A few weeks ago I attended the Get Radical Women’s Conference in Reston, Virginia. The speakers were Suze Orman, Jillian Michaels, Monique Greenwood, Ali Brown, Dr Patty Ann Tublin, Amy Barnes, Natalie MacNeil, Beth Caldwell, Pat E. Perkins, Christine Jones, Darnyelle Jervey, Brandi Mitchell, Kathy Wilson, Jessica Eaves Mathews, Tonya R. Taylor, Lisa Nichols and Doreen Rainey who hosted the conference. The entire conference was beyond amazing. So many of the women there had been to the bottom of their lives and changed their stories to ones of success. Success that was defined by them not by a dictionary or other people’s definition. Their successes went from eating bread for food and beanie weenies with more beanies to eating lavish meals without worrying about the money to pay for the meal. All of these incredible women discussed their stories, some of them bringing tears to my eyes as well as many others, to others that brought laughter. They took their “stories” no matter how tragic or sad and turn those stories into stepping stones in their lives to reach success, happiness and financial peace.
You may be asking yourself “What does this have to do with money?” Well I was working on a post in a totally different direction for today when I came across a post yesterday on Budgets are Sexy titled From Eviction to Vacation in 10 months! I read it and was like “WOW” how timing as many of my nannies friends are struggling to find new positions as they have been laid off or had to leave their positions for other reasons. Jobs in the nanny industry have changed drastically. Nannies that I have been listening to have been finding it difficult to find families that will provide a compensation package that shows what they are worth based on their experience. They have been finding families that do NOT want to pay taxes, want the nanny to also be the chef for the entire family, gardener and the maid/housekeeper and still keep the kids happy and busy. They are being offered wages that are barely minimum wage and hours that command overtime rates but are not provided. These nannies “stories” are becoming one of financial hardship,loss of a place to live, a car to drive and punching bags being made of their self esteem among other emotions.
I digress back to the article. Tom Meitner wrote the article on his journey from eviction to his honeymoon in Maui! As I read his story, it reminded me of the nannies I know of and have heard of being so “down” and “disillusioned” by finding a new position that both pays a respectable compensation package and treats them with respect. Their situations at work have started to really take a toll on them emotionally and physically as well as financially.
I sucked it up.
I was put in a bad spot, but there really wasn’t much I could do about it, at least not in the immediate future. Yeah, it wasn’t ideal, but sitting around complaining about it wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I had to make the best of it, and I did: I made arrangements with my parents to keep me somewhat independent. I tried to find a balance between my current situation and where I wanted to be.
Lesson learned – accepting your current lot in life. You don’t have to accept it permanently, but when you are dealt a hand by life, sometimes just taking it is the best thing you can do. You spend less mental and emotional energy on anger and bitterness that way.
Tom really was at the “bottom” of things in his life, but he turned it around and found a balance to get back on top. Below he shares how he started to move up and out of the “basement” he was in.
I gutted it out in my free time.
I worked from 1:30pm until 10:00pm almost every night. I didn’t see my friends. I barely saw my fiancee. No one would blame me if I spent my mornings or late nights sitting around watching Netflix or playing video games. But I didn’t (well, not all the time anyway). Instead, I spent that time trying to get new writing work and rebuilding my business. I sat at the computer and wrote emails to businesses almost every day.
Lesson learned – you have more time than you think. If you think you don’t have time to work on improving your financial situation, you’re wrong. Turn off the TV and start hustling. There’s plenty of time to get things done – even an hour a day will net you some amazing progress. But you have to roll up your sleeves and do it.
My question to you is this: “Are you doing everything that you can to get out of your “basement”? Please share with us how you are getting out of your “basement”
To learn more about the “basement” I am referring to please go to Budgets are Sexy and read Tom’s article there.
From Eviction to Vacation in 10 Months
Introduction by Alice Shaffer, Regarding Nannies Development Team Member