YK’s 365 Release: Day 332

When people ask me what I do it is always a tricky answer. I usually end up simply saying, “I do many things.”

I don’t distinguish between work and play because it is all the same for me. I don’t distinguish between things that make money or not because everything is ultimately for my livelihood. I have built my life around doing only what I love, with the flexibility of my spontaneous personality. It has taken many leaps of faith and constantly going against everything conventional surrounding me, but ultimately, everything seamlessly fell into the ebb and flow of how I live my life.

I create art because when my heart is open it simply comes in my dreams and I am compelled to create. I began anti-oppression trainings because people asked me to facilitate workshops and I found it came naturally. I began fixing Macs because I have been taking electronics apart since I was a kid (see Day 27). I began fixing bikes because when I did my cross-country bike trip (see Days 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35) I had to learn how to take care of my bike on the side of the road. I worked briefly as a personal trainer because people asked me to help them with workout routines and becoming more healthy. I even used to design websites for years because at first I loved the design aspect, but eventually stopped because I grew out of it. I only do what I love.

Everything I have done was born out of interests and backgrounds that were already in progress. Little did I realize all of this was a revolutionary and radical approach to living one’s life. It never occurred to me to do something that was not thought-provoking, challenging, or of my interest. It never occurred to me that I had to settle for anything less than doing exactly what I am passionate about.

Because I do numerous things, my workshop/office space at home is organized such that I can go from creating art, to tinkering with a Mac, to creating workshop curriculum, to anything else that comes my way, simply by swiveling my chair around. When I am not at the beach, I am in my workshop, thriving in the space I created for myself.

Also, because I live in New York, where space is precious, my workspace is eternally tidy, I am always organizing and re-organizing to optimize the spatial flow, and purging things that I no longer need. One such item is a Mac laptop power adapter, of which I have several. I don’t have several because I purchased them, but because people leave things they no longer want and forget about them. I have kept this specific adapter because someone is always looking for one in my life. I have several of these because for work and play. I move my laptop around my house and like to just have a plug wherever I am. I also have plugs for clients to plug into while they are waiting, and friends to borrow when they are visiting. So on day 332 of my 365 Release practice for non-attachment, letting go and change, I’m giving away this charger that is used in work and play. For they are always the same for me.