Sunday, December 18, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
So... what do you do?
I've been thinking a lot lately about the reaction I get from my friends when I talk about what I do for "work".
Not sure I'm a fan of that reaction.
Picture it.. you're sitting around with your friend, and you're bitching/whining/complaining or recounting your day at work.. or something happened to you at work and it relates to the conversation you're having with your friend .. pretty normal, right?
Ok.. now pretend I'm the friend ... I'm sitting there.. listening .. commenting ... equally engaged in the conversation... when I interject with something about my work. Normally, the conversation just kind of flows, right?
Doesn't feel like that in my case for some reason.
What it feels like to me, is that I bring up anything to do with what I do for a living, and the other person goes through some metamorphosis within themselves.. like what I do is create the plague in little test tubes and I'm just waiting to release them to an unsuspecting world. Weird, right? Yeah... that's what I think too. *With the exception of just ONE friend.*
I work in the Financial Services Industry. In fact.. I L.O.V.E. what I do, and what I can do to help people just like me... in fact, if you're my friend, I'm more inclined to tell you more about it, and even relate a lot of conversations towards it .. especially if you're complaining that you're broke, tired, work too much for too little, get no respect at work... see where I'm going?
Now.. if I just worked at a bank, or with a mortgage company, or with a law firm, or with some kind of company that could take a look at your financial outlook and see if there was anything better you could be doing, you might be interested in what I do a little more, instead of going through that THING that goes on... you might put me on your list of people to go see if you needed something that I do. In fact, what I do does all of those things and more! Pretty neat, right?
But for SOME reason... I'm excited about what I do - I'd even go so far as say that I'm passionate about it... and my friends.. those people in my life that I care the most about, get a little freaked out that I might ask them to let me see if there's anything that I can do to help them out.
"I/we don't want to share our financial stuff / mix business with people we're CLOSE to."
"I/we have a "guy" for our financial stuff and we're doing great, but thanks!"
"I hate being this broke..."
"I'm so sick of my job."
I can understand that some people are sensitive about their finances.. especially when they're not that great, and that feeling that sharing that kind of information might change your friendship.
I totally understand that if you've got someone handling your financial investments, that you believe you are in the best situation you can be in.. because, after all, they're a "professional".
I can relate to being broke too... so much so that I've turned down many a lunch date, evening out, going to celebrate someone I really care about's birthday/wedding/baby shower or even one of their home parties because I didn't feel comfortable about sitting through something I couldn't contribute to.
And most certainly, I can definitely sympathize about hating your job. You get up every day, shower, do your hair, put on make up, sit in traffic on the way there, probably hurried to arrive somewhere that you don't feel appreciated for your efforts, to get back into traffic with other disgruntled commuters, to rush home to make dinner just so you can sit down and relax and actually spend some time with your family or get a moment to yourself.
But...
Do you realize that you aren't alone? And the fact that you're NOT alone should change your perspective about relating that to your friendship - it should make it a little stronger. It's like sharing a secret... the bonds grow deeper. But if you look at the statistics - Canadians are spending $1.50 to every $1.00 they earn. Really. For every dollar we're spending, some of it is going to some kind of 'credit'... and that 'credit' is throwing our family, friends, loved ones, ALSO in debt. All of us. You, me, them ... everyone. Pretty scary, isn't it?
Talking to someone that actually cares about you about your finances and who genuinely wants to show you where you're at now, and in the future, AND help make it better for you is someone that has a lot more invested in your best interest than a stranger.
Being broke shouldn't be the main thing you have to complain about. Don't you really deserve to go for lunch with the girls, out for dinner with your other half, buy something just *that* fabulous for your girlfriend just because you saw the perfect thing? Don't you deserve to take that vacation this year without having to worry about the money you'll miss for being off for a week or two? I know I do.
And work.... working for someone else can be great.. as long as you're appreciated for what you have to offer the company, if you're given bonuses for all the hard work and even overtime you put in, and you get paid appropriately for the job you do. There shouldn't be someone doing the same amount of work you do that gets paid more than you... should there? How about the amount of time that you aren't spending with your family because you're working for someone else? Shouldn't you be able to go see your child/grandchild at their school concert during the afternoon or chaperone on a field trip if you could? How about that you can't book an urgent dentist or doctor appointment after work because they're all booked up from 4-5pm for months in advance, so you have to miss work to go... is that fair?
And what about that once upon a time 'earned time off' holiday time... trying to book time off during peak seasons can be brutal!
What I do helps people just like you... like me.
What I do offers other options, and so far that I've seen, BETTER solutions to what you're already doing financially.
