I personally took interest in this topic when I entered into the financial scene. Can you imagine? An Architecture and Nursing major, practicing marketing, and devoting most of her time in Motherhood suddenly becomes an Insurance Advisor. What a plot twist! I didn’t see that coming.
When I was younger, my mother encouraged me to take up business-related courses. I was like, no. I didn’t want to go down the road more traveled, because my mother is an Accountancy graduate. I wanted to go down the road less traveled.
Having said that, this article, is not necessarily about me being an insurance agent, or about my product. It is about my life journey as a mother, in search of abundance in every which way. This article is about my amazing discoveries as well as others, in our journey to finding financial freedom in the most surprisingly, easily disregarded ways!
House by Tax Credits
1. Work smarter. We have been told, work smarter not harder. There will be better blogs and books that can expound on this, but my take will be different. I mean, really, work smarter. You want extra money? Don’t sit in your day job longer than you are paid for. Log out, time out, and honestly, go look for a sideline. THIS is a personal secret.
I have been (painfully) pointed out (and laughed at) by some of my relatives as the “Jane of All Trades, Master of None”. I’ve been seen to spread myself thin and into different natures of work. As long as it puts food on our table with my dignity in tact (and as long as it does not involve mice) and if I can do it, I will do it. I’ve juggled teaching English to Koreans; hosting a variety of whatever event has been invented on the face of this earth; rocking the stage as a vocalist for a party/event band; hauling hair and make up kit to do hair and make up for weddings (and whatever event has been invented on the face of this earth); talking nonstop for different institutions created by mankind to train desired disciplines into their offices; writing on behalf of other writers for online stints – the list goes on. I am not crowing about what I’ve done, what I am saying is, it can be done. Moral of the story? The people who doubted my strategy, realized later on that when I had to quit my day job for motherhood (thrice LOL), I always have a sideline waiting.
As an advice, your day job may pay for the needs-at-hand, but your part-time job will pay for a few more comforts. One of this comfort, I will explain on my last item. So having a part-time, a racket, a sideline, not only will help you financially, it will have lasting benefits for you and your future career…careers. You can write online, if writing is a passion; you can be a photographer or start a small business of your own.
Image by Leonardo Rizzi
2. Manifest money. Hold on, I am not going to go guru or sage on you. I will however, attempt to go scientific. Quantum physics, in fact. Recalling my previous article on “good vibes“, it’s source and what it is all about; science has found that what we are and what we attract are merely energies – vibrations. In doing my research for that article, I did a few healthy experiments myself – what is a good article if not based on a true account, right?
Was I successful? Why, yes! In fact, as of writing, I have just landed a new day job. Mind you, I wasn’t looking for it, it just (holds breath, leans in, whispers) – manifested. I wrote the article in November of 2015 and experimented on manifestation, good vibes, and abundance from there. A week after finishing my writing, a company called me to do a dream job – I am kidding you not – to train Personality Development, grooming and corporate make up. So you ask me, where and when does money manifest? Firstly, as it is a part time job, it is paid. Secondly, I was offered to be a regular employee, I got paid even higher. Lastly? I was offered to partner in the business – now you do the Math. So, how did I do it?
Have you heard of “from mind to matter“? According to the Energetics Institute, whatever goes on in our body – say cellular changes, mutation, immunity, etc. – is a concept we “turn on”. Our genes have a “transcription function”, where when a gene is expressed, it creates a new protein that alters a cellular biology. This is the first step of how a mind can truly manifest changes in matter.
Now, let’s talk about a different kind of physics – metaphysics. Specifically, let’s talk about what Sarah Prout has been sharing about manifestation.
Consciousness is the key.
This means, you need to be careful with what you think or what you entertain in your mind. If you feel happy with paychecks but frown when bills come, the more bills will haunt you. What I do when bills come, I express my gratitude, because it means I have money to pay for it. I can afford it. I can afford a life with it. It totally changes everything. Simply put; have you ever had a crush before? Like someone you really liked? You might not remember this, but at one point or another, having focused so much thought on this person, this person has shown an amount of attention or appreciation in return. Attraction and manifestation are real. According to the ideas in Calm Down Mind,
Since who we are is pure positive energy, every human being inherently desires for joy, peace and love. These desires are taken up by life and are manifested as realities by its focus. The only reason why your desires are so delayed/blocked is because you are resisting the “unfolding” of this movement by constantly lining up with negative thoughts…
So the more you think about money in a good way and be grateful for it even if you don’t have it yet, money will flow with and through you effortlessly. Invest in this, give this time, and you will reap from it. Take my honest word for it.
Magic Coin by reynermedia
3. Pay yourself. We are a little confused about this. I used to think that when I am told to reward myself or more specifically, “pay” myself, I think about going to a spa, get a massage, a mani-pedi, or a makeover. When I became a financial advisor, I learned and appreciated the meaning of setting money aside (first) for future needs.
This phrase is used in personal finance and retirement planning, where a certain percent of your earnings is allotted for savings. First. In our language, it is called “forced savings”, because you will have to go against the usual budget. Usually, we assign budget firstly to “needs” and then “wants”. In paying yourself first, you assign 20% of your net earnings firstly to forced savings, 50% goes to “needs” and enjoy a remaining 30% for the comforts you deserve. That’s not so bad, right? Now, this 20% goes to retirement funding, insurance, investment, or whichever form of savings you feel you will need in the future.
Let’s go back to #1 Work smarter; if you have a business on the side or a part time job on top of your regular job, you can assign your earnings from that source and into savings. In fact, all three items on this list work with each other. The more you think and thank for your job and other sources of income, the easier money will flow. As it flows, it manifests and you have a little more to pay yourself first. Makes a lot of easy sense. Joshua Kennon, an expert on Investing for Beginners, says that:
Money, like water, expands to fill the container in which it is placed. If you lack an objective set of financial goals for your life, you probably reach the end of each month and find yourself broke. You vow that next month will be different, but it never is.
If you ask me…
I’ve told you much about that to do. But now, let me tell you why you should invest in yourself. Not only are we full of financial potential, we are basking in abundance, if you can only see it. There was a lottery winner who just kept winning. Can you imagine? But what happened after winning? Here are some common scenarios; they lost sight of money as an energy and simply used it in terms of the material world, they forgot to at least save some on the side to start a business, and they forgot to pay themselves first. They just continue to go downhill from there as the manifestation of depression continues to drag them down. Some even meet a tragic end.
What am I saying? Money as an energy, flows and changes. Like any blessing, it should be taken care of. Investing means, giving the time, effort and certain resources to take care of – to nurture it. As a money-making machine, your potential to manifest and create it is limitless but as good old Spidey (or was that his uncle) said with great power comes great responsibility.
