I love ideas.

I love jotting them down like little gems in my pretty, hipster notebook.

“That’s a great idea.” With emphasis on the idea part.

Without something to motive me, the ideas sit, sit, sit like diamonds in the rough.

Lesson learned: Without action, ideas don’t mean much.

One thing I’ve realized since quitting my day job is that money is a good motivator. Money is why people sit for years in a gray cubicle without running away screaming and flailing their arms.

So what becomes of your non-purchased ideas? What about passion work, like a blog or novel in progress? Maybe your gig is painting, mosaic stepping stones or a piece of jewelry. Whatever you do, it’s easy for motivation to get squashed when there’s no guarantee it will sell. Worst case scenario, you’re working for free.

Whoa, hold on, our time feels too precious for that.

Enter: a thousand distractions. Things like Twitter, cinnamon rolls and another load of laundry totally derail the day. Motivation to do something amazing is lost.

Need a kick in the pants? Here are some simple ways to get motivated and get stuff done:

Use money to motivate. If you don’t have a day job, wish you didn’t have a day job, or work for yourself, use money – and the potential for money – as a motivator. Divide your daily activities into three categories: ”Makes money,” “Doesn’t make money” and “Spends money.” As you go through the day, take a few seconds to fill in the list.

For instance:

Makes Money (or has the potential)

• Blogging
• Learning how to wire-wrap beads
• Picking up scrap tile for mosaics
• Pitching a column idea

Doesn’t Make Money (and doesn’t have the potential)

• Napping
• Exercise
• Blow-drying your hair
• Cleaning the house
• Eating a cinnamon roll

Spends Money (not a bad thing, but note to self: don’t let this list get longer than the first two)

• Drinking wine
• Grocery shopping
• Lunch at the cafe
• Pedicures

Next step: Start each day by making money, literally or in theory.

In other words, farm the land, cultivate success, write a chapter, pay the bills.

You can still enjoy the second and third categories after that. But start the day with focus, with intention. Don’t let the other categories define who you are.

When you start each day with action, you give your amazing work the respect and attention it deserves. Make it a daily priority by following these tips:

Set office hours. What hours of the day will you be working? When you have a schedule in place, it becomes routine to get stuff done. The beauty of working for yourself is you get to choose when and for how long, unlike a typical day job. Office hours can also help family members adjust if you are doing passion projects at the end of a typical work day.

Get dressed. Take a shower, gussy up a bit, shave your legs. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you have to languish away in your ratty sweatpants.

Sit in a supportive chair, feet on the ground, back straight.

Start each morning with a list of three Most Important Things. This is a doable list. Now, get started.

Set the timer and work until it goes off.

Finish something everyday. A draft, headline, chapter, blog post, pair of earrings. Don’t quit in the middle without a clear vision of what was done. Finish something and define to yourself what it was.

Set a quitting time and take vacations. With your payroll budget wide open, working for free could go on all day and night. Set some boundaries. Give your mind a chance to rest from what you want to accomplish. If you feel like “working overtime” later in the day, no problem, go for it. But definitely give yourself the permission to quit and live your life, too.

To your success.

SEE ALSO:

How to Defeat Burnout and Stay Motivated

Acorns to Oak Trees: How to Grow Great Things

If my writing helps or inspires you, please share it with other people. xoxo Melissa

Photo by Sumlin

A reader emailed me to ask: How do you make money now without a day job?

Good question! If all this “giving up your day job” talk is making you drool, the reality is that I still need money to live. I still have bills and pretty things I want to buy. We didn’t win the lottery and I’m not the governor’s daughter.

It got me thinking about all the alternatives to a day job – things I could jump into if needed, or even if down the road when I need a new adventure.

Here’s what I came up with:

Provide in-home childcare. About 80% of my friends have young children. Childcare is a constant stress – it’s expensive and the idea of letting a stranger care for your new baby makes most new moms weak with guilt. (Just to be clear, I am NOT offering this, but it’s an idea that could make some money and benefit the people around you, too.)

