Black Friday? More like Orange, Purple, Pink, and Blue Friday!

I am going to relate a story that may seem oddly placed, but it matters. This is my first thanksgiving not working for my parents. My first Christmas not working for my parents. 2022 will be the first year in 17 years on this planet that I will not be an employee for them. After quitting my job working for my parents where I had security and safety I found myself in a new world. A world without my parents, in the best kind of way. Not in a negative way at all.

You see, I spent a lot of time with my parents, more than most people likely ever will in this day and age. I spent the first 35 years of my life with them, I didn't live with that, but I did work for them for 17-18 years. When I look back on my life, I don't see regret per se, rather I see a life of opportunity, growth, very patient parents, and family who knew I didn't want to be there, yet allowed me to continue to work and grow and become the human I am now. The truth is I didn't know what else I wanted to do with life that would actually fill the time and make me money enough doing so.

I remember clearly on Dec 2, 2019 my dad and I got in a huge argument, this important to know because what he said next will stay with me forever, in essence what he was saying was, "Chris, you're a fake." This hurt, this hurt REALLY bad. But it was true. As Lisa Nichols said "Some of the best gifts are wrapped in sandpaper." So with tears in my eyes, and a heavy heart I worked tirelessly, endlessly to get myself to a better place. It took just over a year and a half before I was able to comfortably quit my job, and see my dad's look of amazement as I walked out the door for the last time as an employee and became his son, only.

I walked into a world where I didn't know how to feel. A world where no one was there to help me back up when I needed it. If I fucked up, and lost money on a job, it was on me. If I forgot to follow up with a client, it becomes reflected on my dime. It became a world where I was accountable for myself only. As my previous blog post said "Being your own boss means you're accountable to no-one except yourself." Before leaving the job, I secured a photography position with the Mile of Music 2021 festival, and worked 4 days of the most intense and grueling, yet rewarding work I had worked in a long time, then spent 3 weeks processing images. After that I had secured a few other photo jobs that really helped the portfolio. After Mile of Music I got a job with Harmann Studio's doing seasonal school portrait work to help keep the funds coming in and to learn what it was like to work at a real photo studio. I am still currently there, though as a Lab helper doing graphic edits. Recently though I had a scare, a point of contention, a point of "well...ok then." I was faced with the possibility of not having work the studio work, and it hit me that I got comfortable. I was reading the book "Discipline Equals Freedom" by Jocko Willink, and it occurred to me, that I could either languish in sadness and being scared, or I could do another pull up and get myself out of the mindset. Face the challenge with "good. this is another opportunity to go a different route." Queue a week later, I am still at Harmann for a little bit, but I know my time will likely be ending there sooner rather than later, and I'm ok with that. I left my parents job to start my own job, not to work for someone else. Why would I get comfortable again?

There is a beauty to living on the edge. There is something unnerving about the unknown that honestly sort of keeps me going. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the creature comforts of where I am. Which brings me to today. The predictions all called for great sunrises, so I trusted them. I could tell by the skies yesterday it may be good today too. When given a choice to sleep in or get uncomfortable, I urge you to get uncomfortable. "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Michael Jordan

Resource links:

(Note: I do not make money on the links) Watch Lisa Nichols here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9h8IFd9U_Q&t=377s Buy "Discipline Equals Freedom" here - https://www.amazon.com/Discipline-Equals-Freedom-Field-Manual/dp/1250156947 Make sure to check out Mile of Music in 2022! Follow their website or socials for information, https://mileofmusic.com