Day 45
Yesterday was extremely productive but my biggest challenges are still ahead. At this moment, my art studio is empty aside from the stuff I’ll use to clean the place up. After I write this, I’ll take my last load of stuff to my storage unit and be left with only the suitcase and small backpack I’ll take with me to Europe. The final carload is mostly art I believe will raise in value the further I run with this adventure. I did receive an offer to buy one of my pieces but it worked out to approximately $1/hour so I’ll be holding onto that until further notice. I love making art but it is not yet my greatest skill. This adventure is about betting on my talents and creating the best job for me.
Approximately 19 years ago, I spilled Newcastle beer all over this jacket and have left it in storage ever since. I finally tackled the stain on my past and will be wearing it t proudly soon. Yes, this is a metaphor for life.
I could not be more aware that there are many things I SHOULD be doing but all of those things would serve only to keep me broke for years and living a life that someone else controls. We all know that having one job in Seattle (especially in the music industry) will not earn someone enough money to live a healthy life. I’d need to work three jobs for multiple years to get where I know this project could be next week if I’m able to effectively share my vision with those in a position to help. While of course there are examples of people who have accomplished great feats by taking the long route, I believe most of them would agree that the best move in any situation is to work smarter, not harder. It has already been proven that it is 100% possible for people to create careers for themselves in which they’re able to work remotely and travel at the same time. This is the most direct route to success; this exact road that I’m on right now will lead me directly to the people that inspire me the most and put me in a position in which I can create opportunities for artists all over the world. If I follow the route I SHOULD take, I will inspire no one and not be in a position to help the people I admire in the ways I know I can for many years… in addition to being super depressed because I succumbed to the pressures of conformity again.
That said, I am 100% willing to be proven wrong on this. I will happily consider any full time job offers almost anywhere in the world if that one job would pay me enough to live in that city. I’m qualified to do 1111 things in the music industry, have a UW History Degree, excel in customer service, and have been creating content for my own website for nine years so far. In a perfect world, I SHOULD be able to find a job like this easily but America is broken. Those paying attention know it’s not actually broken, it is fixed in favor of white rich men in suits. I intend to seek out all the ways that artists can make money outside of the hourly wage system that has kept all of us in struggle mode for too long. If I have ever shown an interest in you or your art, I’m doing this for you. In 2018, there are people who make millions of dollars a year playing video games, many professional travel vloggers, and millions of online businesses. Following a traditional route with all this technology is not only stupid but also a means to stay exactly where we are. So of course I SHOULD get a job in the system with health, dental, and a 401K but if I did that the only person that would win is the company I worked for. Thanks to the wisdom of Elle Luna who wrote a book called, The Crossroads Between Should And Must, I’ve spent a ton of time figuring out what I MUST do. I MUST go directly to Bristol in a few days and start being the change I want to see in the world because it is the best way to help everyone I love the most… myself included. I MUST continue to jump over the obstacles I’ve created for myself to reach the life I know is possible because life is too short not to. I believe so strongly in myself and that there are people out there who will recognize my infinite potential and help me make this happen that I’m going for it right now without a safety net. The ROI on Liz Rowe is off the charts and someone in a position to help will soon realize it. Five years ago, I cashed in my 401K at Whole Foods so I could dive directly into the music industry and it worked so well that within three years I was hiring people to work alongside me at giant music venues. I’ve been on the direct payroll of some of the most successful musician in the world since I quit the corporate music industry at the end of 2016 and I’m just getting going.
An example of the random ish in my storage unit.
After I write this, take my final carload to my storage unit, and clean out the car that has been my best friend for six years. I’ll be facing the challenge of reaching out to someone who can be with me during the car sale transaction. I am so resistant to asking for help that I only own items that I can lift myself AND fit in my Subaru. When I went to BECU yesterday, the person was awesome and let me know that it is totally possible to complete the transaction in the bank so I feel a lot better about attacking this mission solo but it’s still a bad idea. I’d love for the buyer to be able to test drive the car but the thought of getting in any car with a Craigslist stranger alone makes me wince. While I try to live my life unafraid of bad people, they do exist and I’d be a fool to tackle this mission alone.
TODAY’S GOALS
1. Drink 64 oz. water
2. 10 Minute Stretch
3. Go For A Walk
4. Blog Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also)
5. 2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool ; I’ve been slacking on this because my mind is on all of the logistics for at least one or two more days.
6. Take final car load to storage unit.
7. Clean car inside and out.
8. Reach out to someone who can advise on this car selling matter.
9. Respond to the five people who have expressed interest in my car and try to sell it TODAY.
10. Just DOOM it.
SONG OF THE DAY
Carly Simon – “You’re So Vain” 1972 I know I’m not the only one that reads random posts on the internet and spends too much time thinking about whether the vague comment is a direct attack on their life mission OR a sign of support from those who haven’t told you to your face that they believe in your mission. I am 100% guilty of doing both of these things. If there actually are people out there who don’t want me to succeed, they’re rooting against someone whose whole goal in life is to create opportunities for underground artists and they might be an asshole. Every second we waste thinking about those who are telling us what we SHOULD or SHOULD NOT do is a second we could have spent working towards our goals. I’ve been listening to the advice of people who are living the kind of life I want to live and extracting what applies to my situation and it has led me right here… on my way to put all my stuff in a storage unit, releasing the financial ties that have bound me to a life I don’t want, and ready to go all in on my strengths. Carly Simon is a number 1 boss lady and it’s a classic but this song is kinda weak.