The leaves are very slowly beginning to change colour, but Sunday was sunny and warm so we spent most of it out walking around the neighbourhood. Sunshine, ocean views, cute James Bay cottages and lots of people out enjoying the day.
I'm lucky to live in a very beautiful city, but the beauty and popularity can be overwhelming. And when it's a sunny September Sunday, it only takes a second for the switch to flip in your head. All it took was an Apartment For Rent sign in front of a gorgeous ocean facing building on Dallas Road.
When a fixer upper house costs $800K and a south facing 2 bedroom apartment is $2200 per month, it can make a guy second guess his life choices. How's a podcast going to get you into that apartment, Marko? Are you really going to make your living by helping bakers? Better go check the job listings before you look at apartment listings!
That's what conditioning feels like. One second you're the luckiest guy in the world and the next, you're a worthless lump. All because you stopped believing in your dreams and started believing mainstream culture - that highly leveraged, striving, Big Debt culture. It's enough to make you throw your phone in the water, or at least delete some social media apps. (These cultural beliefs didn't start with Facebook, but they sure get reinforced there!)
I already live in an awesome apartment in one of the world's most beautiful cities. I'm doing work I love and helping people I deeply care about. And yet the pull of the main current is strong.
The good news is that you can choose your own current. And once you're in your own current, paddle like hell to stay in it.