Forced to Focus

Forced to Focus

A recent injury required that I re-focus my priorities. We never think
about being out of work more than a few days for an illness or a week
for vacation but literally within the blink of an eye I found myself out
of work for 9 weeks.

What a rude awakening to realize that with paid time off and a tiny
bit of savings I would make it most of that time but not all of it and
there certainly would not be any frivolous spending.

No treats, no eating out, no entertainment other than TV and videos
already in existence or borrowed from family and friends. In fact I
almost had to consider letting the cable go.

And the most important refocus - my online business. NO programs
that weren’t self supporting or very inexpensive.

I was suddenly FORCED to FOCUS on the priorities of life - putting
food on the table, paying the utilities and the mortgage and if there
was any left over I would continue with my online business.

As a nurse I always had enough and have never given much thought
to where the money was coming from, how the bills would get paid.

After evaluation and budgeting I decided I could only focus on one
program. The others would have to go in the ‘trash’ - not even on
the back burner. Obviously I would stay with the programs that had
a one time fee and were paid for.

I would also stay with the one or two programs that were paying for
themselves, though not enough yet to live on.

I didn’t like the fact that I had to make a decision. I didn’t like the
fact that I had somewhere along the way allowed myself to no longer
have a ‘cushion’ to fall back on. That’s a whole topic for later discussion.

I had two choices:
1. Feel sorry for myself and whine ‘why me, why me‘.
2. Pick up the pieces and take a pro-active approach.

I chose option 2 - and have become proactive. I was FORCED to
FOCUS so I am choosing to FOCUS on my business, build it, begin
setting aside some funds and move forward in my life.

Don’t find yourself FORCED to make a decision. Become proactive in
your own life. Choose now to focus, build a business, and set aside
the funds that will sustain you should the unforeseen happen.