Step One: Readdress Priorities

I've quit my career to pursue my dream of turning my writing into a full-time profession. Needless to say, this was the hardest step. For years, I tried to balance a career, family, and writing. Others have been able to make it work, but I could not. Thus, I cut out the career, and now I have the time for writing and my family.

I have a four-year-old daughter who needs, and deserves a father. I grew up without a father and lost my mother when I was twelve. The last thing I want is to be an unavailable dad. Also, my life-partner and I can always use more time together.

I was working nearly sixty hours a week as a Store Manager. The job paid well, but the hours were intense. The people I had to work with on a daily basis were stressing me out. So after six months of nightly conversations about the situation, we agreed that it was time for a change. She told me to just quit my job and we would figure it out.

Being a published author had always been a dream of mine. I knew since University that I wanted to be an author, but my skills in sales kept pulling me in a different direction as I chased the money. However, after five years of chasing money, I've learned one valuable lesson. Money is pointless. What I want is intellectual fulfillment, a good beer each night, and to be sure that my family is secure. Those goals don't require that much money. And that's what lead to Step Two: Rearranging Your Life.