Freelance. I was able to stay on as editor for YOU magazine on a freelance basis. If you want to be a freelance writer or photographer, start by getting to know your local newspapers and magazines. There are two really effective ways to get your foot in the door. 1) Know someone that’s already “in” and ask them to recommend you to the editor. Or 2) be really helpful. My go-to photographer guy was a no-name until he sent me “free” photos from a local event. His talent was obvious and had no strings attached. Since then, he’s built a steady stream of income from that simple act of helpfulness You can also head over to elance and set up a profile.

Clean houses. If you don’t mind cleaning, there are plenty of people who do. Charge $20 to $30 per hour and do it on your own terms. I find cleaning very satisfying and wouldn’t be “above” it if we needed the money.

Live on less. This is how I was able to quit my day job. Mr. Right’s income more than supports our family – But it wasn’t always like that. When we first got together, we spent more money than we had and went into debt. Today we are debt free and save our extra money rather than spend it.

Sell a product. Turn your hobby into a source of income. Woodworking, jewelry, paintings, you fill in the blanks – there are lots of  venues that support local artists. Get your name out there by displaying art at local coffee shops and bars. Ask the local boutique to sell your jewelry on consignment.

Organize a networking group. STUN Photography Group is a really cool example of this. Former marketing man Mark Anderson created the group when he left his day job to fly solo as a freelance photographer. The photographers and models of STUN are able to expand their portfolios using genius locations (coordinated by Mark) like the local high school or a metal warehouse. Local salons donate talents for hair and makeup the day of the shoot. I love this idea because it centers around collaborating, not competing. Mark gains a few new clients and helps other freelancers do the same. To cover venue expenses, he sometimes charges a participant fee.

Learn something new. For instance, start a blog. In the beginning, blogging rewards are many, but not necessarily monetary. In time, you can expand into income streams like affiliate links, advertising and use it as a platform to sell your products. If you need a place to get started, check out the A-List Blogger Club. (Full disclosure – by joining the club, you would help to support this blog. I’m sharing the idea because 1) I personally belong to/love the club and 2) I really believe it can help you.) It’s a group formed by epic blogger Leo Baubata with his trusty German sidekick, Mary Jaksch. The collection of practical how-to’s and inspiration will blow you away.

To your success.

Spread the love. If this post helps you, please share it with other people. Thank you!

Photo by DavidDMuir

A surprising thing happened when I started down the path to quit my day job.

Instead of leading a less appealing life at work, I felt I actually thrived. My job turned into something more deliberate than delegated.

The confidence I gained knowing my time was temporary let me design a job I enjoyed more than ever before. With a shifted mindset, it was easy to tweak my routine.

Tables turned: What would happen if you gave yourself permission to quit?

I’ll bet you would:

• Never accept more work than you can handle.
• Speak up for ideas you believe in or think are a waste of time.
• Find ways to make your remaining time at work something you can actually stand.

So why wait? You can make the decision to start breaking up with your day job right now.

Or, if that life isn’t for you, you can still make the daily grind a little more deliberate and enjoyable. For starters:

Stop saying yes to everything. Or, say yes more slowly. Click the link to learn how.

Set limits and stick to them. I frequently turned off email at work so I could single-task, a productivity tip from the lovely Leo. It really worked. So did leaving the office at the same time everyday. The work will still be there tomorrow, but you can’t get back a night spent with your family.

Quit asking for permission to do everything. Take initiative to do things you think are a good idea – start a Facebook page, form an advisory board, meet a freelance writer for coffee to exchange ideas for the next magazine issue. Instead of asking permission, let your boss know what you’re doing and why. They’ll tell you if they prefer a different approach.

Listen to music. Pandora saved me from going crazy during the sitting, sitting, sitting that is cubicle life.

Take responsibility for your own moods. If you are in a creative slump, go for a walk around the building. Take a notebook into the breakroom and brainstorm a new approach to an old routine. Ask your boss for a new project or more responsibility. Try to delegate or quit the soul-sucking tasks.

