About a year ago, at the onset of the biggest recession in 30 years, I left my secure job behind to run my own business. Since that time I’ve thrown a lot of my own money at my business development.

More recently, my company ended a relationship with one of our biggest long-term (but pain in the ass) contract clients.

Financially, both moves don’t make a heck of a lot of sense…especially when you put the second one in the context of the first. But you know what? I’m happier and more content than I have been in years. I have enjoyed not dealing with the stress and hassle of the aforementioned P.I.A. client. My business is growing and moving closer and closer to being what I want it to be. I’m spending more time with my family than I have in years. And I’m living in a place that I love and doing what I want to do.

I’m not saying that money and contentment are mutually exclusive but they are certainly not as closely related as most would have you believe. I’m optimistically holding out hope that doing what I want to do, what I LOVE to do, what I’m good at, will eventually lead to financial security too. But if I never show up on a show with Robin Leech I’ll be just fine with it because I’ll have the things that are more important to me.