You Don't Know What A Real Job Is.

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"You don't know what a real job is."

I was recently told that. 

I'm sure the person who said it to me would have all kinds of reasons about why they chose those words to slam me with, but I believe that what it comes down to is simply that I don't work a traditional 40 hour a week job with a 401k, and health benefits package, and therefore, I "don't know what a real job is".

I would have to strongly disagree.

I could explain all the ways that that statement can't possibly be true. I could argue that I've had "real" jobs in the past. I could tell you how many hours a week that I work at my current "job" as a way to verify that I am indeed really working a real job.

But why should I have to?

Many (most) of us know what a real job is. 

The parents raising families. 

The indie business owners. 

The small business owners.

The bloggers. 

The book writers.

The artists.

The part time workers. 

The full time, 40 hour a week workers. 

The college students working to get their degrees. 

The people who are many of those things all at the same time. 

I would go out on a limb and say that they (we) all know what a real job is. 

A real job is what you do.

Maybe you do your job and you love it with your whole heart, or maybe you just do it to get the paycheck (or degree) for now, with hopes of doing something you love to do in the future. 

The point is is that you do it. Whatever you do.

It's a job. It's work. It's real. It's where you are investing your time and your life.

Why would anyone think that they have a right to decide if what you spend your life doing is a "real" job or not?

What is the point of that argument?

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So to all of you, I have this to say. 

Be strong. 

There will be haters no matter what path you pick, and in the words of Kelly Rowland, shake them haters off.

I love my job. It's a dream come true. This job that keeps me covered in paint and sawdust. The job that fills all of the hours that I'm not taking care of my family or sleeping. The job where I create things that make my heart happy. The job that feels like it is a perfect fit. The job where I work for myself, but also for every single person who spends their hard earned money in my shop. This job with it's changing income, and no benefits package. The job that sometimes draws judgement from people who think they are above me, or somehow better.

If I could go back and pick another job, I would still pick this one every single time.