Hard Work

*My corner office...as in the corner of my bedroom*

Hard work is...well, hard but it's also necessary. This past week I feel like I've been going non-stop and things don't show any signs of slowing down until Sunday. I have two jobs and am taking one class right now so this kind of hectic schedule is to be expected. As much as I may feel bad for myself in my head, I actually really enjoy it.

Okay, so having a part-time retail job on top of your day job and taking one class because you somehow didn't take the only required course of your fourth year and therefore couldn't graduate on time and were stuck taking it in the fall definitely isn't ideal but there are other things that I love about my life right now. I am able to say that I am taking care of myself. I make all of my own money, I pay all of my own bills and I do it all by myself. That was definitely something that I couldn't say before and I never realized it until now but it was something that I was severely missing in my life.

I feel like I've become more of the person I knew I was by being able to be on my own. (yeah..I know that sounds corny, but it's true). I was letting my mom and stepdad take care of me more than most of the people my age could say. I paid zero bills when I lived at home...like not even my cell phone and near the end of moving out, when my parents knew I was saving up, I didn't even pay for gas. Yeah it was a sweet deal but I couldn't say I was proud of how I was living my life, but now I can.

Last night I worked at my retail job from 5pm until 1am. I was doing a visual shift which means that we basically have to rearrange everything in the store. It's generally not a very fun process and working late into the night doesn't make it much better. I wasn't even supposed to work until 1am but they asked me to stay later. Even though I worked my other job at 9am the next morning, and knew I'd be dead today, I said yes. When I finally got home, showered and crawled into bed my back was aching, my feet were throbbing and I was beyond tired but I was happy because I knew that I had worked hard and earned my keep.

The other best thing about my hard work? Getting paid! Before I moved out I was so worried about covering the bills and now I am able to do so and have a little extra for myself. In my opinion, I've got everything I need. Who needs anything else?

From the desk of Taylor Brown
Over-worked, Over-Tired, Over-Impressed by her own Independence