What I do could be something that YOU could do, and it doesn't mean you have to have all kinds of credentials to do it.
What I do is something that I'm PASSIONATE about. I believe that I have the power and now, a whole lot more knowledge than I did before to help me and my family and even future generations of my family to be better than they have been in the generations before me.
So, let this be the one and ONLY time that I apologize that I love what I do, and that I believe wholeheartedly that what I do and what I know could help you, your family, and/or someone that you love be better in their financial life... and that I want so very much to share that information with you... that power.. that knowledge... and quite possibly.. the freedom to own your life again.
But I won't apologize that I'm going to do it for myself and my family... despite how you feel about it.
.. and remember to try to pretend that you care about what my job means to me as much as I pretend to care about what your job means to you.
If I didn't love you, care about you, or want to see you succeed just like I believe you do for me.... I wouldn't even bring it up.
Not sure I'm a fan of that reaction.
Picture it.. you're sitting around with your friend, and you're bitching/whining/complaining or recounting your day at work.. or something happened to you at work and it relates to the conversation you're having with your friend .. pretty normal, right?
Ok.. now pretend I'm the friend ... I'm sitting there.. listening .. commenting ... equally engaged in the conversation... when I interject with something about my work. Normally, the conversation just kind of flows, right?
Doesn't feel like that in my case for some reason.
What it feels like to me, is that I bring up anything to do with what I do for a living, and the other person goes through some metamorphosis within themselves.. like what I do is create the plague in little test tubes and I'm just waiting to release them to an unsuspecting world. Weird, right? Yeah... that's what I think too. *With the exception of just ONE friend.*
I work in the Financial Services Industry. In fact.. I L.O.V.E. what I do, and what I can do to help people just like me... in fact, if you're my friend, I'm more inclined to tell you more about it, and even relate a lot of conversations towards it .. especially if you're complaining that you're broke, tired, work too much for too little, get no respect at work... see where I'm going?
Now.. if I just worked at a bank, or with a mortgage company, or with a law firm, or with some kind of company that could take a look at your financial outlook and see if there was anything better you could be doing, you might be interested in what I do a little more, instead of going through that THING that goes on... you might put me on your list of people to go see if you needed something that I do. In fact, what I do does all of those things and more! Pretty neat, right?
But for SOME reason... I'm excited about what I do - I'd even go so far as say that I'm passionate about it... and my friends.. those people in my life that I care the most about, get a little freaked out that I might ask them to let me see if there's anything that I can do to help them out.
"I/we don't want to share our financial stuff / mix business with people we're CLOSE to."
"I/we have a "guy" for our financial stuff and we're doing great, but thanks!"
"I hate being this broke..."
"I'm so sick of my job."
I can understand that some people are sensitive about their finances.. especially when they're not that great, and that feeling that sharing that kind of information might change your friendship.
I totally understand that if you've got someone handling your financial investments, that you believe you are in the best situation you can be in.. because, after all, they're a "professional".
I can relate to being broke too... so much so that I've turned down many a lunch date, evening out, going to celebrate someone I really care about's birthday/wedding/baby shower or even one of their home parties because I didn't feel comfortable about sitting through something I couldn't contribute to.
And most certainly, I can definitely sympathize about hating your job. You get up every day, shower, do your hair, put on make up, sit in traffic on the way there, probably hurried to arrive somewhere that you don't feel appreciated for your efforts, to get back into traffic with other disgruntled commuters, to rush home to make dinner just so you can sit down and relax and actually spend some time with your family or get a moment to yourself.
But...
Do you realize that you aren't alone? And the fact that you're NOT alone should change your perspective about relating that to your friendship - it should make it a little stronger. It's like sharing a secret... the bonds grow deeper. But if you look at the statistics - Canadians are spending $1.50 to every $1.00 they earn. Really. For every dollar we're spending, some of it is going to some kind of 'credit'... and that 'credit' is throwing our family, friends, loved ones, ALSO in debt. All of us. You, me, them ... everyone. Pretty scary, isn't it?
Talking to someone that actually cares about you about your finances and who genuinely wants to show you where you're at now, and in the future, AND help make it better for you is someone that has a lot more invested in your best interest than a stranger.
Being broke shouldn't be the main thing you have to complain about. Don't you really deserve to go for lunch with the girls, out for dinner with your other half, buy something just *that* fabulous for your girlfriend just because you saw the perfect thing? Don't you deserve to take that vacation this year without having to worry about the money you'll miss for being off for a week or two? I know I do.
And work.... working for someone else can be great.. as long as you're appreciated for what you have to offer the company, if you're given bonuses for all the hard work and even overtime you put in, and you get paid appropriately for the job you do. There shouldn't be someone doing the same amount of work you do that gets paid more than you... should there? How about the amount of time that you aren't spending with your family because you're working for someone else? Shouldn't you be able to go see your child/grandchild at their school concert during the afternoon or chaperone on a field trip if you could? How about that you can't book an urgent dentist or doctor appointment after work because they're all booked up from 4-5pm for months in advance, so you have to miss work to go... is that fair?
And what about that once upon a time 'earned time off' holiday time... trying to book time off during peak seasons can be brutal!
What I do helps people just like you... like me.
What I do offers other options, and so far that I've seen, BETTER solutions to what you're already doing financially.
What I do could be something that YOU could do, and it doesn't mean you have to have all kinds of credentials to do it.
What I do is something that I'm PASSIONATE about. I believe that I have the power and now, a whole lot more knowledge than I did before to help me and my family and even future generations of my family to be better than they have been in the generations before me.
So, let this be the one and ONLY time that I apologize that I love what I do, and that I believe wholeheartedly that what I do and what I know could help you, your family, and/or someone that you love be better in their financial life... and that I want so very much to share that information with you... that power.. that knowledge... and quite possibly.. the freedom to own your life again.
But I won't apologize that I'm going to do it for myself and my family... despite how you feel about it.
.. and remember to try to pretend that you care about what my job means to me as much as I pretend to care about what your job means to you.
If I didn't love you, care about you, or want to see you succeed just like I believe you do for me.... I wouldn't even bring it up.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
It's beginning to look a lot like....
Yup. You guessed it. Christmas.
Time flies when you're actually out there in the world.. doesn't it?
I can't believe how much my life has changed in the past year and a half.
Most of it scary big leaps of faith, some of it, just run of the mill (for me, anyway), disjointed and somewhat askew from what I was expecting, but all of it amazing.
This past June, DH and I celebrated one year together. We combined our families and are looking forward to getting to soon go and physically spend time with his two kids out east. Three kids.. never thought that was what my life had in store, but I certainly don't mind.
We also chose to start in our own business .. the mission statement being " To help families get out of debt, become properly protected, and become financially independent. " and one step and one family at a time, we're doing just that. I LOVE what we can do for people. Though I'm really not sure why (or what it is that Im not doing properly) people aren't jumping to at least have a look at it with me. New things are coming in the future for the company that, along with my own time in the business, will definitely change some of those perspectives, and Im really looking forward to that shift.
Last April we moved into the suburbs of Maple Ridge. I am not surprised that we really all love it out here. Unfortunately, the owners of the home we are renting (sharing with friends), had to be put on the market. The owners moved back to Ontario and can't handle the two mortgages. While I understand this, I can't help but get a little irritated that we've really only JUST moved in, and we are already starting to look around for somewhere else to live here in the area for the "just in case" that the new owners actually want to move in instead of continuing to rent it out to us. That's quite the pressure that I really don't want to deal with.
Now, I realize that I'm not THE best housekeeper.. but the house isn't a disaster ALL the time. I can't believe how anxious I get when the realtors call to let us know when the next showing will be. I don't WANT to have to wash my floors TODAY... I was planning to get them done on the weekend instead, or I don't WANT to have to do all my laundry tonight, but if you want to show the house tomorrow, I don't want it all over the floor in color piles like it is right now. There are just some things you can personally live with (walking around, stepping over, or looking at) that you wouldn't want to share with anyone else... and it feels like every time I let things slide in the housekeeping department, the phone rings, and its the realtor wanting to show the house the next day.
I am, however, thankful that we've been able to be where we are. None of the other places we actually looked at were where or what we wanted. We are lucky to have the school within walking distance for TK and within 5 mins to the office for me... it's cut down on a fair amount of hassles we could have been experiencing. We have also made friends with a few of our neighbors. And we're lucky to have them.
Christmas is coming. The neighborhood is getting all prettied up with lights and other decorations. I've seen people coming and going with their cars full of packages, and know that it's definitely high time we figured out if we're going to try to go for Christmas with DH's family. I know he misses them all. I know I'd love to experience an eastern Christmas.. but the one little thing is that TK probably won't be able to come with us. I don't even want to think about what that argument is going to sound like.. with her OR her father. But... if he says he wants her home, then he will also need to understand that he's the one that gets to deal with her about it too. I'm not the one taking new things away from her.
