Jeri's ponderings about life work vs jobs

Today I learned how to become a financial educator. A friend sells life assurance, which has elements of long-term life insurance, where you can put in a set amount and there are no caps on the products as well as no penalties for taking monies out. There are also death insurance and long-term care insurance in the products as well. Startup costs will be $350 for my insurance license. But then, possibly up to $100/mo to keep the tools needed for the business to thrive. I do not have any skill set in any of these areas. My friend, Dan, who I have known a long time is excited about it. But that is his bent. I have been in healthcare for 20 years, and have no legacy to show for it.

Last night I went to an Innovative Collective Fireside Chat. The woman Jonie spoke about the plight of our food sources. She once worked in ICU as a nurse at my last organization. She too no longer worked there, but had a cookie business with whole sourced foods. She spoke a lot about how our food is sourced, and how her product is helping her make a legacy in her life. She is finding ways to take her botany and nursing background, and rolling it up into something that will last far beyond her. She now has a team of others she employs to help her reach her goals. She recently went to Korea to pitch her idea. How do you get started in pitching ideas? Who do you reach out to? I have some ideas on how to become a webinar creator. But do not know how to begin this process of creation? What platform do you use? How do I generate emails and leads to funnel my info into? Everyone has a webinar lately. I do know I have content that new families would pay for but how much will it cost me to start that? What is the startup for creating a webinar? Everyone has a place where they are selling their program, and then consulting with them is even higher priced. I love all the things I am learning, but also need to choose what is right for me right now.

Ignite Local is an internet sales gig from Seattle. They pay $15/hour, and anything I sell will be commission based. I haven’t heard one thing about how to get started on it. I got a phone call last Friday, and the man I spoke to seemed to be a positive connection for me. He liked that I was a Christian. Which to me means nothing, since most Christians are only face value Christians. I have a lot to say about that. But not today. I do hope I get a phone call tomorrow, that will outline exactly what that all entails. And get started soon.

Today, my son and I had a less than cordial conversation about him needing to show up to our family. Earlier this morning, my daughter and he were going to an event. Since he was little, he chooses when he will do something. If someone tells him to get ready, or anything else, he decides that is too much pressure, and he is his own person; and doesn’t need anyone hounding him.  In this situation, he felt the more we pushed him, the less he wanted to be on time for the event they were going to. My daughter attempted to ask him to come to the car several times. He wouldn’t. He finally did, and they got where they needed to go. He has been the kid that straggles behind everyone else. He has a slower pace, and often due to high anxiety, he doesn’t sleep well. This afternoon, he explained to me his lack of sleep. And I was not loving or grace filled. I wanted him to no longer identify with this behavior, and asked him forcefully and controlling, to get on top of this for himself. He asked to be sure he has a place to live, until he goes into the Navy next summer. I told him that was a lot of pressure on me, and that I am doing my best under the circumstances.  When we got home, he went into his room, shut the door, and hasn’t been seen since. This is his coping mechanism. Shutting out the world, until he deems it is safe. I did apologize to him about my harsh words and tone. I told him with this job loss I am doing the best I can.

I do believe for me the job loss was a good thing. But I see how it does affect everyone else in my life equally and in their own way. For R, he is wondering if he should abandon his 18 months of business building, and go back to a full time job. He has had a good attitude, and we are praying in earnest about the Lord guiding us every step of the way. Currently, he is getting ready for a trade show. When you own a business, you are a one man show, and do everything that is needed for every area of your work. I will be helping at his next trade show next week, and will do some small preparations to get ready for it. My daughter, is working part-time, and going to school as she had before. I go into her coffee shop several times per week, to work on my laptop, put resumes in, listen to webinars, and write as I stated I would. She seems more sympathetic, and gives me hugs and loves a lot. She used to want me to hug on her, but she is supporting me the best way she knows how. We asked the kids to pay for their phone bills each month. But that sure does not meet the other thousands of dollars our budget requires monthly. My son too works very part time. He goes to a bridge school 3-4 days per week, which is online to get his high school diploma. He will get some bonus money upon completion of boot camp once he gets started in the military. I told him today one way he could tangibly help us is not complain about circumstances, but give out of his moneys he makes, if he likes. He couldn’t comprehend how to do that as well as do school. The big question is how much time will it take to do that instead of play excess video games. He is now 18 years, and would love to have him glean some wisdom from his family before he goes next summer. Today, I started with a crummy attitude. After my kids left, I was unhappy about how my son’s behavior frustrated me. It stopped me up. My hubby and I went for a jog/walk. It was a better paced time on Runkeeper than ever before. Frustration does have its positive benefits! As we got home, I was whining to R about how difficult this season was. And wasn’t clear how to make it work. It had to work in my mind, and my heart before the world would ever help me manifest the exchange of money for what I have to offer. We then prayed for the Lord to change my mind. We have been talking about how much faith we are needing in this season. I have considered reaching out to food banks in my area, just in case we need them. I know how they work, as I did some research on them while getting my bachelor’s degree last year. Today, I have put a ton of effort in possibilities of what work I can do. But no tangible “do this” from the Lord has been shown to me.

And then, late in the day, I got a phone call asking me for an interview for a health department nursing job in town. I have a friend that works for them, and has for most of the year. I reached out to her to give me the skinny on this job. I know I do not want to work for a job forever. I have so much to give, and have a legacy to grow out of the job mentality to making my own way. How can I help R with his business if I am working 40 hours/week! Ugh, the struggles are real. The dangling carrot of money now versus work for myself for a long time, and hope to see profits. But being persistent in whatever I chose, job or business; I just gotta keep going. If I do get another job, I have to do side gigs. I have to find something I want to do alongside, so I don’t rely solely in one area-job. I also want to expand my horizons to a new industry, to help me see where other niches are and to profit from them also. I want some residual income in the future, and want to begin that now.

Psalm 37:4

Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life, and he will provide for you what you desire the most.