This week wraps up with Halloween. And like clockwork, we all toot our own horns and post helpful tips and tricks to keep our audiences engaged, as usual. But honestly, sometimes you’ve got to give it a rest and enjoy the world around you.

When I was a kid, I loved Halloween – not for the candy or the costumes, but because it kicked off the holiday season. For me, that stretch ran from Halloween all the way to my birthday in January. I was happy. Really happy. I loved cold weather and all the family and food that came with it.

But as time passed, I got older, and like most of us, I stopped feeling that same joy. Halloween still marked the beginning of the season, but it also brought stress – juggling money for gifts, coordinating who was going where on which day, and all the rest. Eventually, my financial situation improved, but the shine was still buried in the past. I stopped caring about putting up Halloween decorations. The Christmas tree became a formality. The kids grew up. Parents passed away. The magic felt gone. I was just working – wake up, work, eat, sleep, repeat.

After the COVID layoffs swept across the country, I saw how disposable we were to big corporations. We were numbers. Replaceable. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I decided to try working for myself.

First up: a T-shirt printing business. I sold a few shirts – lol – but the competition was too steep for my limited advertising budget. Fine. I didn’t lose money. Move on.

Next: a food truck with a friend. That was a blast. But when supply costs skyrocketed, we couldn’t justify charging $12 for a hot dog in Weatherford, Texas. Hell, I wouldn’t pay that much for one in Dallas! So, we sold the truck and shut it down. I did lose money this time. But no regrets. I learned a lot and had a damn good time.

I should mention that through both ventures, I was still working a part-time day job at a large company. The food truck reminded me that work didn’t have to be miserable. I didn’t have to sit at a desk all day, grinding for “the man.” However, the dogs gotta eat – so back to full-time work I went (still working for a large company).

The food truck lit a spark in me and led to my latest venture: SOHO Admin Force. It came after a lot of soul-searching – thinking about what I’m good at, what I’m not (cough cough, Sales), what I enjoy doing, and what I absolutely don’t (did I mention Sales?). I also had to face the reality that I’ll likely be working past retirement age, thanks to draining my 401(k) after being laid off during the pandemic. So, I wanted to make sure my “last” job was one I could live with.

SAF is feeling like my happy place – work-wise.

In my business plan, I built in happiness and less bullshit. I built it around the idea of “enoughness.” It will never be a large corporation, and I don’t need to be a millionaire. I just need enough to live the way I want to live. I don’t need endless growth or to get rich off this thing. I just need enough. Right now, I’m putting in 12-hour days to get it off the ground – before and after the day job I still have – and working on weekends. But I’m happier during those extra hours than I’ve been in a long time. I have something to look forward to. It gives me purpose.

So how does this all tie into Halloween, right?

Well, the world’s a scary place – Doh! Sorry, couldn’t resist. My point is: find your happy place. I’m still working toward mine, but I think I’m finally facing the right direction. If yours is working for someone else, great. If not, do something about it.

Life is short. Don’t kill yourself in the meantime. Do your job. Do a good job. But don’t forget – if you dropped dead tomorrow, that big company would replace your ass in a week.

So, this Halloween, don’t work late on Friday. Take your kids trick-or-treating. If you don’t have kids, hand out candy and enjoy the costumes. Find your happy place and be part of the moment. Moments don’t last forever.

Happy Halloween,

Jeff