My Daughters Helped to Change My Life and I Don"t Think They Even Realise
I can hardly believe it's almost 15 years ago now.
I had been working for the same company for 18 years.
It was an, admittedly, safe job (as safe as any job can be) so there wasn't that constant fear of cutbacks and getting laid off, hanging over my head.
It was a very responsible job and the pay was really pretty good.
But something wasn't quite right.
I don't think I ever got 'excited' at the thought of heading in for another 12 hour shift in the whole time I was there, but I couldn't say it was unpleasant.
I just reached that critical time in my life when I had to make a decision.
I was only in my early 30's but I also knew that if I did not change career soon, I was likely to be there until I retired.
Did I really want to be there, doing that same job for another 30 years, only to retire with nothing to show for it, wondering how the time has passed so fast? I would love to be able to tell you that I made the decision to quit and immediately moved into something that was fulfilling and paid a lot of money.
But life doesn't work out that easy.
It was at this time in my life that I met the person I have been with for the last 15 years.
The only problem was, she lived 300 miles away.
A long distance relationship was never going to work so I kind of had to make a choice.
Her or the job.
The trouble was, it really wasn't that strait forward because I also had two daughters from a previous 10 year marriage and they were in their very early teens, and I didn't see how I could bear that distance apart from them.
I have to say, I have two amazing children, because I can still remember that incredible conversation with them when I talked to them about the choices I was faced with.
I had to hold back the tears when they told me that they could see I wasn't happy and would support me whatever I decided.
Remember, they were like 11 and 13 years old.
Even if I did move away, I would still be visiting regularly, so it wasn't as if I was disappearing off the face of the earth.
But it was still a gut wrenching decision to make.
Fast forward 15 years...
I have two of the most wonderful daughters anyone could ever wish to have.
Well rounded and successful.
I still live 300 miles from them but they also come to visit me and our times together are just the best.
I suppose my point is that having their support and understanding was what I needed to help me make what turned out to be the best decision of my life.
I am now my own boss, working from home online and am far happier than I ever could have been if I were to have stayed in that old job, grinding out those 12 hour shifts and still having no money at the end of the month to enjoy whatever spare time I had.
This last few years, especially, has shown me how anyone can do this, if they really set their mind to it.
The types of opportunities to do what I do now were certainly not there 15 years ago, or even 10 years ago, unless you really were some sort of 'internet whizzkid'.
(I most certainly was not one of those and still am not) But now, the internet is so much more accessible to more people and the opportunities are endless.
There has never been so much money that could be earned because there are so many more people out there, using the internet and wanting to spend it.
I did not blindly give up my job and walk straight into a well paid internet business.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
It has been a tough 15 years, with periods of having money and periods of not.
Periods of having more money than I had ever been paid before, and periods of really not knowing if we could make the mortgage payments.
It has been a rollercoaster of excitement, happiness, and also worry and sadness.
But here I am, with all of that knowledge and experience to fall back on and I feel that I would not have the success I do today if I hadn't had those ups and downs I hope this little insight into my story has been interesting for you.
I had been working for the same company for 18 years.
It was an, admittedly, safe job (as safe as any job can be) so there wasn't that constant fear of cutbacks and getting laid off, hanging over my head.
It was a very responsible job and the pay was really pretty good.
But something wasn't quite right.
I don't think I ever got 'excited' at the thought of heading in for another 12 hour shift in the whole time I was there, but I couldn't say it was unpleasant.
I just reached that critical time in my life when I had to make a decision.
I was only in my early 30's but I also knew that if I did not change career soon, I was likely to be there until I retired.
Did I really want to be there, doing that same job for another 30 years, only to retire with nothing to show for it, wondering how the time has passed so fast? I would love to be able to tell you that I made the decision to quit and immediately moved into something that was fulfilling and paid a lot of money.
But life doesn't work out that easy.
It was at this time in my life that I met the person I have been with for the last 15 years.
The only problem was, she lived 300 miles away.
A long distance relationship was never going to work so I kind of had to make a choice.
Her or the job.
The trouble was, it really wasn't that strait forward because I also had two daughters from a previous 10 year marriage and they were in their very early teens, and I didn't see how I could bear that distance apart from them.
I have to say, I have two amazing children, because I can still remember that incredible conversation with them when I talked to them about the choices I was faced with.
I had to hold back the tears when they told me that they could see I wasn't happy and would support me whatever I decided.
Remember, they were like 11 and 13 years old.
Even if I did move away, I would still be visiting regularly, so it wasn't as if I was disappearing off the face of the earth.
But it was still a gut wrenching decision to make.
Fast forward 15 years...
I have two of the most wonderful daughters anyone could ever wish to have.
Well rounded and successful.
I still live 300 miles from them but they also come to visit me and our times together are just the best.
I suppose my point is that having their support and understanding was what I needed to help me make what turned out to be the best decision of my life.
I am now my own boss, working from home online and am far happier than I ever could have been if I were to have stayed in that old job, grinding out those 12 hour shifts and still having no money at the end of the month to enjoy whatever spare time I had.
This last few years, especially, has shown me how anyone can do this, if they really set their mind to it.
The types of opportunities to do what I do now were certainly not there 15 years ago, or even 10 years ago, unless you really were some sort of 'internet whizzkid'.
(I most certainly was not one of those and still am not) But now, the internet is so much more accessible to more people and the opportunities are endless.
There has never been so much money that could be earned because there are so many more people out there, using the internet and wanting to spend it.
I did not blindly give up my job and walk straight into a well paid internet business.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
It has been a tough 15 years, with periods of having money and periods of not.
Periods of having more money than I had ever been paid before, and periods of really not knowing if we could make the mortgage payments.
It has been a rollercoaster of excitement, happiness, and also worry and sadness.
But here I am, with all of that knowledge and experience to fall back on and I feel that I would not have the success I do today if I hadn't had those ups and downs I hope this little insight into my story has been interesting for you.
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