Mindful $pender

When we are still young, it is a common scene when our parents and relatives ask us the very common question “What is your dream when you grow up?”

 

As a child, we have big dreams.

 

I remember, when I was in Grade 1, my dream was to become an artist (painter), then I noticed that I don’t know how to paint or even sketch. When I reached Grade 6, I believed I can be an accountant because I love Mathematics. Then came high school days, when I thought there are more well-heeled engineers than accountants, so I sought to become a civil engineer. But then sad things happen along the way. I did not pass the civil engineering entrance examination. So I grabbed an opportunity that awaits me- a scholarship for future teachers.  Now that I am an OFW working on a totally different field trying to find satisfaction in my job, I am dying to become a teacher again.

 

As we grow up, we slowly unfold the realities of life.  Dreams seem harder to reach because of the hustles that we encounter in the journey. The tendency is either we find another reachable dream or simply settle for what is at hand. Throughout the years, some dreams still itch whenever we reflect during quiet times but eventually fades away. Some, we just outgrew. But some keep haunting us every single year and constantly appear in our new year’s resolution only to forget until the end of the year. One day, we’ll see ourselves over the hill and dreams just pass us by. Does this sound familiar?

 

I once asked my mother whom I knew worked so hard all her life before all sorts of illness striked her- “If you didn’t meet Papa, where do you think you are right now?” Ooops, brothers and sisters do not think too far ahead, nothing malicious about the question (grin). They were just products of arranged marriage which is very common during their time. Anyways, she had big dreams too. With a deep and echoing sigh, she answered, “I should have been in America by now.”

 

What normally set dreamers apart from achievers is HUNGER! Successful people persevere because they carry the hunger every day reminding them that dreams are meant to be chased.

 

Hunger is a powerful EMOTIONAL WHY according to Bro Bo Sanchez. It’s a great force that pushes us to fulfill our dreams. It has two parts- frustration and fantasy. FRUSTRATION is a painful experience people encountered that they would not ever want to happen again while FANTASY is something people are dying to experience as if it only happens in the movies.

 

Let me share with you one of my 7 BIG & BOLD DREAMS. Trust me, it is called BIG and BOLD for a reason. My Dream # 5 is to become a millionaire at the age of 50. Before, I cannot even associate the word to myself. Why? It’s because of my biggest frustration.

 

What is my frustration?

 

One of the common misconceptions for OFWs, especially in the eyes of our relatives and friends, is we are filthy rich. In our case, it is far from this reality. We are buried in debt. We felt the ache of living from pay check to pay check. For so many years, I thought it was just ok because my husband is managing it well, anyway.  It was only two years ago when I apprehended the weight of this problem, when he finally broke down. This frustration daunts me of a depressing possibility- losing my precious family. That was a turning point in our married life.  I decided to do something about it. I helped him to get up and achieve a positive net worth. After going through this painful experience, I realized that it is never too late to dream again. One of them just came true.
 

My story is featured in the Truly Rich Club Newsletter: Wealth Strategies (September 2016 issue). I was interviewed by one of the best-selling personal finance authors in the Philippines, Sha Nacino. I am sharing this to give you a little bit of inspiration about the benefits of ACTING NOW. 

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My Truly Rich Club Story written by Sha Nacino