Firstly a quick disclaimer, I don't say the following to brag, just to let others know that they can do the same if they follow up with what they know and apply the skills.

I go back to work tomorrow, those that know me will be aware I have been working for myself thanks to IM for quite a while now so when I say work it's something I look forward to doing and I only have to flick the laptop on at home anyway.

But that isn't the best part of it, the reason I am writing this is that for the whole of the time my children have been off and right up to today as I take my eldest  back to Uni (well when he finishes messing around and gets everything packed anyway!) I have also been able to take the whole time off.

This means that from Dec 16th till Jan 10th I haven't been working (well not properly anyway, I don't think us IM'ers every REALLY stop thinking about it) and I have still been earning through all the stuff I already have out there, which is something that you can't get in pretty much any other job, unless you own the company I guess! :)

 So as I say, not bragging or showing off,  just I know that there are a lot of people out there in the same position that I was a few years ago, working up till Christmas Day and back straight after, and lucky if they had New Years Day off.. let alone spending some much AWESOME time with my family, they really are the reason I do any of this and I can't even begin to express how much they mean to me.

There is a message here too, in that whatever your reason for doing IM never forget the end goal, and that is to do more of what you enjoy, whether that be spending it with your family or travelling or just chillin' in the garden.

It's all doable.

And now that I think of it here is a second lesson here, don't forget why you are doing this, it is to make your life better in whatever way you measure that, so don't lose sight of that. It is all to easy to swap the J.O.B for just another version if all you are doing is panicking and worrying about your IM career, or worse yet not spending any time with the people you are trying to change your life for. Just make sure you have a happy balance and everyone will benefit.