Six Weeks from Bliss
Been a while since the last update, but that can be a good thing as being busy means I'm doing things, and that's not a bad thing. It's been busy, and a lot of good has been going on. Right now I'm trying to keep up a pretty insane work pace through the first two weeks of November, in large part because with the way everything is falling into place there's a chance for me to take a four to five week vacation right at the end of the year if I can keep up the torrid pace through mid-November. And based on this year, I can definitely use an extended break. Making it a long jaunt of travel is going to be very refreshing for me, and hopefully kill off the cabin fever that is driving me nuts right now.Also, I think it's easy to lose sight of goals that are worth working and fighting for. I haven't enjoyed a good trip or extended travel in almost 10 months, and then it was a brutal last second road trip to California to run around all week and help prep a wedding. So while it was great to see some old friends, get traveling, and cross Utah off the list, it wasn't exactly a "this could be my lifestyle" motivational moment.
Travel is an absolute passion of mine, and there are very few things in life that make me happier or more content than travel, exploring, and seeing new places while enjoying all the adventures that come naturally with that. And it's been way too long. There haven't even been many weekend getaway trips this year. But if I work my arse off until the middle of November, there's a good chance I can take 4-5 weeks off of travel and vacation, with only minimal work while on the road - as in two 4-6 hour days a week at most.
This isn't only a great experience or a great vacation by anybody's measure, but it gives me a chance to see many of my great friends, travel through several states, and get a taste of what a fully passive income could provide for me. It also gives me a badly needed recharge physically, mentally, and emotionally. Maybe even more importantly, it will be the perfect reminder to me of what I'm working so hard for and why it's worth it.
As things stand right now, I'll be spending a week with one of my best friends in Asheville, North Carolina. Getting there via Amtrak, enjoying a week in the beautiful North Carolina countryside and then road tripping with him down to Florida to spend Thanksgiving in Tampa, one of my favorite cities, with several of my favorite people. After that...well it's pretty open. I've been thinking about hopping over to Austin to visit some of the old sites again, but I also have a lot of friends in Colorado...but weather is a major factor on that one. If there are blizzards galore, then I'll definitely be skipping that. But if it's all clear in early December, then maybe so. If not, I can always cut up back through St. Louis for a few days before making my way back home.
Taking a lot of time off, and then being able to work in very short, strong, and effective bursts when I do is just what I need to get recharged again. Add in a taste of my interpretation of the good life, and this looks like a real potential winner.
Otherwise I'm working to keep on a good diet - which is really hard during football season and when you work so many long hours, it's easy to want to cram the junk food for energy. So far I'm having mixed results, but I'm going to push myself for a good end of the year drop.
Business wise there's a lot of what I've probably said the last few months: love the progress and love what I'm seeing but not happy with how long it's taking. December is going to be great, and maybe the solution to this one is choosing to focus on the positive and just accept that in the short term it's better to focus on a few things and accept that the bigger projects will take a little longer to hammer out. Better to do it right. Besides, there's absolutely no question that concentrating on one thing at a time with 100% energy gets a lot more done more quickly than spreading out the efforts. Getting constant monthly income in sizable chunks from affiliate sales makes it easier to concentrate on the longer term stuff that might not make money right now but is better for the long run.
I have discovered a new drink I'm very fond of, Disarrono and Sour, but being on the diet means I can't enjoy it too often. Ah well. Trade offs.
Otherwise, finding time to creatively write each day and work on more creative projects to help my sanity and keep myself passionate, and otherwise still wildly optimistic about what the remainder of this year holds and what next year holds, as well. Things are beginning to go well, and it seems like so many things in my life now are all headed in the right direction, it's just a matter of time for all of it to work out as the foundation is in place.
So I keep at it, and keep hammering away and see what happens next. But it's looking good and I'm going to choose to keep pushing myself hard for the next six weeks so I can spend the six weeks after that remembering why I was doing it to begin with.
