It is great to hear “follow your bliss” in your career. For many people, though, identifying what that is can be as difficult as the decision to follow it! How can you go after it when you don’t know what it is?

I am reading a book that is cracking me up! The content is interesting and the writer is funny. It’s called “9 Secrets of Women Who Get Everything They Want” by Kate White. Someone who is known for giving me backhanded compliments gifted me with the book. At the time, I wasn’t sure if she was being nice or getting a dig in at me due to the title. That’s why the book sat on the shelf for so long. I’m glad I finally took a look. 

One of the first chapters talks about envy, an intense emotion that people prefer to avoid. It is admiration gone sour. The book suggested viewing envy as a compass pointing us north.  When we feel it, we are allowing ourselves to feel our deepest desires.

I want to invite you to have a 15-minute outright envy attack and write down what bubbles up. I told my business partner last week prior to reading this book that I was envious of someone in our field that had a head start on me. Frankly, I was surprised by my reaction, since I can’t remember the last time I felt envious. I think it was 1989, when I was young and trying to figure life out…which I still am! 

I have always used strong emotions such as envy as rocket fuel. Fortunately, I can easily change my perspective back to admiration for that person. The, I dig in and get to work on myself in order to create my own version of that particular success.

That envy attack and the book’s explanation made me recognize that I am on the right track at last! I am doing the work that I have always desired to do—motivating, inspiring and equipping moms with the knowledge and tools they need to create their own bliss. I hope this exercise gives you some insights into your dream work situation like it did for me!  

I like to read “self help” books. I think this entire genre has been mislabeled and should be called “personal development” books. Why? Because I have noticed that the people who really could use a little self help don’t read the books! The most motivated, smart and successful among my circle of friends do.  They are constant learners. Anyone who reads has an edge.  Think of all the knowledge you would gain if you read one book a week. That’s 52 annually and 520 in ten years!! Think that might equate to some major changes in your life for the better? I do.

A person who is entrepreneurial is by nature a person who likes to learn. This is a good thing, because the very nature of running your own business necessitates that you get good at a variety of activities… at least until you can afford to outsource it. Even then you have to be able to identify good work from shoddy work.

If you’re not growing you’re dying in my book. I normally don’t think about this but it was brought to my attention the other day. I took my son to the orthodontist. As I was checking out the lady in front of me commented that she woke up at 2:30 am. I said, “That’s funny, me to”. She said, “Did you notice there is nothing on TV at that time?”

It had never even crossed my mind to turn the television on. I had gone into my office turned on classical music, lit the candle on the desk and got to work. I love what I do. I get to help other moms find their dream business and support them in that process. That to me is not work it is a gift. This is what I want for you—a business that you can be passionate about and earn enough money at to satisfy you. 

I always wondered when successful people would say the victory at the end isn’t the best part; it’s who you become in the journey there that is the real reward. I get that now. I am happy I want to soak up life and not turn the TV—even at 2:30 in the morning.

Kim Kiyosaki in her book “Rich Woman” throws out some pretty sobering statistics when it comes to women and money:

·   47% of women over the age of 50 are single.

·   50% of marriages end in divorce.

·   In the first year after divorcing, a woman’s standard of living drops an average of 73%.

·   Of the elderly living in poverty, 3 out of 4 are women and 80% of them were not poor when their husbands were alive. 

·   Nearly 7 out of 10 women will live in poverty some time in their lives.  

As a landlord, I can attest that this is real life and not just statistics. I have seen my older female tenants struggle alone to make ends meet. They are fearful about their expenses and they are depressed. I always took care of “my ladies” (as I referred to them), letting rent slide from time to time in order to avoid eviction. But most landlords don’t have this luxury. The mortgage must be paid so out they go.

You see a lot of things as a property manager. One 82-year-old widow I knew took her own life because she was depressed over her circumstances. This is real life. All women need to take responsibility for their own financial welfare. If you won’t do it for yourself then do it for you children.

At MillionaireMom.com we are dedicated to helping you understand and feel comfortable with managing and earning money. We promote entrepreneurship because of the flexibility it offers in your real full time job—raising your children.