Making it all work

Today we made a rather impulsive but we believe soundly-judged decision to purchase a condominium. To rent out, not for us to live in.

I confessed to the husband that its not quite up to par with what I like in terms of workmanship but the income is necessary at this point and that would give us what we need. We've been guided throughout all our choices; we have every faith that this is the direction we need to go to get to our goals for our family.

I rarely say things like this on my blog, this being a very public venue, but I think it's time I do say something about how we have chosen to grow within the structure of our line of work. It's not a job per se, investing, but it's what we claim as ours. In the same way I claim being a wife and mother is my  career, investing is the career path we chose.

I realise now that people are so finicky and sensitive over what is and isn't a career or even a job when the bottom line to both, in my opinion, is that it's a path each individual selects to get to a goal or dream. I've seen Internet cat fights on forums and via articles that argue vehemently on the validity of seeing being a housewife as a career or simply a life choice. To me, it's both--as is being a company executive and mother. Or any career/job and a mother. I happen to take pride in my choice to focus on my family and feel blessed I have been granted this privilege. I know not everyone can claim such a life choice even if they want to.

Each person needs to learn to take pride in their choices, I think. The problem being we have learned to be so overly concerned with how people see us that we forget to please ourselves and instead choose to please just others. Personally, I vote that the happier I am with myself, the happier people around me will be. I'm terrible at hiding my dissatisfaction and it has, in the past, pushed me to shove my personal misery down everyone else's throat. Thank God I was only a teenager when it happened. Imagine being a full grown adult and still making everyone drown on my misery! I do know someone like that though. Much older than me and just...miserable.

It is a tough choice we made, concentrating on investing rather than the usual graduate and get a job. Terrifying too. And not a lot of people understand how hard and stressful it actually is. Sadly. Not even those closest to us who seem to see only the bit where we go around all over and enjoy ourselves. Honestly I believe enjoying ought to be part and parcel of anything one does. Otherwise, what for? It's hard enough to work towards goals and dreams. The ride to the top ought to be just as wonderful. Not necessarily smooth, but wonderful enough to be worth the tears.