I love my new business. But I'd also like to help others in another way - de-cluttering. There is much peace for me knowing that I'm helping someone go through boxes and storage of additional "stuff" that's filling their space and occupying more real estate than necessary. I look in our garage and storage shed and think how I'd like to go through more of our things and condense and purge... but also know that I've done it so much that there is really very little to get rid of. We are hoping to have a bigger place so that we can actually USE whatever's still in a box. We bought it for a reason, and we've purged around it, because we know that we do actually want to use it in the future, but know that there really is no actual place to put it right now. Even our bedroom is far too small. Our last bedroom has its own box of things stored away to be pulled out at a later date, in a new space. When we get into that new space, there's a chance that we'll purge it out, but it would be silly to get rid of it right now.
Come the new year, I might post some flyers around the neighborhood... but for now I will wait. Christmas is around the corner, much to be done in our regular business lies ahead, and there's enough going on without adding someone else's stuff. So for now.. Im good. :)
Time flies when you're actually out there in the world.. doesn't it?
I can't believe how much my life has changed in the past year and a half.
Most of it scary big leaps of faith, some of it, just run of the mill (for me, anyway), disjointed and somewhat askew from what I was expecting, but all of it amazing.
This past June, DH and I celebrated one year together. We combined our families and are looking forward to getting to soon go and physically spend time with his two kids out east. Three kids.. never thought that was what my life had in store, but I certainly don't mind.
We also chose to start in our own business .. the mission statement being " To help families get out of debt, become properly protected, and become financially independent. " and one step and one family at a time, we're doing just that. I LOVE what we can do for people. Though I'm really not sure why (or what it is that Im not doing properly) people aren't jumping to at least have a look at it with me. New things are coming in the future for the company that, along with my own time in the business, will definitely change some of those perspectives, and Im really looking forward to that shift.
Last April we moved into the suburbs of Maple Ridge. I am not surprised that we really all love it out here. Unfortunately, the owners of the home we are renting (sharing with friends), had to be put on the market. The owners moved back to Ontario and can't handle the two mortgages. While I understand this, I can't help but get a little irritated that we've really only JUST moved in, and we are already starting to look around for somewhere else to live here in the area for the "just in case" that the new owners actually want to move in instead of continuing to rent it out to us. That's quite the pressure that I really don't want to deal with.
Now, I realize that I'm not THE best housekeeper.. but the house isn't a disaster ALL the time. I can't believe how anxious I get when the realtors call to let us know when the next showing will be. I don't WANT to have to wash my floors TODAY... I was planning to get them done on the weekend instead, or I don't WANT to have to do all my laundry tonight, but if you want to show the house tomorrow, I don't want it all over the floor in color piles like it is right now. There are just some things you can personally live with (walking around, stepping over, or looking at) that you wouldn't want to share with anyone else... and it feels like every time I let things slide in the housekeeping department, the phone rings, and its the realtor wanting to show the house the next day.
I am, however, thankful that we've been able to be where we are. None of the other places we actually looked at were where or what we wanted. We are lucky to have the school within walking distance for TK and within 5 mins to the office for me... it's cut down on a fair amount of hassles we could have been experiencing. We have also made friends with a few of our neighbors. And we're lucky to have them.
Christmas is coming. The neighborhood is getting all prettied up with lights and other decorations. I've seen people coming and going with their cars full of packages, and know that it's definitely high time we figured out if we're going to try to go for Christmas with DH's family. I know he misses them all. I know I'd love to experience an eastern Christmas.. but the one little thing is that TK probably won't be able to come with us. I don't even want to think about what that argument is going to sound like.. with her OR her father. But... if he says he wants her home, then he will also need to understand that he's the one that gets to deal with her about it too. I'm not the one taking new things away from her.
I love my new business. But I'd also like to help others in another way - de-cluttering. There is much peace for me knowing that I'm helping someone go through boxes and storage of additional "stuff" that's filling their space and occupying more real estate than necessary. I look in our garage and storage shed and think how I'd like to go through more of our things and condense and purge... but also know that I've done it so much that there is really very little to get rid of. We are hoping to have a bigger place so that we can actually USE whatever's still in a box. We bought it for a reason, and we've purged around it, because we know that we do actually want to use it in the future, but know that there really is no actual place to put it right now. Even our bedroom is far too small. Our last bedroom has its own box of things stored away to be pulled out at a later date, in a new space. When we get into that new space, there's a chance that we'll purge it out, but it would be silly to get rid of it right now.
Come the new year, I might post some flyers around the neighborhood... but for now I will wait. Christmas is around the corner, much to be done in our regular business lies ahead, and there's enough going on without adding someone else's stuff. So for now.. Im good. :)
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