I Did It!

Well, I did it! I finished the first of the two stories in my novel. I even wrote “the end” when I finished. I feel like this journey has hit a milestone and given me the motivation to work towards the next milestone.

In this week’s blog, I want to share with you an excerpt from the book. You will see that Charlie has some limiting beliefs. Although they have served her very well in her life, they also have limited her from doing something she might really enjoy.

Excerpt from the Book – Chapter 3

Charlie enjoys her comfortable middle-class lifestyle. She feels fortunate to have a home that she can afford and is proud of her beautiful new home that she and Tony had built when they were first married. She came from a very financially strained environment growing up and financial stability is very important to her. In fact, many of her friends and family don’t understand her obsession with finances. She often is found at the computer going over her bank account several times to ensure every single penny is accounted for.

She is not concerned with other’s opinions regarding her financial tenacity. She knows that if she is to maintain a comfortable lifestyle, that diligence about one’s finances comes with the territory. She feels that those who are always telling her not to worry so much about money are financially irresponsible. Most of them can’t keep their bills paid and often have creditors calling them. For Charlie, having a creditor call her would be beyond embarrassing. Being able to stay on top of her financial status is confirmation that she is absolutely in control of her own safety and security.

This is the main reason she stays with the high stress advertising firm, Vista Marketing and Media that she has worked with for the past 14 years. She hates the job and the people, but the pay is worth it. She started as an illustrator when she was just 25 years old and just last year, she was promoted to the Manager of the Illustrations department. She received a hefty pay increase with this promotion. She knows that if she were to leave, that she would have to start all over again at the bottom and this is not a move she is willing to take. She sometimes fantasizes about leaving and starting her own firm, but it feels overwhelming the moment she begins to entertain the idea and soon it slips right out of her mind. Her Grandpa always told her, “You have to work hard to earn a comfortable living.” Even though he is no longer around, she hears his words every day in her head. And she knows that he was right. The other thing he always said was “You do what you have to do not what you want to do if you want to make a decent living.” And again, his words of wisdom have proven to be spot on. This was the one rule about life that she wished she could change. But rules are rules and following them is safe and has a predictable outcome.

Besides, she has watched her brother repeatedly try and “be his own boss” and every time he has fallen deeper into the financial challenges. Yes, she was going to walk the safe path by letting her brother’s failures remind her of how wise her Grandpa really was.

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“If you accept a limiting belief, then it will become a truth for you.” ―Louise Hay

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer