I was astounded by a news article several days ago about a bright young executive of a huge corporation shifting into a new career as a hotdog vendor. At first, I did not understand his action of downgrading himself by selling hotdogs instead of sitting in an executive chair, managing a company with financial freedom and success.
His main reason for doing so was that he was no longer happy being an executive because the job demands so much from him although he was financially successful. He wanted to have a simpler life without the toxic demands of the business world and make himself free from the routine work which did not give me that much happiness.
There are others who stepped down from the executive position to choose to be at the grassroots level in exchange for a sensitive, however financially rewarding, highest position in a company. I think it also depends on the individual where his real happiness lies and the kind of happiness he is looking for. In this article, I realized that money is not really everything. Having a lot of money will not give you the complete and real happiness that you long for.
Does wealth create happiness?
I have worked for a big company for more than 22 years and now I realized the real happiness is having yourself free from the stress and anxiety that the corporate world has exposed me to it. Freedom to do what you want and to be able to indulge in it as much as you like. I will be content with a small salary as long as I can still do something that is more self-fulfilling than earning a lot of money sans happiness.
This analysis also gives tangible proof because even celebrities who became rich are prone to suicidal tendencies, sadness, and anxiety. And they have amassed wealth which can buy anything that they want sans real happiness. Some celebrities are prone to loneliness and despair which when they are in public does not show their real lives and feelings as celebrities.
I was happy during the years I was working but I am happier now that I could do many things that I have not done in my long years of working. Sometimes, you cannot see that the flowers in the garden have bloomed beautifully because you are always in a hurry to go to work in the morning. You do not even have the time to stop and smell their refreshing scents. That's a pity!
When I retired from the company, I saw to it that I will reside in the rural area where you can still see butterflies, hear the birds chirping in the morning with cows moo. It was my dream and I achieved it. In an analysis, I was able to achieve real happiness compared to the happiness I had when I was working.
Earning a lot of money is not easy and some employers take advantage of employees because they are paying them that high. Sometimes an employee has to do beyond his work because he is given that responsibility by the employer. As such, some employees no longer appreciate high salaries because they are devoid of their right to do other things and to take a rest which is an employee’s right as a human being.
In this case, an employee withdraws and steps down from his high salaried position even if this means leading a simpler life devoid of luxury and financial uncertainty. So, I think, before doing this, be sure that you have enough money to live on to venture into another career such as doing business or to settle for a job that offers a lower salary.
Moving Forward
If you have already computed your expenses and possible months that you will be jobless after resigning from your company, then you can go to your next plan of maybe putting up your own business for the meantime to see if this new venture will fit you. Doing business is not really meant for all of us. But you can always get some advice from your friends who are into business or take crash courses on business.
If you shift to a new career, it is essential to have at least a background knowledge of a new venture that you are going to next to equip you with the sufficient skills necessary to embark on this new career.
In my case, I also underwent some training to be able to do business before I started doing it. Although these days some small businesses are not yet doing well, it is better to try and start with it to be able to know that this is the right career for you.
I admit that I was hesitant to do it at first because I am not that extrovert who would talk to anybody and present a product. I do not have the guts to do that with strangers. But because of the training, I was able to know how to do the first approach to introduce my product. This is only a part-time job for me as I do the other things that interest me.
Now I have identified my target consumers and slowly gained more with the product I am introducing. I used social media for marketing because it is now an effective channel to introduce products to the target consumers. Almost everybody is online in any part of the world.
Now I realize that receiving a high salary is not the only key to real happiness. Sometimes it is stressful because much is expected from you and that at times you almost cannot do it beyond your ability and capacity.
So, spending time with more self-fulling activities and those that make you happy is the key to real happiness. In jotting down your plans for a business venture, you can buy and use an excellent product from FlexiSpot. This is the Height Adjustable Table.
Sewing is another hobby that you could engage in after your resignation or retirement from office work. This sewing table has an adjustable sewing platform that with the turn of a knob, you can adjust the workbench up or down up to five steps to accommodate your sewing machine, documents, or even a keyboard. Combine that with an adjustable shelf specially designed to match the height of your sewing machine base for maximized comfort and efficiency. Each partition is 1", Weight capacity: 26lbs. It is also height adjustable and durable.
