No Commute, No Meetings, No Stress: How I Built My Ideal Lifestyle Online

The other day I had to go to the DMV to get my license renewed as a Real ID so I can fly on planes and such. I made my appointment months in advance because you can’t just walk in to get a Real ID. Oh, the feeling of walking past all the poor schmucks waiting in the endless line! That’s usually me… waiting in line with one of my kids for hours on end.

Unlike the typical day-long sojourn, I was in and out in less than 30 minutes, even with three retakes to capture the least-horrible photo. OMG, it’s SO bad. If only you could use your old photo and just say “like this but older” under it! And now I’m stuck with it for the next 16 years, unless the DMV ceases to exist, which honestly seems fairly likely lately. 

But anyway, my point in writing all this is that my appointment was at 8:15 am, so for the first time in ages I had to wake up early and do my hair and makeup and struggle through the roads clogged with commuters and school children. Naturally our tiny town has no DMV so I had to go to the nearest office almost an hour away.

As I sat idling, stuck in traffic, I thought about how I used to do this every day. I don’t know how I made it through! I still have to wake up early to get my youngest to school and track but it doesn’t matter how I look. I can throw on anything and put my hair up in a mom bun and head out the door. I don’t have to mess with makeup or choose an outfit.

And the amazing thing is, I’ve already made more money this week than I used to make in a MONTH in the corporate world! Sales notifications roll in as I ferry my son around, sit at track meets, enjoy a cup of tea on the deck, vacation at our mountain cabin… 

I never go to meetings, unless I want to attend a workshop or something like that. I don’t have a commute. I work when and wherever I feel like it. And my “work” is mainly playing with dolls or playing around on the computer designing new products featuring my artwork. It’s my ideal lifestyle, exactly what I always wanted to do.

Right now, you might be thinking “It must be nice” or “Amanda, give it a rest with the bragging”. I know that’s exactly how I used to react when it felt like I’d be stuck in my corporate cubicle forever. It’s soul-sucking, laboring every day in a windowless room, with no idea what temperature it is outside, never seeing the sun in the winter because you arrive and leave work in the dark. I know all about it. I’ve been there. I remember sitting at stoplights on the way home wondering what milestones my infant son achieved that day that I’d missed and bursting into tears.

And I want you to know it doesn’t have to be this way. You can break free! I did it with no money and no experience and no time. You don’t have to get a business license. You don’t have to form an LLC. You don’t have to spend a bunch of money on inventory or office space or business cards or websites. 

Let me show you how to launch your new lifestyle from scratch. I have three different books and courses to help you. If you are into dolls, find out how to monetize your hobby from my Doll University book. To start making money online, even if you don’t think of it as a business get my 100 Ways to Make Your First $500 Online guide for free and then pick up the 2025 Income Kickstart course. Those are fast and easy ways to get started without even thinking about it. For best results, add my 6 Figure Store ebook to your library. It takes you through every step of opening your successful online store.

Obviously, I think you should get ALL my books and courses! I put my heart and soul into every one. Every one is a piece of the process that freed me from the grind. I know it’s hard to believe it’s possible for yourself and that’s exactly why I broke it up into bite-sized pieces. 

I really hope you will take the first step and just START. Once the Internet starts sending you money around the clock you’ll get addicted and you will do whatever you can to keep it up. The hardest part is just getting started. I invite you to join my free groups: Mandaline Insiders on my website and Successful Self-Employed Stars on Facebook. I can’t wait to see you there!