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positivity
It is the time of year when we are flooded with messages about gratitude. I admit that, after a while, it is a bit taxing on the nerves.
Still, I firmly believe that we must be appreciative of what we have. As we all know too well, good fortune is fleeting.
I would like to end my year with a few expressions of gratitude:
I am grateful to every person who reads my books. It never ceases to amaze me that someone actually finds the darn things and then decides to read them. Thank you so much for taking the time. It truly means the world to me.
I am grateful that, somehow, I find a way. Call it luck, divine intervention, whatever you like. Financially, things have been very tight for a bit. Yes, it is a disaster of my own making. My mental health has dramatically improved, though. It takes a lot of work, but I manage.
I am grateful for Gracie and Chewie. Gracie is 17 now which is old for a dog. I would love to have 17 more years with her. Realistically, that’s not possible. I am glad she continues to endure and seems to be in relatively good health.
Chewie’s presence pushes her to walk farther and keeps her calm in anxious situations. In turn, he enjoys seeing the variety of wildlife on our daily walkies, eating homemade goodies, and snuggling on the sofa.
What are your three things?
Chewie is the sweetest dog who has ever lived with me. He just wants to make everyone happy. What a concept!
On Saturday, I was at a low point. Gracie is 16 years old. Whenever she has medical issues, I am rather emotional. I lost four pets in a row, about every 1.5 years, before I adopted her. All of them had cancer, so there were multiple vet visits. I know “that day” is coming for Gracie.
She experienced some issues last week, with the whole thing coming to a head on Saturday. I called the vet; fortunately, they had an available appointment. When I left the house with her, I am sure Chewie picked up on my energy.
Fortunately, all was well with Gracie. Long story short, she is a diva. Her issues seem to be more behavioral than physical. The vet could not find anything physically wrong with her. Good to hear, but it didn’t help with the problems. Oh, well. It is always best to rule out medical issues in these situations.
As I unlocked the door upon our return, I heard a strange squeak on the other side of the door. I opened the door to discover Chewie standing there with a toy. He was so excited to see us.
Later, I went to the basement to put some laundry in the washer. I came back upstairs to find Gracie asleep on the floor. What was beside her? A toy. She no longer plays with toys, so I can guess what happened.
Unhappy? Have a toy. Had a bad day? Bet a nice squeaky toy would help!
Chewie thinks everyone should be happy. Since toys make him happy, well, he gives you a toy.
We are surrounded by negativity on social media, the news, everywhere. Chewie might have the right idea. Is it really difficult to take two seconds and hold the door for someone? Could we smile and say “thank you” whenever someone hands us our fast food order? These small acts might be the very thing that brightens someone’s day. Sure, it is not a squeaky toy, but it is a start.
The year certainly didn’t turn out as I anticipated. While quitting the job was always on my mind, I never expected that I would actually take the big leap. I miss the income. I don’t miss the job.
Like quitting my job, adopting another dog is something I have wanted to do for years. I could never find the right match, though. Gracie does not like most dogs. Then, Chewie came into our lives. His former owner wanted to find a place where the pet parent would be home most of the time. Well, an unemployed writer fits that requirement!
Though I never wanted a male Shih-Tzu dog, he turned out to be exactly what we needed. Gracie tolerates him most of the time and might even like him on rare occasions. He calms her whenever I am away from the house. He chills beside me whenever I watch TV. He is a great dog.
None of these things would have been possible, though, without work. I spent almost 30 years at an investment firm. Naturally, I picked up some tips along the way that could be used by the average person. Be sure to follow me, because I will drop little tidbits in future posts.
I have spent the last few months doing something I always wanted to do - write full time. I produced Love at the Woolly Bookworm Shop and took several classes and watched several webinars. I read loads of things about self-publishing, writing, marketing, et cetera. It has been great.
Unfortunately, I haven’t received huge windfalls of cash. Hell, I haven’t received any windfalls! How have I survived? You may find yourself in a situation someday where you don’t have an income either. Here are three tips to prepare for that day:
Save, save, save. Most people could not cover an unexpected expense of $500. I was one of those people for a long time. I set up an automatic deduction from my checking account into my savings account. The amount wasn’t much. Still, the balance increased over time, and that’s the whole point. I will talk more about this topic in future posts, because it is a topic that is dear to my heart.
Look for “free” money - part one. My credit cards have “reward” points that I can apply to my balance, use for purchases at Amazon and other places, et cetera. Inflation is out of control. I charge everything to my credit cards and use the points to buy needed essentials. Note - this only works if you are diligent about paying off your credit card(s) every month.
Look for “free” money - part two. Pay attention when you make purchases, particularly on Amazon. Sometimes, vendors will offer incentives if you delay delivery.
Let’s use Amazon as an example. If I defer delivery by several days, they sometimes offer promotional credits. I then use those credits for “free” e-books, movie rentals, or other digital content. Do I really need something the next day or the day after? Usually, the answer is no. Why not take advantage of the credits then? I can use them to get something I want later.
Again, I will talk more in the future about tips to survive the “no income” time of your life. I have discovered a lot.
As I look ahead to 2023, I have a newfound hope. Sure, I have no income, the books aren’t selling, and I will have to get a job. I don’t view those things as negatives as I once would have. I survived 2022. I survived a global pandemic. I can survive - and so can you!