Since picking up our life in the woods and moving to Tennessee, I’ve been faced with the task of finding work and building new community in Chattanooga.
Today my plan was to sit down and start creating the website for Om Forest Crafts. A home base for selling Austin’s hand carved spoons and wooden crafts as well as a personal blog and outlet for writing. This would further build my portfolio and writing experience, hopefully creating a bit more financial abundance for myself and my partner.
As I was mulling over pages and notes for the websites creation, I got a phone call offering me a job at a local burrito shop. This is the first job offer I’ve received since moving cross-country.
If I take the job, I would be in a kitchen prepping or serving from the line five days a week. My partner and I would have to juggle our vehicle to make things work, and it could get tricky with our schedules not matching up.
Clearly, it’s not my dream job, just a way to bring in cash.
I dream of getting more deeply involved with global communities through connective writing, political + environmental journalism, selling hand crafted goods, and networking with folks of similarly creative mindsets.
I have been focusing more and more on aligning all my actions, my words, my thoughts, my consumption patterns—everything—with my morals and true goals in life. Then this job opportunity comes up.
While it isn’t in my life-plan or even really within my moral goals, do I take it?
I would love to make a difference in the world. I recognize that I have been given privilege born as a white female in the US. I’m sure that it's more privilege than I can begin to understand at this point in my life. I seek to harvest that fucked-up placement of power in a manner that is beneficial to the underprivileged and dismantled members of our communities.
Is serving burritos on foil and handing out Styrofoam to-go boxes my next step?
Will this be fulfilling or simply pull me farther from my true goals?
How far do I need to step away from my skills and true desires simply to earn an income?
With my partner fully supporting me financially right now, I really feel like I’m not pulling my weight in our relationship.
If I take the job, I will have less time to focus on the things I do care about, plus much more stress from juggling schedules and everyday interactions serving pushy customers. If I don’t take the job, I risk depleting my savings until I’m flat broke and still needing to pay credit and student loans, praying that our online presence is enough to pay for my near-minimal costs of living.
If anyone has any advice on this, please let me know!
Till next time,
be sweet, stay wild
@coyoteom
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@phoenixwren, @creativesoul, @bboyady, @notconvinced, @jusipassetti, @roselifecoach, @inalittlewhile
Thank you all for your comments and advice! I decided to take a bit of a leap and request a schedule that would allow for easier carpooling while still working the busy weekend shifts that they need covered. I'm waiting on a call back and have a potential interview scheduled Monday morning.
I thought hard about making money and taking advantage of opportunities as they arise. I know that I would be miserable if taking a job meant I would be on opposite schedules of my love--meaning no time together-- as well as extra stress from juggling the vehicle and driving through the busy unknown-to-me city.
If the schedule gets accepted, I will take the job, if not, I know that there are other opportunities out there for me and won't stress knowing I'm making the right choice for myself and my partner.
Some might call it best of both worlds, I'd say better labeled compromise. Things are looking up either way!
I glad you finally see some light in this situation, best of luck to you on the job.
Blessing to both of you!
Hoping you can have the interview on monday. All the best
Sounds like a great compromise plan to me!
I don't have any advice, just well wishes. It's the constant struggle in our capitalist world!
Perhaps...you could see the job opportunity as a temporary stepping stone towards one day supporting yourself entirely through your handmade goods and writing. Even though you won't be living the dream for five days a week...every other spare moment can be used to bring Om Forest Crafts and your online presence closer to supporting your dreams. Of course the cost of transportation and the stress will be challenges but these are common and unfortunate realities. With the advent of blockchain technology and numerous basic income initiatives...I hope to see the day where nobody is forced to decide between being practical in order to survive and following their dreams and purpose in life! Anyway...you have my support and best wishes! <3
All the best. Every choice makes sifferent outcome. But for sure you will choose the right one for yourself.
Sometimes you have to compromise your ideals temporarily to get you to the point where things are fully under your control.
I found myself in a similar situation a few months ago and it was not an easy decision to make. In the end I took the job so that I at least have a bit of finincial stability while I'm still actively focusing on my dream. My only advice would be to ensure that it's not a job that would negatively impact on that. All the best on making your decision and if all else fails just follow your heart 💜
I don't have much advise except follow your guts feeling on what you wanna do.
Then again we are being condition to do whatever needed to survive in this world, and I am very sorry that you have to go through this hardship right now. But do remember to have a positive mind that everything will fall into places.
I wish I had some kind of advice to make the choice easier. The fact that you have other goals puts you far ahead of alot of people. You will work it out I'm sure. Do what you have to, but don't lose sight of those dreams. The struggle is real. :)
You story is really interesting, i don't have any advice for you but to wish you the best in all your endeavours and try to live one day at a time, a bridge was not built to carry the whole weight of everyone at a time.
The struggle is real :/ We have found ourselves in that position on more than one occasion and always end up follow our hearts. That is not always the easiest route but it has always worked out for us, at least this far in life. I wish you the best of luck in your difficult decision.
I am in a familiar situation, without the relationship clause, and I chose to not take the job I would be miserable in, although it is an extremely difficult choice but looking at the big picture, I'm doing what is best for me.