These days, I find it difficult to answer the question “So… what do you do, Dene?” now that I’m not working for someone else in a traditional 8 to 5 kind of job.

In fact, I don’t know what I’m going to put on my tax return this year… you know that little spot that says “Occupation” next to your signature at the bottom? I used to put “IT Professional” or “Administrative Assistant”…. or during the 3 years that I was a stay-at-home mom with Eric, I’d just put “homemaker” after being queued with the proper response from our CPA..

What label do I put on myself now? It’s actually kind of a strange tradition to label ourselves based on our career. But think about it… our last names actually originated from our trades in many cases… like SMITH and HUNTER and FARMER… for some reason we are what we do.

So, what do I do? Well… hmm….. I do a lot of things. I build websites, I market affiliate products, I promote authors and coaches, I read a lot, I sit in on seminars and teleconferences…. I learn, I grow, I expand my mind and try to help others do the same. I don’t think that’s going to fit on that little line.

It’s even more difficult to explain to my friends and family about how I spend my time now that I’m not punching a clock (even though I haven’t actually punched a clock in years, thanks to whoever thought up the exempt status employee - obviously an evil HR person). I sometimes tell them that I am a book reviewer, or a affiliate marketer, but they always give me that patented blank stare like they really don’t know what I’m talking about.

In a perfect world, we would not be identified by what we do, but by the essence of our ability to create our own life any way we choose. I’d prefer to be known as a spiritual being having a physical experience, but most people just won’t let that one fly. They want to know how you make your money, and even more importantly, how much money you make doing what you do. It’s all about the money, did you ever notice that?

I’ve decided to take on a new practice. From now on, when I am asked what I do, I am going to answer:

I’m a deliberate creator of my own life… what do YOU do??

I even created a shirt and coffee mug with my new slogan Cafe Press. I’ll let you know how it works out!