During my first semester at Rutgers University, I met my girlfriend (now wife), Arabelle. Flash forward to graduation and Arabelle had committed to her next endeavor: dental school. As for me, I was out of gas. For the prior two years I worked over 30 hours a week as a financial analyst, catered events on the weekends, and pursued a triple major in finance, economics, and management (note to self: life is a marathon, not a sprint!). Unsure of my path forward, and a bit fatigued, I decided it was time for a change.

After learning that I could offer my physical labor on organic farms and grassroot sustainability projects in exchange for room and board, a six-week sabbatical was extended to nearly twelve months. While in Costa Rica, I lived and worked with a coffee farmer who, seemingly immune to life’s stresses, shared a quote: “Un dia mas, un dia menos” or, “One day more, one day less.” This quote stuck with me. Once home, I committed myself to a life of contentment, to living in the present, and to valuing my work (not my job).