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| creative commons by marfis 75 |
Yes, it’s ANOTHER “Year of…” blog post. It could be worse.
It could be New Year’s Resolutions. Or “New Year, New You.”
Late last year I came across an amazing group of bloggers:
Axis of Ineptitude. (Don’t let the name fool you… Most are quite adept at
blogging!)
I now have 31 days of writing prompts to complete. While they will fit the format (loosely), they will also relate to this blog’s mission to offer “ideas, products and inspiration for positive living.”
Where to begin.
2014 was a roller coaster, with residual suckiness left over from 2013, including a broken hot water heater, the death our 14-year-old cat, and the loss of several major clients all at once.
By December 2013, I wasn’t sure how I would pay for Christmas or turn in my car lease, due in May, and get another vehicle. Although I can easily walk my daughter to and from school, at this time, it’s necessary to have a car to get my son to nursery school so I can work. I plan to go car-less again as soon as he is in kindergarten, which will reduce our living expenses substantially.
Then, things turned around just after my 40th birthday party. Thanks to a very kind referral from one of my editors, I got a full-time leave replacement position with a major company. A company that treats employees and contractors very well. Four months turned into eight months and I became their social media manager, with a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home. Can anyone say dream client?
Yes. Dreams come true. I love the company, love my role, and was able to pay off ¾ of my debt, catch up on bills, and even enjoy extras. Maybe too many extras.
Now I’m looking to diversify my income sources, get a few more clients, and knock off the rest of that debt. I’m speaking to former clients, approaching a few new ones, and also have a writing project in the works with a few other women who share my mindset. Anything is possible if you put action behind your dreams.
No Difference … Without Change
I want to stop talking about me for a moment. This year, I saw a dramatic change occur in a friend. As tough as it was for me in 2013 and the beginning of 2014, this friend lives at poverty level consistently, with five children to support and a husband on disability. She shared with me an essay written by Linda Tirado, author of Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America
. It
immediately changed my way of thinking about poverty.
Secretly, we (myself and another friend, Jenn Greenleaf, who blogs at www.mainelymotherhood.info), launched a crowdfunding campaign for our friend Julie. We raised almost $1400 in 10 days. I don’t think Julie ever believed it could be done.
The emotions we shared when we revealed the fundraiser and began the transfer of funds were personal, profound…. “So many feels,” as some of our friends said. We opened a Facebook Chat with more than 20 people, all sharing the joy… and the hope. To get incredibly corny about it: True Christmas spirit manifested across multiple time zones and thousands of miles.
I now have 31 days of writing prompts to complete. While they will fit the format (loosely), they will also relate to this blog’s mission to offer “ideas, products and inspiration for positive living.”
Where to begin.
2014 was a roller coaster, with residual suckiness left over from 2013, including a broken hot water heater, the death our 14-year-old cat, and the loss of several major clients all at once.
By December 2013, I wasn’t sure how I would pay for Christmas or turn in my car lease, due in May, and get another vehicle. Although I can easily walk my daughter to and from school, at this time, it’s necessary to have a car to get my son to nursery school so I can work. I plan to go car-less again as soon as he is in kindergarten, which will reduce our living expenses substantially.
Then, things turned around just after my 40th birthday party. Thanks to a very kind referral from one of my editors, I got a full-time leave replacement position with a major company. A company that treats employees and contractors very well. Four months turned into eight months and I became their social media manager, with a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home. Can anyone say dream client?
Yes. Dreams come true. I love the company, love my role, and was able to pay off ¾ of my debt, catch up on bills, and even enjoy extras. Maybe too many extras.
Now I’m looking to diversify my income sources, get a few more clients, and knock off the rest of that debt. I’m speaking to former clients, approaching a few new ones, and also have a writing project in the works with a few other women who share my mindset. Anything is possible if you put action behind your dreams.
No Difference … Without Change
I want to stop talking about me for a moment. This year, I saw a dramatic change occur in a friend. As tough as it was for me in 2013 and the beginning of 2014, this friend lives at poverty level consistently, with five children to support and a husband on disability. She shared with me an essay written by Linda Tirado, author of Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America
. It
immediately changed my way of thinking about poverty. Secretly, we (myself and another friend, Jenn Greenleaf, who blogs at www.mainelymotherhood.info), launched a crowdfunding campaign for our friend Julie. We raised almost $1400 in 10 days. I don’t think Julie ever believed it could be done.
The emotions we shared when we revealed the fundraiser and began the transfer of funds were personal, profound…. “So many feels,” as some of our friends said. We opened a Facebook Chat with more than 20 people, all sharing the joy… and the hope. To get incredibly corny about it: True Christmas spirit manifested across multiple time zones and thousands of miles.
Two weeks later, their bank account is empty but their
pantry and their hearts are very full. Realizing how quickly the money went,
how little it really was after we’d worked so hard to raise it, I said to
Julie, “Linda Tirado is right. There really is no way out, is there?”
“No,” she said. “There isn’t. Not WITHOUT CHANGE.” The all caps was a typo – but not an accident.
“No,” she said. “There isn’t. Not WITHOUT CHANGE.” The all caps was a typo – but not an accident.
While the dollar amount may not have been enough to buy a car, it was actually a very big thing. We cannot take credit for this change in mindset, because Julie was already on her way there. She just needed one deciding moment to give her hope to continue.
Julie’s entire mindset has changed and she’s seeing
solutions where she only saw insurmountable challenges. It started with a small
gesture, that grew into quite a big thing for those involved… but it only made
a difference because Julie was ready to accept change.
That, I think, is the real difference between the middle class and the poor. When you have always lived in relative comfort, when you may have to budget but you know, one way or another, whether it’s a credit card or a parent or a change jar, you CAN get the money, there is a different mindset.
When you’re poor… there’s no loose change in the sofa cushions because you’ve already turned them upside down to get it. You’ve exhausted all resources and are exhausted yourself. There are no opportunities and no possibilities. (At least, you can’t see them…) Julie successfully stepped out of that mindset. She is on the way to manifesting the life of her dreams, and watch out when she gets there. All the people who helped her will be remembered in some way.
Back to The Year Of…
I know, I know. I’m supposed to talk about goals or predictions and what this will be the “year of.” I bet you think I’m going to say “change,” but it’s not. We’ve already made the change.
They are everywhere we look. It’s also the year of possibilities, because anything really is possible when you believe it is. A long-term contract that came at just the right time, a successful fundraiser, and even this home I live in is proof of this.
P.S. Julie’s fundraiser is still going if you’d like to give her a small hand up until she finds the next opportunity she’s seeking. You can donate here: http://www.gofundme.com/iakpa4.