Request a flexible schedule. My position allowed me to work from home two days a week, which only happened because I asked.  Here are some work from home benefits to consider:

• It increases employee moral.
• It is a benefit that does not cost the company money.
• Less gas to commute is kind for the environment.
• Quieter, cleaner work space.
• If necessary: Ability to increase productivity by x% due to less distractions.

Submit your request in writing and say “telecommute” instead of work from home. Next, design the details. What will your hours be? What technology will you need? Will your kids be home for any portion of the day? What will be expected if they are home sick? Finally, request a meeting with your supervisor to talk it over. If you can’t work from home, how about a compressed work week, job share or going part-time?

Be positive. Don’t be the Negative Nelly I-hate-my-day-job employee. There is just too much to be thankful for. For instance, the people, pets and hobbies you love.

Seek inspiration. I think reading sites like Zen Habits and The Happiness Project can make you a better employee. Don’t feel guilty getting an inspiration fix (for a few minutes) on the clock. Find your bliss.

Make sparks.

If my writing helps or inspires you, please share it with other people. This is the number one way you can support this blog.

Photo by bcmacsac1

This is a guest post from Dr. Corey Allan of Simple Marriage.

The chief happiness for a man is to be what he is. ~ Erasmus

How much thought goes into what you do for a living?

Since sleep has lost a great deal of respect in our society, you likely work more than you sleep. With work consuming so much of your time and energy, it would make sense that work impacts other areas of your life – specifically life at home.

There are two ways work can define you:

You are what you do.

Or –

You do what you are.

Society lives by the first – you are what you do. When you meet new people, one of the first questions will be, “So what do you do?”

The answer defines who you are (to others), even if “what you do” is something you can’t stand.

If you really “do what you are,” congratulations. You’re in a field that is completely in line with your desires and dreams. Maybe you work for yourself, or with people in a service capacity because you get a charge out of helping others. If you’re analytically wired, maybe you’re an engineer or CPA. This category has less trouble incorporating work life into the rest of life. Things are often a bit more in synch.

If you aren’t doing what you are, ask yourself, “Why not?” If a job goes against your values, beliefs or desires, it’s not something you want to spend more time on than sleeping. Any negativity associated with a career in this category has a huge impact on yourself, your family, and especially, your marriage.

Does everyone need to “do what they are” to be happy in life?

Not all. Some work a job that is far from their dreams and desires, yet are still happy in life. It’s either because they’ve come to grips with the idea that a job is just a means to an end (it provides the income to do what they love outside of work) or they may not be as happy as they are portraying.

If you want to find more happiness in your career, consider these tips:

1. Do what you are. Discover what makes you tick and work in that arena. The best possible scenario is to find a job you love – something so in line with who you are – that it doesn’t even seem like work.

2. Realize that what you do is a means to an end. Sometimes what you do is simply a job, a way to provide the resources necessary for you to live where you want to live, travel, spend time with your kids, etc.

When you get caught up in hating your job, this spills over into other areas of your life. We do not live compartmentalized lives. One area effects the others, and families are no different – what impacts one, effects all.

So to me, the best thing you can do for your marriage and your family – do what you are or … do what you do and then – do what you love.

It’s that simple.

If this post helped or inspired you, please share it with other people. This is the number one way you can support guest columnists and Peace & Projects.

Photo by sean dreilinger

Day jobs are a lot like lovers.

In the beginning, there’s the wooing, the passion, the thrill of something new.

As time passes in a not-right working relationship, passion gets replaced with just making it through another day. You’re paying for parking instead of the other way around. The bathroom isn’t even close to your standards of cleanliness. All the first-day excitement gets replaced with routine and sneaking around on Facebook.

You’re secretly wondering … Is this it?

The last day at my job felt a lot like a break-up. There was that nagging feeling of regret. Yes, I would miss it, but at the same time, felt I was better off. There were awkward goodbyes and a box for my personal belongings. “It’s not you, it’s me …”

Finally, I drove away, remembering the good times, the bad. I was reflective and a little sad.

For about 3 hours.

Then a lovely glimpse of my new reality began to settle in. Gone were the Monday morning meetings, hectic commutes and Fridays aching for the clock to reach 5. I’m getting a taste of freedom and loving it.

