Evaluating the Trade

Just shy of a year and a half ago, we were faced with a big decision:  Do we continue to live the lives we were leading, or do we take a chance on a better life?  I'd be giving up a lot - a top leadership position in a large company and all the good things that went with it, a lot more pay than I'm making now, a really nice house on a golf course, a great team, and other things that made our lives pretty comfortable.

Not only that, but we'd be moving to small town, making a hell of a lot less, I'd be off the grid for future gigs, and career risk was abound.  That being said, our opportunity got us back to Minnesota, and I was truly at the end of my rope at my old gig.  I was putting in huge hours, felt terrible, looked worse, and started getting depressed every Sunday starting at about 3:00.  

Every Sunday.

We jumped.  While it's not been completely easy, we had no idea how good our lives could be.  People here are WONDERFUL. They're happy, engaged, and truly care about you.  The town, while small, feels a hell of a lot bigger than Green Bay, and I'm not exaggerating.  My dog goes with me to work, where I have nothing but good people and basically no dysfunction.   I'm able to do really cool things at work and am definitely leaving my mark.  I leave that gig at a little after 5 every day, and if the weather is nice, we hop on the boat.  On Sunday nights I look forward to the morning and starting the week all over again.

I'm wildly happy.  I had no idea I could ever be this happy.  No, it's not perfect, but damn it is close.

I have been through a lot in my career.  I'd like to think that all of this is payback for those dues that I paid.  

So how was the trade now that things have baked in a little?  This is like the Hershel Walker deal, and we're the Cowboys.  It's that good.

I've been truly blessed.