Living Proof: Happiness is an Inside Job

In a conversation I recently overheard, the question was asked: Would you still love what you did even if you made no money? It took me nearly no time to answer this question for myself, but my answer doesn’t actually matter.

When you can confidently answer “YES” to this question, you have found your bliss.

My life has unfolded in extraordinary ways, mostly because I mastered doing what I love. I have sometimes bitten off more than I could chew, but most of my "yeses" have taken me to extraordinary places and granted me life-changing experiences. My first memorable "yes" was when I quit my job to create my own economy. In that way, I am like most millennials at this point. I called myself The Side Hustle Queen. Easy? No. Worth it? Every moment. I have now been self-employed for ten years.

The earlier part of my journey was filled with hustle, learning, and creativity. Creativity in those starting moments was more about strategy, reach, revenue, and creative problem-solving. “How can I make this work?” This is still my question today, but as I gain more assurance, the answer is most certainly, “By being authentic.” The common threads between then and now include magic, movement, travel, doing art for art's sake, going into nature, rollerskating, asking people lots of questions about themselves, and, of course, saying yes.

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In 2020, things started to change. One pivotal moment was when I had my first tarot reading. Something in me knew what was unfolding, because I learned to read tarot right after that, and my healing journey began to take a stronger form. I continued to use creativity to contribute to my economy, but now my pipeline was filled with spiritual women. I did not understand then that they were forging a path forward for me to explore. The breakup that preceded my tarot course started to make more sense—it quieted my mind and quieted my environment, and I was finally starting to hear my intuition. This moment was pivotal in learning about myself and getting back to who I am.

Within the same community where I learned to read tarot, I continued exploring creativity alongside these healers, readers, and what some would describe as soothsayers. I was surprised at my comfort here; equally, I was fully present to all I was experiencing. When I found my spiritual apprenticeship later that year, I realized this was not just a seat at a table—this was revealing what was deep in the fabric of my being. Here is where I would soon discover that the deepest meaning in this work came from simply being myself. In the nature of duality, I also started to understand that this would not be for everyone.

It did not matter then, it still does not matter today. While I will hold space and observe all of humanity, I live my life for me. Because when you follow your bliss, you understand that happiness is an inside job.

As I went on, I could feel my experiences deepening. I could see people wake up right before my eyes, and I realized I could offer guidance to aid them in their own liberation. I realized I had gifts worth exploring—they were there the whole time. These gifts are invaluable, perhaps making them the most precious of all.

I am the sort of student who learns and applies quickly; as I learned, I practiced. Each lesson gave me something new to experience alongside the last. It was fast learning and immediate application. From there, I would experience more serious circumstances, occasionally learning from the “trial by fire” method—which included an actual fire in my first solo apartment, where I lived for eight formative years. It taught me what I could handle. All along the way, I continued to learn and apply, to learn and apply.

My experiences, opportunities, clients, and projects would all help me embody what I AM. The great I AM revealed itself by helping me help others without “trying.” I then learned that trying did not equate to happiness—instead, it was the exact opposite.

Happiness is an inside job, unshakeable inner peace is the prerequisite, and I am proof.