Secretly tempted for a taste yourself?

Here’s how to start breaking up with your day job:

Convince your significant other that it’s a good idea. Unless you’re working for free, giving up a major chunk of your family wealth is not always met with enthusiasm. I showed Mr. Right how quitting could benefit the whole family. There would be someone at home to manage the household, keep up with the laundry and be there for the kids. I could take over some chores we used to share so we could both live a simpler life. All along, I can write and pursue my dreams. If quitting will equal  moving to a smaller house and slashing the family budget, you’ll need 100% support. Prepare to argue the pros and cons.

Get a lover on the side. If you still need to make money after the break up, start a passion project on the side. While I wanted to quit my day job, I didn’t want to quit my career. So I started this blog in October 2009. It was a good way to get my feet wet with something other than the 8 to 5. Think of something you really love to do and start to make money (on the side) doing it. Or at the very least, start building a foundation to make money down the road. Read the adult guide to finding what you want to be when you grow up for ideas.

Make time. Now that you have a new passion on the side, make time for it. Here are some places to find extra time while working a full-time job:

• Early in the morning.
• Lunch break.
• After work (or dinner or bedtime – whatever works in your home).
• Quit watching TV.
• Weekends.
• Vacation, sick or personal days.

Get finances in order. Go on a budget, pay off debt, track spending and quit shopping. Stash some money in savings. Read these articles for help:

• Read frugal living archives at Wise Bread.
• Get out of debt with the debt snowball.
• 20 little ways to save a lot of money.

Pick a date. Bookmark it at work using this countdown clock. Check it often for a really big dose of motivation.

Speaking of motivation – You’ll need it. Anything worth having is worth working for, and this break up is no different. It takes a lot of determination, planning and patience. Something that always helped me was reviewing my motivators. Why was I waking up to blog before sunrise? Why was I staying home instead of enjoying an expensive night out with friends?

These are the questions to answer, then answer again.

As the reasons become clear,  so does the path.

If my writing helps or inspires you, please share it with other people. This is the number one way you can support my writing.

xoxo Melissa

Photo by shoothead

It’s official: I’m quitting my day job. My last day is June 18, 2010.

For those that don’t know, I was an editor and columnist at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. I headed up a women’s magazine (which I’m happy to say I will continue on a freelance basis), family magazine and weekly home section.

It was, some might say, my dream job.

I wrote columns, worked with super talented freelancers and enjoyed being somewhat of a local celebrity.

When strangers stopped me on the street to  say, “I really love your columns,” or “Your column is the first thing I read every Sunday,” well, you can’t beat that feeling as a writer.

So why am I quitting?

The logic follows a lot of what I write about, both in my Press-Gazette columns and on this blog: I want a simpler life. I want to be home for the summer with my kids. I want to work on my amazing work – the unwritten novels, the blog posts, and hopefully down the road, even more writing and editing on a freelance basis.

My life became too busy to do all of these things with a full-time job. Something had to give. Mr. Right and I decided we could enjoy a slower pace and need less money if I took an exit from the rat race. We slowly gathered momentum to make this decision possible

I’m excited.

And feeling the fear of the unknown.

And then excited again.

Maybe you’d like to quit your day job, too, but think: “Well Melissa, that’s great for you but simply not possible for me.” I’ve been there.  This post on Zen Habits changed my mind.

At the time, I was living the new normal in America – two kids, two working parents, house in suburbia, two cars, a dog, LOTS of stress and debt.

At the same time, I kept having rogue thoughts like:

“There has to be a better way to live and make money than this.”

Officially now, I’m about to find out.

The past 29 years have taught me:

Be thankful. Life comes with a multitude of struggles and joy. No matter what, find and feel your gratitude. Will I ever return to the 9 to 5? I don’t know. But I do know I’m thankful for everything I learned along the way.

Need less money. It’s the most liberating thing you’ll ever do.

Do what’s right. Deep inside, you know what it is and you know what needs to be done.

Love with passion.

Work with passion.

