Choosing Less

 Choosing less doesn’t make me less, it might even make me more. Last week I wrote about how Hustle Culture is a Thief and I asked the question - “why is it not ok to be content with less hustle and less busy in life?” Today I’m going to talk about myself and why I choose less.

Here’s a bit of background. I’m a skilled admin with a ton of customer service experience. When I say ton, I’m not kidding I’ve been answering the phone for a business since I was about eight years old. My dad ran a business out of our home and there was only one phone line for everything.

My skill set is becoming rare in this current cycle of employable people. In my current job, I was hired for this particular skill set, that comes with a side of take no shit. The door opened to me, has allowed me to choose how many hours I want to work, and has given me freedom I’ve never had before. This job also came with an expiration date I set myself. When I was hired I agreed to stay three years, at which point my husband will retire and we’ll be leaving the state. There are now two years left. Since I was hired we’ve opened a third location, and the option of me traveling once a week was put on the table multiple times. I said no. I’m willing to travel as needed but not weekly.

I’m famous for saying “No is a complete sentence” meaning you don’t have to justify the no. Yet, I seem to be justifying this no to the people in my personal life. Justifying it to people who see my potential and see this as another door opening that I should walk through. The short answer is no. The slightly longer answer is because I don’t want to. The justification looks a bit more like this - I set boundaries because I don’t want to build a career out of this job. I set boundaries because I am at the end of my career not the beginning. I set boundaries because I’m content with choosing less, I have no interest in more.

I appreciate that my skill set is seen as so very valuable and that those around me see my potential and want more for me, but they’re missing the main point. I don’t want more. I choose less so that I can do the things I enjoy. I choose less so I have more time to paint, knit, cook, write, travel, and enjoy my life. I’m not interested in the hustle culture. I don’t want my entire life to revolve around a job that keeps me on the run.

I choose less because there is so much more to my life. My identity isn’t defined by the job I have. My value isn’t associated with how much I can accomplish at work. My validation as a person isn’t tied to my work skill set.

I’ve been there, and I don’t want to go back. When I was in my 20s and sold advertising for both the newspaper and radio station at different points in my career, I burned the candle at both ends pretty hard. I learned that wasn’t the right lifestyle for me because it left no room for a solid relationship in my life. When I met my husband I swore I wouldn’t work like that again, and I haven’t. I’m thankful that I walked away from that phase in my 20s.

When I tell people I work to live I mean it. My job provides me with a means of living the life I enjoy. I choose less, and at the end of the day, I actually have more. I have more memories with my Husband and time with our fur babies. I have more time to be creative and curious. I have more time to play in my studio and work in my kitchen. I have more time to study new things and learn new skills. Choosing less has given me so much more.

Have you chosen the hustle because someone else pushed for your potential? Maybe because you felt obligated? Or have you chosen less so you can fill your life with more?