I published my last post too early before I had really gotten the framework right.  Do you know why? Because I was so excited to be featuring Jessica Swift’s artwork. Seriously! Jessica’s website is one of my all time favorites and she is someone who simply shines as a successful indiepreneur!  This collaboration felt so symbiotic that I rushed to hit that publish button.  So, I’m posting the same article with some revisions.  This is a study!  I really want to know what you think.  How does this new framework change your response to the article and if this still doesn’t hit that sweet spot, PLEASE give me some constructive criticism!

How To Jump Off a Mountain

A couple of years ago, my dear friend Leigh gifted me a beautiful silver key chain stamped with the word ‘fearless’.  While I have always been one to leap without looking, I wasn’t sure if my friend had recognized me with the right adjective!

When I finished my undergraduate degree I took on an internship as communications assistant at a major health care system in Seattle (okay, Tacoma).  At the end of the summer, the company offered me a comfortable job.  The work was interesting, actually, but I found the environment dull, dull, dull.  Instead of accepting the job, I used the money that I earned that summer and bought a plane ticked to Prague.  Why Prague?  Because I read that it was the artistic capital of the world.  What did I do in Prague?  I volunteered as an editor for an English language literary review that ran out of the back of a pub, took photos and drank tea.  Not dull, but not particularly purposeful either.

Above is a figurative example of leaping off a mountain, now here’s a literal tale:

When I returned from Europe, I was broke.  I moved to Denver and picked up a job as a cashier at a health food store.  I grew up in Denver, but I had been away for several years by then and didn’t have many friends in the area, so I took to backpacking by myself when I wasn’t working.  One weekend I picked my destination by name, lonesome and isolation lakes {true tale}.  I camped at one lake and climbed around the rim of a mountain to visit the other. As I was heading back to camp, I stood at the top of the mountain thinking that it was a long haul around the rim.  In a matter of seconds, I jumped onto the glacial slope in front of me and slid to the foot of the mountain.  Obviously I survived, and actually this was an incredible experience, but I never told anyone about it until now because it was just plain stupid!

I’ve always subscribed to the philosophy of follow your bliss, but the bliss didn’t really set in until shortly after I received the key chain!

Leigh’s gift was inspired by the ease with which I quit my job at an art center here in Denver – a pretty awesome job, but I was not happy.  Honestly, by that time, I was beginning to wonder if any job would actually feel right and if my jumping again and again into the unknown wasn’t rather naive.  Do you know what happened when I quit my job at the art center?  Leigh decided to open a yoga studio and she hired me as her manager!  This job, plus Leigh’s encouragement ultimately led to the creation of Indiepreneur Power (many thanks!).  Honestly, I’m not sure if I would have connected with my calling if I were a more practical person.  So this fearlessness/recklessness/impracticality has served me well after all. (Phew!)

When have you jumped from a mountain?  Or what highly impractical leap would you like to take right now?   I am really curious to learn about your experiences!  Please leave your response below…

Jump by Jessica Swift

A girlfriend gifted me with a beautiful silver key chain stamped with the word ‘fearless’.  While I am definitely one to leap without looking, I’m not quite sure if my friend identified me with the right adjective!

When I finished my undergraduate degree I took on an internship as communications assistant at a major health care system in Seattle (okay, Tacoma).  At the end of the summer, the company offered me a comfortable job.  The work was interesting, actually, but I found the environment dull, dull, dull.  Instead of accepting the job, I used the money that I earned that summer and bought a plane ticked to Prague.  Why Prague?  Because I read that it was the artistic capital of the world.  What did I do in Prague?  I volunteered as an editor for an English language literary review that ran out of the back of a pub, took photos and drank tea.  I also pretended to know my way around.

Above is a figurative example of leaping off a mountain, now here’s a literal tale:

When I returned from Europe, I was broke.  I moved to Denver, stayed with my parents for a couple of months and picked up a job as a cashier at a health food store.  I had been away from Denver for several years by then and didn’t have many friends in the area, so I often went backpacking by myself when I wasn’t working.  One weekend I picked my destination by name, lonesome and isolation lakes {true tale}.  I camped at one lake and climbed around the rim of a mountain to visit the other. As I was heading back to camp, I stood at the top of the mountain thinking that it was a long haul around the rim.  In a matter of seconds, I jumped onto the glacial slope in front of me and slid to the foot of the mountain.  I have since been employed as an outdoor education instructor, and, as far as safety is concerned, I can tell you that this move is not advisable!

I’ve always subscribed to the philosophy of follow your bliss, and I’m not afraid of the unknown.  What I am afraid of is unhappiness!

My friend’s gift (the keychain) was inspired by the ease with which I quit my job at an art center here in Denver – a pretty awesome job, but I was not happy.  Honestly, by that time, I was beginning to wonder if any job would actually feel right.  I can tell you now that this is exactly what it feels like when purpose is trying to break free from old forms.  *I am hereby going to call that the indiepreneur itch.*  Holy heck am I thankful that we have the ability to design our own careers!  After a lot of free-falling, I finally feel like I am doing the work for which I am meant – I absolutely love helping people define and express their purpose as a remarkable business brand!  Honestly, I’m not sure if I would have connected with my calling if I were a more practical person.  I’ve certainly had a lot of people question my decisions!

I think that every time someone gets closer to the life they want to be living, the whole world becomes a better place!  Click to Tweet It! 

When have you jumped from a mountain?  Or what highly impractical leap would you like to take right now?   I would love to hear your stories … (and I’m curious to know if you wish that I had written holy hell!)  Please leave your response below…

I love this video by Karen Baetz.  The artist’s website is also tons of fun.  We all need regular doses of joy, humor and optimism (+ personally, I need spoonfuls of aesthetic)!  What makes you feel good?