After a few weeks of an increasing feeling unease and distance from my life (that I am normally very passionate about), I got my joy of
life back.
I'm finishing reading "Your Money or Your Life" by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. The book is being ready by the Woman's Money Group I meet with monthly. This was the same group that I read Suze Orman's "Women and Money" book with. I give both these books my gratitude for educating me on personal finance as well as to live and work smarter.
If you follow my blog, you understand that I've had a hard time transitioning from a good-paying job that also represented my identity. I believe the position as Campaign Director illustrated my intelligence and capabilities. When I mentioned that I was part of a team that fundraised hundreds of millions of dollars, I felt awe for what I helped achieve. And then I became a stay-at-home mom.
This new mom role was my dream life since forever. Yet it didn't have the same glamour or respect that I believed my other J-O-B gave me. Even recently I found myself referencing "who I once once" versus my new role as "just a housewife". And then I read "Your Money or Your Life". I honestly don't think I am going to be disappointed or feel redundant in my present life again.
Dominguez and Robin write "when you break the conceptual link between work and money, you give yourself the opportunity to discover what your true work is. ...You may experience a moment (or 3.5 years as in my case) a panic at the emptiness left by even this temporary suspension as your identity-as-your-job. But there are other you's ... of your own life's work." (page 246). I don't know how they pegged it so well, but somebody understands and has made clear to me what has been going on with my identity shift these past few years. Thank you!
With my home daycare, I have been adding more kids to the mix up to the legal maximum because I liked the "I don't know how you do it" statements; not reverently stated, more like "I am so glad that isn't me". I knew I was doing it to be able to afford to stay home to raise our children with our morals and values, but once again Dominguez and Robin gave it more exactly!. "If you chose to work more ...at your paid employment, you would do it only for good reason, since you place a high value on your life energy" (page 247-248). I am doing it to support our values, to get out of debt and develop savings so we can be secure no matter the economic climate plus to become financially independent.
Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a teacher. I now realise that working with the extra children in the home daycare is my "connection to serve my (financial and life's) purpose" (page 248). I want "more money so that I can have more freedom to be (my)self without worrying about money" (page 249).
I am embracing more clients (and more money), "not out of greed or competition but out of self respect and an appreciation of life" to find myself with less debt, more savings, a more satisfied family and more peace of mind" (page 258).
My life, once again, feels purposeful.Labels: book review, personal finance
