Life between lives . . . where are you?

Today while I was out walking, something glittered up at me from the sidewalk. It was a smashed side mirror from a van, a good metaphor for the normal day-to-day life that is fractured for many of us. So what to do while we are looking for work, whether corporate or freelance? What do we do with our unstructured time until the economy recovers and we are back into a more "normal" work life? Job hunting, especially with big doses of rejection pouring in, requires some down time. What kind of life do we live between lives?

With our wallets in this free fall, even I, the consummate "multi-preneur," can feel its impact. Years ago when the economy slowed, my work life as a freelancer, independent contractor, or, shall I say, entrepreneur, rarely slowed. I had enough income streams to keep things going. That was my past life. Those days have come to a screeching halt.

My current assignment: to live within my means. No more credit cards, only debit. Maximize my diminished cash flow— color my hair myself, eat home most of the time, walk away from the magnetic pull of unnecessary plastic objects, and keep upgrading my old Mac for as long as it continues to breathe, thereby controlling my techno-lust as much as possible (so what if I won't be able to load snowleopard because I don't have an Intel chip?).

I'm more fiscally conservative than I ever have been in my life. Many talented friends and acquaintances can't find jobs, and I suspect other freelancers are pumping up their social networking muscles in hopes that the next Tweet will be sweet. (I just signed up at Twitter this morning. I have no idea how to use it.)

We've got to put vacation moments into every day . . .

We've got to find ways to feed our confidence, to lift our spirits, to take what's happening and to enjoy it the best we can—to make this "life between lives" as full as we can. Celebrate the free time you always wanted. Maybe you'll be able to begin some creative venture for which you never had time. Worry won't solve problems. Taking a vacation from them, even if it is only "vacation moments" in your day, can go along way to forestall a full blown depression. Taking a walk works for me. It gets me out of my muggy apartment—haven't connected the AC yet. Today I re-discovered two interior courtyards where you can go to relax, recharge yourself and just get away from it all: The Boston Public Library and the Inner Gardens at the Prudential Center.


As you can see, the walls of the BPL courtyard provide a reprieve from the corporate world's oppressive heights and restore a sense of classic beauty and design that goes back to ancient times.
The space inside the Prudential complex cuts a much more meandering path. The vegetation is more free flowing, less patterned, mimicking what you might see in fields of wild flowers. It's a great escape from the city without leaving it—just like I'm suggesting an emotional escape within the economic challenges we all face without fully ignoring them. These two interior sanctuaries are certainly available for internal retreats. Admission: FREE.