I Work 10–12 Hours a Day — And I’ve Never Been Happier in My Life

For a long time, we’ve been taught that happiness is something we earn after the work is done.

After the promotions.
After the retirement date.
After the responsibilities slow down.

Bucket lists, too, often live in that “someday” category, a list of things we’ll do once life becomes easier, freer, lighter.

This article is about why finding joy in the process and meaning in daily work creates lasting fulfillment, rather than waiting for happiness to arrive someday.

And why I don’t really believe in bucket lists the way they’re traditionally framed anymore.

I believe in living the list.

Leaving the 9–5 — and Stepping Into Something Deeper

Many of you already know this, but in 2025, I decided to leave my 9–5 career to focus fully on building my own business.

This decision was not impulsive.
It was the result of five years of learning, investing, and intentional preparation, particularly through the stock market, knowledge that eventually gave me enough financial freedom to choose where my time and energy would go.

That freedom didn’t mean stopping work.

It meant choosing the work.

Today, I’m building a digital publishing company, something that didn’t even exist as a clear dream a few years ago.

I run a blog that feels like a living library of everything I’ve learned, questioned, explored, and refined over the years, from health and wellness to creativity, lifestyle, design, mindset, and intentional living.

I manage my own social platforms.
I’ve published over 10 books on high-protein, high-fiber living on Amazon that sell in multiple countries.
I design and sell digital products, seamless patterns, creative assets, and ideas made tangible.
I curate and grow my LTK storefront, where aesthetics meet practicality.

I work on all of this.

And for the first time in my life, all of it is mine.

“I’m Not Saying I’m Happy” — But I’ve Never Been Happier

Let me be very clear about something.

I’m not saying that life is perfect.
I’m not saying that every day is easy.
I’m not saying there aren’t moments of doubt, fatigue, or overwhelm.

But I am saying this:

I have never been happier in my life.

Not because I work less,
But because I finally work for myself.

There is a difference between exhaustion and fulfillment.

I often work from early in the morning until late in the evening, with ten to twelve hours passing unnoticed.

And I don’t feel drained.

I feel nourished.

Emotionally fulfilled.
Creatively alive.
Mentally engaged.

This is the kind of work that gives energy back instead of taking it away. This is my Ikigai.

Loving Your Job Isn’t the Same as Growing With It

Here’s something I want to say openly about my 9-5.

I was happy in my previous career.

I worked for incredible companies.
I was deeply respected.
My work was appreciated by owners, presidents, and leadership teams.

I don’t take that lightly.

But after a certain point, a quiet realization kept returning:

I was growing the company, but I wasn’t growing with the company.

My creativity was fueling someone else’s long-term vision more than my own.
The rewards never fully matched the value of what I was building.
And emotionally, something always felt unfinished.

That lingering feeling is gone now.

Because now, when I build something, I build equity in my own life.

Living the List Instead of Chasing It

Traditional bucket lists assume that life is something we escape from.

Work now.
Live later.

But what if the real luxury isn’t checking things off a list,
But designing a life you don’t need to escape from?

Today, my life looks like this: Some days, I work deep, immersive hours. Other days, I spend the day learning, reading, researching, and studying ideas that later inspire my writing. Sometimes, I take three days off in a row, guilt-free.

The flexibility is the point.

Not freedom from work
but freedom within it.

And no matter how long I step away, I always return, not because I have to, but because I want to.

Creativity Doesn’t Turn Off When You Rest

Even when I’m not “working,” I’m still living inside my creative process.

Many of you know about my Thought Processing Corner, a quiet space in my home where I sit, reflect, write, and think without pressure.

If you’re new here, I’ve written about it in detail:
👉 Why Every Home Needs a Thought Processing Corner

This is where some of my best ideas are born, not at a desk, not on a deadline, but in stillness.

Even on days off, ideas arrive.

Because when your life is aligned, creativity doesn’t shut down when you stop working, it simply changes form.

The Hidden Truth About “Working Too Much”

We often hear that working long hours is unhealthy.

And it can be, when the work is misaligned.

It’s not simply working more hours that exhausts us. It’s working without meaning, direction, or a sense of self-ownership.

Ten hours doing something you love can feel lighter than four hours doing something that drains you.

The difference isn’t discipline or hustle.

It’s ownership.

Why This Is the Ultimate Bucket List Item

People often ask me what’s on my bucket list now.

Travel? Yes.
Experiences? Of course.
Learning, creating, evolving? Always.

But if I’m honest, the most meaningful thing I’ve “checked off” isn’t a destination or an achievement.

It’s this: Building a life where each day’s work brings personal meaning, fulfillment, and self-expression.

Where growth is internal as much as external.
Where creativity feeds my lifestyle instead of competing with it.
Where success isn’t measured only in money, but in alignment.

That’s not a line item on a list.

That’s living the list.

You Don’t Need to Quit Everything to Start Living

Let me say this clearly, because it matters:

This isn’t a prescription.
This isn’t advice to quit your job tomorrow.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all path.

Living the list can start small.

It can look like:

Learning something new after work
Building a creative project on weekends
Reclaiming mental space for thinking
Investing in skills instead of distractions
Asking yourself who you’re building for

The shift isn’t dramatic at first.

It’s about taking small, intentional steps toward fulfillment, not waiting for the perfect moment.

This Is What Happiness Looks Like for Me

Happiness, for me, isn’t leisure without effort.

It’s an effort with purpose.

It’s waking up knowing I can choose.
It’s working long hours and feeling energized, not depleted.
It’s seeing my ideas come to life, not someday, but now.

So yes, I sometimes work 10–12 hours a day.

That’s what living the list means for me: Owning my time, blending fulfillment with work, and choosing purpose over perfection.