Change with passion.

Be nice. Mean people suck.

Slip into moments of peacefulness without a care.

Be Tracy. Be Lynn. Be Amy.

Do something amazing.

If you’re waiting for the perfect time to do it, be sure: You don’t have time for that.

Fill your life with things you really want to do. How will I spend my summer with all this “free time?” Here are a few options:

• Nap (but not too long)
• Learn to cook
• Start a novel
• Blog
• Spend lazy mornings with the kids
• Make pickles
• Work in the garden
• Music in the Park
• Farmer’s markets
• Solitude
• Bike rides
• Write YOU magazine columns under the sun instead of flourescent lights
• Vacations
• Unlearning how to be busy
• Volunteer
• Make strawberry jam
• Yoga

Infinity.

SEE ALSO:

Quit your day job with this series …

The Minimalist Guide To Leaving Your Soul Crushing Day Job

The Simple Guide To Making Money Online

The Surprising Truth About Using Minimalism To Leave Your Day Job

Read Zen Habits … always good.

While you’re at it, I can’t get enough from:

Jeffrey/The Art of Great Things

Matt/Life Without Pants

Tammy/Rowdy Kittens

Katie/Momentum Gathering

Mary/Goodlife Zen

Corey/Simple Marriage

Cheers to life. To living it!

Photo by Mike Peters

If my writing helps or inspires you, please share it with other people. This is the number one way you can support my writing.

xoxo Melissa

As children, we dream of being legendary when we grow up.

An astronaut.

Olympic gymnast.

Figure Skater.

Best-selling novelist.

Things like accounts receiveable clerk, insurance claims agent and receptionist don’t appear. None of those jobs are a bad thing – I’m just pointing out how perceptions and realities change once “real life” sets in – the bills, the routines, the obligations. You might even enjoy a job like this – if so, great for you! I’m not knockin’ it.

On the other side, there’s the unhappy people just trying to make it through another day. Instead of leaving a legacy, we settle for something that barely resembles our past dreams in order to make money.

I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat: money is good, money is awesome, I can never have enough, personally.

As the years pass, we feel comfortable working to live.Then, to make up for that job we don’t really like, we spend more and more money. We go on vacations once or twice a year to escape real life. (Not knockin’ vacations either, but I’ve had jobs where I spent months hanging onto the thought of that one-week getaway.)

Call me crazy, but I think it’s a damn shame so many of us want to escape real life. I’d rather start living a life I like all the time. Starting with replacing the work I’m obligated to do with something I truly enjoy. When work is fun, it doesn’t feel like work. It’s up to us to either pursue the wrong career or one we’ll really love. (Pursue is an important word here … The job of your dreams won’t land at your doorstep. Sorry, but no one else cares that much about your personal dreams.)

So let me ask you: What do you want to be when you grow up … now?

It’s ok if you don’t know the answer. This post is going to help with that.

Could be the things you like to do aren’t very “workable.” No one will pay you to sit in an armchair and eat potato chips. Camping at Yellowstone National Park isn’t a job. And those Wine and Whine nights with your girlfriends aren’t going to make a mint anytime soon.

The trick to finding your Amazing Work is wondering: How can I make money doing what I love?

(And actually, I wouldn’t mind seeing someone cash in on the recliner-chips routine. I’ll bet it’s possible.)

Ready to start writing your own life?

Settle in and ask yourself: What do I love now?

To find the answer, start making a list:

Write down whatever comes to your head for at least a full minute after each question.

• What do you enjoy doing?
• What makes you happy?
• What do you Google? What magazines and books do you read?
• When do you feel the best at work? What specific tasks are you doing?
• What are your hobbies and passion projects?
• What are you good at?

Now, search for clues. When I was 9 years old, I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. Today, I am a writer, but it’s in a much simpler way than I first dreamed. I’m not writing adjective-infused romance novels. I’m a blogger and columnist. Your amazing work might be hidden between the lines like that, too. If you wrote down, “spending time with family” maybe the work you love will be a group collaboration. Get on the phone with your sister and have a chat. Who knows where the conversation will lead.

