Working for a Living=Working to Live

Back in the good old days, a man was proud to be working for a living. He would meet the day with a feeling of pride as he put on his boots and headed out to put bread on his family’s table and feel a better man as he arrived home and ate that bread with his family. Back then cost of living was lower, ones pay could somewhat support their family and the American workforce flourished. Today with most companies "everyone is expendable" mentality. How are we as hard working men and women supposed to strive for a better life for our families?

I am at a point in my life now, married with 2 children and I have no way to provide for my family past the point of the necessities of life. I feel I am an intelligent person, having learned many trades in my life to date. All I seem to get for all my work and spent brain cells is, to be taken advantage of by employers. I am an accomplished graphic and web designer, musician, audio engineer and artist. I have enough automotive skills to keep me from going to a repair shop anytime my vehicle acts up. My knowledge and abilities in the area of inside and outside sales has brought the company I currently work for a 250% growth of revenue over the past 3 years. It’s the last point that hurts the most. I work so hard to keep somebody else’s business flourishing and all I get is a daily "what have you done for me lately" type of vibe. I currently have the title of General Manager, to some that may seem good but consider this; I am the only employee of the company, I serve as the sales man, graphic artist, production manager, fabricator and installer for a company that will make close to $300,000 this year. In a perfect world, an employer who has an employee such as myself would appreciate my services and loyalty, but in our society do you know what it gets me... a shitty 75 cent raise over a 2 year span.

Some would say to me that it’s my fault, my fault for sticking around such a situation. Just quite people tell me. If I thought it were truly that easy trust me I would walk out and never look back. The largest reason I suck it up every day, the largest reason for my decision to muddle through everyday in my apparent dead end career is quite simply my family. Would it be the right thing for me to do, just walking out, striking out on my own, taking my talents and strong work ethic for walk on the wild side of self-employment? For years the rational side of my brain has won, telling me "Don't be a jackass, just stop your whining and get your ass to work and be happy with whatever you can manage to bring home no matter how little. So what if this Christmas might suck for your kids, so what if your truck is broken down and you can't afford to fix it and so what if your blood pressure is high and your zest for life is low. At least your not unemployed."While this stick in the mud rational side of my brain has steered me to date, my laid back eager go gettem' side of my brain has been muscling in easing his way into the gooey gray matter of his tight assed straight laced rational neighbor and I got to tell you I'm beginning to like what I hear.

What does the go gettem' side of my brain have to say your ask? Well basically this, "Hey Eric, how's it going buddy (the laid back portion of my brain seems to sound a lot like Matthew McConaughey, how laid back is that), been working pretty hard lately there haven't ya? I'm just saying, now I wonder, why is it that you work so hard for somebody else, busting your ass day in and day out, by yourself no less, I mean totally solo buddy? Kind of seems to me that if your already busting your ass by yourself, kind of makes sense you should be doin' it for yourself. Hey, I know man, striking out on your own seems a heavy decision but figure it this way. Your talented, smart, good with people and know everything it takes to make a business succeed, am I right or am I right? Just look at it this way man, your young enough that if things don't work out the way you hoped, you just chalk it up to life experience and get another job making someone else rich and get by the way you did before. I think its time you put that ole' boy over there aside for a bit and listen to me. Just hear me brother, I'm the one in the back of your mind bangin' on his bongos and I'm naked man, no freer than that."

Perhaps some of you, after reading to this point may think I have a few screws loose. Maybe the problem is actually that I've lived my life to tightly. Clinging to that safety line like an umbilical chord, to afraid to break it off for fear of having to look for my next meal. Maybe now is the time to loosen some screws and see what falls out.

I feel that with this New Year, will be born a new me. I'm tired of working week to week, barely keeping my utilities on some weeks, having to tell my kids that we can't go to the movies or even rent one for that matter on the weekend. I'm simply tired of spinning my wheels in the murky muddy swamp of life. I will put my kids through college, my wife and I will be able to get out of this hole and put the stress of being broke behind us finally and money will not be between me and my family’s happiness. Some say that money is the root to all evils. Well let me tell you, living broke is pretty evil in its own right. I think I would like to try living with it for a while.

If you stuck through this whole post, let me applaud you and thank you. I know I'm not the only one feeling this way. Drop me a comment, what are you doing or what have you done to resolve your current or past money and employment issues. Take care and Happy Holidays.