Be a Free Range Human: Escape the 9 to 5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills by Marianne Cantwell

                 This may sound absolutely crazy, but I am happiest when I do not have a job.  I am not talking about the actual status of being unemployed.  That is not very fun at all.  It is miserable applying to job after job while figuring out how to pay the bills.  What I love about not having a job is the freedom it brings me.  I can spend the day as I choose and on my own schedule.  Now some may think that when I am not filling out applications I am sitting around doing nothing.  That is so far from the truth.  When I am between jobs, which as a temp can happen periodically, I get so much done.  I have so many things around the house to do, and they all apply to what I want my career to be. 

                Lately, as each day passes, the desire for this freedom has increased.  Somehow I have to find a way to live life on my own terms doing what I love.  That is why I have started reading books about how to have this freedom while also making an income.  My favorite so far is Be a Free Range Human: Escape the 9 to 5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills by Marianne Cantwell.  It is different from other books of its kind as there is some sass and fun to it all the way through.  It is clear Ms. Cantwell has succeeded in accomplishing what she is writing about and loves her life.  She wants others to feel that way too.  However, Ms. Cantwell is also realistic.  One of the books I read seemed to expect people to drop their job immediately.  Ms. Cantwell understands that is not always possible.  She encourages people to get started with their independent endeavors while still in their regular job but set a date for freedom.  Then stick to that date.  That way the ground work can be set and there will be a much easier flow between the two situations.

                The ground work and freedom date are not the only bits of advice Ms. Cantwell talks about.  Actually, the freedom date is not even discussed until pretty far along in the book.  There is so much more she goes through.  With exercises in each chapter, Ms Cantwell helps the reader plan out what they are going to do and how.  She understands no two paths are the same and encourages everyone to find their own niche.

                 Along with exercises in each chapter, there are success stories throughout the book.  Most are not very long, nor are they preachy.  In my opinion, that made them so much easier to read.  Instead, they are short thoughts from people who have left their 9 to 5 life and are living happily as well as successfully.  They come from all different walks of life and show that with work and effort others can accomplish what they have.                

                This book was really inspiring for me.  That is not something I say lightly.  When I finished reading, I felt that with the tools I learned it would not take me much longer to accomplish what I have been trying to do for so long.  Now I will admit, I did not do the exercises.  Maybe if I do the exercises I can get started on my new life even faster.