realize that the type of job I have and how good I am at it is a direct factor in how I feel about myself and my life.
So, make tough decisions. Live where you want to live. Do the job you were meant to do. And find happiness…it isn’t easy, but it’s gonna be worth it!
