Reset

 I thought I should do a blog post about some changes that have happened this week... put them into context and expand on them more on the blog than I did when I mentioned them in my social media.  

I gave notice at my job.

But, before we talk about the present and future, let's go backwards to put the last year into context, because not everyone reading this will have that luxury.  Really, you have to go backwards a few years.  Back in 2017, I left accounting.  It followed a series of events where I got my first hand look at corporate accounting.  The jobs that I held in those years paid well... better tn current pay and that was before all the inflation.  However, the more that I did, the more that they took.  Soon, I was literally doing the work of 4 people... they would replace me with 4 people, after I left.  When I asked for more help, they told me in no uncertain terms that I was handling it, and they had decided to stop hiring an assistant for me, as that cost the company money.  This was the same company that had pushed out several employees to re-hire them as contractors in order to pay less money and no benefits.  But... to this company, you were a cog.. a well trained cog, but a cog.  You were just a part in the machine, and after I left no one stayed in touch... I was gone and forgotten.  The company... IBM.  You might have heard of it.  But, it's no different than any other major corporation.

In fact, the company would get upset that I left and would try to sabotage my future job applications, despire the fact that I had literally saved them 2 million dollars in one year.  But, to the company, I was just a paycheck.. a rather expensive one in fact, so they would hire cheaper people to take my place.  As I progressed, I found that the more experience you have, the more unhirable you become, as companies don't want to pay a high wage for you and question you if you ask for less.  None... are actually thinking about what benefits you.

Till this last job.  That's why I was giving it a shot.  There was a manager over the AP that would DAILY tell you how you were appreciated and would stand against anyone that tried to take advantage of you.  But, of course, no one stays forever, and I would soon find myself in the organization he left that was suddenly... everything I left in prior corporations.  I won't go into details (nor would I be allowed to do so), but suffice to say that I found my blood pressure very high like 5 times in two weeks because of structural issues in the organization that I knew would never change... or at least not before it killed me.  So, I gave my notice.  I will drive Uber and do the things I did, before, unless an offer that is actually WORTHY and good for me comes around.  However, I won't hold my breath, as I know what corporate accounting is like.  Indeed, my old temp agency called me today with an offer for a new job, but as I got the details I would be stepping from one frying pan into another fire.  No thank you.

Up until this year, I used to blog on the benefits of self employment, and I plan to revisit those old themes.  Yes.. it is helpful to have enough money to pay for emergencies that will arise and to ward off anxiety from them.  However, if you step into a high stress job, what have you gained?

Being someone that has done both... self employment and high pay employment.. let me lay out a few things for you.

1.  Money disappears.  Scripture says.. “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).  You will always want more and feel unsatisfied, and I've learned from experience that you always spend right up to the amount that you make, so you may have more THINGS but always feel poor.  

2.  Things don't matter.  When I had money to do things, I knew the things I was doing was not that important and could be done free, as well.  I went to a ball game, but I knew I could just as easily have done cheaper seats, gone to an outside free event, or more and STILL have taken pictures and made memories.  Further, I could do sports things at HOME if I really wanted to do it.  There's also groupon or discount days.  Regardless, it wasn't the cost of the event that mattered but the action of doing something.  Some of the best memories in my past... romantic, family, etc.. were all free.

3.  Self employment works if we treat it like a job.  This is one thing that I actually learned early in 2021, when I needed to make more money.  I began driving and working more hours and that's when I found that my income level could be similar to jobs.  The problem is that when people get at home, they get lazy.  They feel that if they CAN take time off, anytime, they SHOULD take it off, often.  However, if you actually put into it 40+ hours, like you do at a job, your income level can be more comparable.  It also matters what you choose to do.  You should dedicate more time to the tasks that have the highest dollar per hour potential.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't diversify your income streams and have more than one.  Do that.  That way, you can switch it up if needs come.  However, STILL dedicate the most time to the highest paying ones.

4.  There are non monetary benefits or costs to everything in life.  If you work all day for a lot of money but have no time to live.. what exactly.. do you have?  If you have control over your work as your own boss, you can wear what you want, listen to the music you want, go where you want, and enjoy the day AS YOU WORK... instead of saving it up to enjoy two days on the weekend.

So, I am happy with my choice, and I wanted to share it, as it will impact my blog direction.