Music Mondays - Thank U
Thank U
As most of us are painfully aware, there isn’t much to be thankful for in the news right now, but when these times happen, because they have since the beginning of humanity, rather than focus on everything bad, I start looking for the good.I read a book a few years back written by a Buddhist monk, and his description of the balance of life really resonated with me. Essentially he declared that without life we wouldn’t have death and without suffering, we wouldn’t know joy.
Thanks When it Doesn't Feel Like It
If you think about every horrific event in the history of humanity, you will find an equally beautiful story of hope and love. The Holocaust inspired the heroism and compassion of Oskar Schindler and Miep Gies. Racial discrimination in the United States brought forth Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. Apartheid in South Africa inspired the legacy of Nelson Mandela; and the oppression of the British government in India brought Gandhi’s non-violent protests to the forefront.We could never know if this greatness would have been discovered without the cruelty, but it's clear to see that out of cruelty comes greatness. I recently wrote a post about gratitude and the importance of changing the negative to the positive and we are certainly living in a time right now where the international news is forcing us to find the positive.
Time for Thanks
Thankfully in the United States, this week, we celebrate Thanksgiving; which for many people is an excuse to eat massive amounts of food and watch football, but I like to take this time, especially on my blog to share my thanks for the people that change my life for the better.This past year has been a crazy one to say the least and it’s been filled with ups and downs but I'm thankful for the entire journey. I’m not a huge fan of roller coasters but I do enjoy them more than a merry go round. Here are some of the people who made the roller coaster ride so much more fun:
My Guys
My husband and son are literally my two biggest cheerleaders; and I don’t know what I would do without them in my life. My husband has sacrificed so much personally and financially to make sure that I have the opportunity to pursue my passion of helping others and for his sacrifices I am deeply grateful.My son sacrifices time without his mom as I frequently meet with clients on nights and weekends; however, he is positive and supportive about the time I need to spend out of the home. I can’t imagine if he made me feel guilty about all of the times I haven’t been there, as I certainly guilt myself enough.
My Mom
For the past year my mom has been living with us as she lost her job and has struggled to get back on her feet financially. I joke that I have two children at home some days, my son and my mom who frequently acts like a teenager when she’s asked to do things. Despite the times she frustrates me, she is another cheerleader on my team and has had faith in me since I can remember. Her unconditional love is always present and reaffirming when I have bad days.
My Mother-In-Law
If any of you are Facebook friends with me, I’m sure you see posts and articles shared by Phyllis McLay all the time. Other than my husband, I think she is one of my most loyal blog readers and podcast listeners. She has a habit of being nosey or as we call it “nebby,” but for the past thirteen years she has loved and supported me as much as my own mom and I am thankful for her presence, albeit nosey, in my life.
My Blog Friends
When you’re building a business, you need all of the help you can get and for some reason, my blog friends really get that. I think because each of us understands the hard work and dedication to building something because we’ve done it with our blogs. I not only employed a number of them to help me with my new business, but many of them have written about or highlighted The Financial Gym in their writings; and I am eternally grateful for their freely given support.
My Real Life Friends
While building a business, you rarely have free time for fun and my real life friends are supportive and never give me a hard time for the lack of time that I spend with them. One of the great things about true friends is that you can spend time apart and no matter how much time passes, when you get back together, it’s as if no time passed at all. Thankfully my real life friends understand that true friendship is quality and not quantity.
My Clients
A little over two years ago, I decided to leave a stable and promising future with a large corporation to help people that mainstream financial service companies refuse to help. Many people told me I was crazy, and I know plenty of people still think I’m crazy; however, every meeting and communication with a client just reminds me of why I made this decision.I recently had a new client say that she felt fortunate that she had the opportunity to work with me and I told her that I am the one who feels fortunate. It’s truly a blessing for me to play a part in helping someone achieve his or her hopes and dreams. As I shared with this client, I have a seat to the best show in town, sometimes the music is melancholy and sometimes it makes you want to stand up and dance but it’s a show that’s not to be missed. Thank you to my clients for allowing me to watch the show and take part in the journey. No one is rooting for your successes or mourning your losses more than me.