Dig deep – go beyond what you know. Ignore your degree. Ignore what you’re doing at your current job. If you spent thousands on an education you aren’t enjoying, I’m sorry. This post isn’t going to make a square peg fit in a round hole. If you’re a nurse that wishes she was a librarian, you might have some hard decisions to make. Listen to your gut. First, get the hidden dreams out in the open.

Seek opportunities. Wherever you call home on this lovely little planet, there are opportunities to help you out. If you want to start a small business, check out the non-profit financial group, SCORE. Call your local chamber of commerce to learn about small-business grants or workshops available. If you’re recently unemployed, learn about Federal programs and funding to go back to school. Talk to your boss about a new revenue stream you want to head up.

Stop saying “I can’t” and replace it with “What if?”: What if you could make a living as a personal shopper? What if you could stay home with your kids AND pay the bills by starting an in-home daycare. What if you downsized so your family could live on only one salary?

Really: What if work felt more like living and less like making a living?

If my writing helps or inspires you, please share it with other people. This is the number one way you can support my writing.

xoxo Melissa

SEE ALSO:

Zen Habits: Work as Play

Rowdy Kittens: Seven Tips to Kick The Cubicle Habit

Far Beyond The Stars: The Surprising Truth About Using Minimalism To Leave Your Day Job

Ridiculously Extraordinary: 21 Reasons You Should Quit Your Day Job And Travel The World

Art of Great Things: Saving The Real Job

Photo by Ana Santos

Doing work you love comes with a lot of emotions.

Not all are the rainbow, unicorn, sunshine type.

At times, you’ll feel sucked into a mudpit of self doubt and questions, over and over.

Really: What do you know about your Amazing Work?

What makes you think you’ll be the next best selling author, the next Nirvana or Tiffany & Co. twin?

These are the questions that bring momentum to a screeching halt. When this happens, you’ll have two choices:

• Give up.
• Move forward.

Then the cycle continues, the good days, the bad. Day after day, I hope to inspire someone to see that a better life is within their own grasp. That it is possible to do work you truly love. That life is better when savored.

The truth is: I’m no one special.

My kids sass me, the dog pukes and there are days I’d give anything to just stay in bed.

I get stuck in my own mudpits.

The reason I write is for stories just like this one about my dad.

Dad’s worked as a machine welder for over 20 years.

For fun, he sells snacks and soda to his crew; Jones Vending I think he calls it. Each month he drives to Sam’s Club – a two-hour round trip – to stock up on fresh M&M’s, Mountain Dew and Milky Ways.

“I don’t know why he loves it so much, but he does,” I told my friend. “So he told me on the phone – get this – he’s thinking about buying the junky gas station in town and turning into a full service station with snacks at the pump.”

“He said I inspired him to buy it.”

My friend stared at me. She held up her hands and said, ”Why can’t that be his amazing work?”

My self-doubt was back, and not just in my own mission. Where was the girl that believed anyone can find their amazing work? No matter how old, no matter what other people think, no matter how far out it sounds?

Really: my dad might open the most successful gas station for miles. Then again, he might fail.

In order to get out of the mudpits, we have to remember that Amazing Work isn’t about winning all the time. It isn’t about having all the answers.

I might fail, Dad might fail, you might fail.

But unless you get started, unless you keep going – no one will fail.

That’s far worse.

Consider this story a reminder to move forward. Keep dreaming those ridiculous dreams. Dare to prove yourself.

Dare to say: This makes me happy.

This is my dream.

Photo by seleniamorgillo

If my writing helps or inspires you, please share it with other people. This is the number one way you can support my writing.

xoxo Melissa

SEE ALSO:

If You Really Love Someone, You’ll Name A Meteorite After Their Blog

Rights Of Regular, Everyday People, Just Like You

It’s easy to live in an endless  state of “when-I-get-there.”

You know the place.

It’s where happiness awaits, just outside your grasp.

It’s retirement.

A promotion.

A new title.

Recognition, a raise, flexible hours.

So lets get to the bottom of it: Where is there?

