Good morning my prosperous friends, and welcome to an abundant new day. Today we will deposit $18,000 into our imaginary checkbook, as we continue to create a perfect life for ourselves.
What does that look like for you, a perfect life? So far we've focused on making workshops, and studios, and offices for ourselves, so it's safe to say that in our perfect life we are working at something meaningful. We are enjoying the freedom that money gives us to live our lives as fully as possible, and we are finding fulfillment through our work and through using the money to help others.
I sold off the pool store so that I didn't have to go into work every day, and then turned around and used yesterday's money to buy myself an office outside the home so I could have a place to go to work. The irony of that is not lost on me. I enjoy the leisure of working at home, but I also enjoy having a separate workspace elsewhere. The upstairs suite that I made for myself here at home is ideal for my solitary writing and musical pursuits, but I don't want my staff working out of my home. I need a separate office for that. And I definitely need staff, because otherwise I would have to do everything myself.
My perfect world definitely contains a professional staff, all experts at what they do. I've thought about this a lot; in my perfect life I'm not so BUSY all the time. Oh, I work constantly, but my work is play and I don't waste any of my time taking care of busy work. There are things that need to get done, but not necessarily by me: cooking, cleaning, shopping, filing, phone calls, scheduling, emailing bios, fulfilling web orders, accounting, lawyering, more filing, letter writing, phone calls, dishes, shopping, more shopping, yet more filing, more phone calls. It's a wonder I ever get any writing done at all. It would be a miracle if I ever find time to play music with my friends at this rate. And wouldn't it be nice just to be still? My staff makes that possible for me.
I am grateful for the new office, and for the wonderful people who work for me so that I can spend my days being creative. I enjoy travelling, but I also enjoy the time that I spend at home being still and enjoying my friends. I have found a way to balance my activities so that I live a full life without being harried. I am calm, centered, and grounded. I am happy.
$18,000 The first book was a success, and Hay House is negotiating the terms of a three-book contract. Here is a small advance to fund the book-signing tour. I wonder if I'll run into Bob on the road?
$ 2,000 God's Money goes to the Brevard Children's Chorus
$ 5,000 Wealth Building Account (Total $50,000)
$ 1,000 New clothes to wear on tour
$10,000 Towards buying a motor home. Hmm, I wonder who will be my driver?
So, what does your perfect life look like, and how will this $18,000 help you to get there?
Feel the fear and do it anyway. I think that was a book I read once.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna go out on a limb here. (I forewarned my boss today, so that if he happened upon this page any time in the future, he would not be surprised by what he reads.)
So, a few days back, I mentioned that I would like to have an assistant at work, oversee a team of CSRs and spend my time billing, billing, billing. Well, sales have increased to such a degree that we're in hiring mode! And, because we do a lot of customized programming for our clients, we're hiring additional programmers as well as project managers. Our marketing team has been given the go-ahead to hire a marketing researcher and a full-time graphic designer! No more subbing out part-time work to people who don't know our business. We're bringing it all in-house. The partners are so generous with employee-type benefits, prospective hire-ees are beating down the door to get a position with our company. Our friendly neighborhood real estate agent is busy looking for new office space to move into, complete with a luxurious conference room, a fully equipped kitchen, a small gym, a break room that can double as a nap room when needed, and finally! His and Her bathrooms. (and P.S. I won't have to clean the bathroom anymore!!!)
There are two of us who have been here pretty much from the beginning. We have not only seen the company grow, but we have been a part of that growth. In return, the partners have allowed us the privilege of growing as individuals. They have supported us through some major Life Happenings. The two of us would not want to work for any other employers. So, as valued and irreplaceable employees, we have been offered shares in the company, giving us the opportunity to share in the fruits of our labor. Since we're at the end of our fiscal year, dividends have been calculated and dispersed. My first dividend check is... $18,000!
Here's what I am going to spend it on:
$1800 - savings (to-date $15,000)
$1800 - split amongst my favorite charities
$2500 - travel fund (to-date $10,000)
$5000 - house remodel (to-date $45,000)
$5000 - to sister for living expenses while she's in school
$1900 - new wardrobe, including accessories, to celebrate all the excitement at the office!
On one hand, writing tonight was kinda fun : ) but, I also had the feeling that I wanted to puke about half way through... was it the fear, and if so, fear of what?