What are you banking on for the future?

Ask yourself this question:

Will it be worth the wait?

Worth whatever you’re doing right now that isn’t there?

You’ll find a lot of answers along the way. So get going. Ask the hard questions.

And please let me know in the comments below: How can I help you get there?

If my writing helps or inspires you, please share it with other people. This is the number one way you can support my writing.

xoxo Melissa

SEE ALSO:

Write Your Own Life: It’s Easy To Leave Hollywood

Are You Doing Work You Love In A Culture You Can’t Stand?

Photo by WASABIdesign

Where does Hollywood go when it’s sick of Hollywood? Mexico!

Meet newlyweds Heidi and Mark Rice. In their mid-thirties with no kids, they literally traded their corporate Los Angeles jobs for a tent in Mexico (for a few nights anyways). Why?

Heidi Rice: Some people understand perfectly well why we live here. Puerto Vallarta is warm and relaxed and feeds our soul. For others that don’t, here’s the truth: In Mexico, we have sprung ourselves from the prison of more-more-more. Who has not occasionally wished to simplify their life? Who has not longed to pare down their life to just the essentials? Moving to Mexico accomplished the “whole enchilada” to simplify.

Here’s how they did it:

Melissa Gorzelanczyk: Describe a typical day in Venice Beach, California, before the move.

Heidi Rice: Life was busy. Our schedule consisted of driving to work, drive for work and then driving home from work. With only one vehicle and Los Angeles traffic, this took up about 12 hours per day. Once we were home from work, we’d let the dogs out, start making dinner and watch some TV. Then it was off to bed to do it all over again the next day! In two years time we put more than 70,000 miles on our car.

Melissa: Describe income then vs. income needed now.

Heidi: In Los Angeles we had the typical dual income, no kids scenario. We were working hard and able to save a lot of money. Still, we kept feeling there must be a better way to spend our time and a different way to make money. Sometimes it takes stepping out of a comfort zone to really be able to reflect on life. Our choice was to do this in Mexico. In the states we were spending about $4,000 a month on rent, food, gas, entertainment, etc. In Mexico, we only need about $1,000 a month to live comfortably.

Living comfortably in Mexico means having an ocean view, being able to afford a maid, buying all organic produce at the market for one-third the cost and eating fresh shrimp that was caught the day before.

Melissa: Describe the “Mexico Moment.”

Heidi: The story of a Mexican fisherman really impacted us. It basically illustrates how a full life has nothing to do with money or “stuff.”

Melissa: How did you prepare for the move financially?

Heidi: Save, save, save. We worked hard and spent a lot of evenings and weekends at home. We’d cook great meals and only head out to restaurants during happy hours when we could get a good deal. We sold all the big and clunky items that would be easy to repurchase upon our return. Anything irreplaceable, sentimental or small & functional we put into a a 4 x 6 storage unit that costs $13 a month.

Melissa: What do you want from living in Mexico?

Heidi: RELAXATION. The pace of life is so slow here. We want time to contemplate what’s really important in life. Being newlyweds, it’s a great opportunity to sync our dreams and desires for our future. Being able to step outside of structured life and reflect upon what’s really important is a gift. That is Mexico’s gift to us.

Melissa: What advice can you give to people that are sick of a busy lifestyle and want to change … but are afraid to give up “security?”

Heidi: Sometimes you just have to let go. No time is right to move to another country. No time is right to have kids. There is no “right time” to do anything. We live here because it feels right for us right now. Living in the moment and living in a country that is very much a culture of the eternal present.

Melissa: What do you do all day in Mexico?

Heidi: We sleep late, cook great meals at home , read, spend time at the gym, take siestas, walk our dogs and travel to other small Mexican villages for fun. We are presently working on not being so hard on ourselves for how little we actually accomplish from dawn to dark.

Heidi’s words to live by: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain

TRAVEL. WORK FROM ANYWHERE. These guys are:

Karol Gajda of Ridiculously Extraordinary

Corbett Barr of Free Pursuits

Chris Guillebeau of The Art Of Non-Conformity