Don't Doubt It, Claim It

Back when I was in college, I veered away from Engineering or Computer Science. I have a big respect for math wizards, and wished I had that much interest. But maybe, I really had a different calling. I chose Development Communication as my course, it was creative, it had some Science as subjects. But heck, I would choose Crop Science anytime than any theorems.

I had the opportunity to have the best Math teachers in highschool and gradeschool. I did well in Math but I didn't like it. I was even surprised to be part of the first section based on math. (Sorry, just amazed)  Because of these teachers, I survived the dreaded UP Math curse.  I also realized that I do love algebra. That being said, I stayed away from anything financial or related to accounting.

With my college blockmates in a reunion. They were all successful, and i asked myself, when will it be my turn?

I always imagined working with kids. No big corporate job. And though I have had corporate jobs, I have always been in the creative field. Back when I was in my first job, I was blessed to be in research wherein I realized I can persevere in writing even when topics are way out of my league.

Theater workshop in Tahanan Village

With my friends from Black Tie, where I did copywriting, scriptwriting, etc.

Recently though, as I was evaluating my events business, I realized that the one thing I was having a hard time controlling was the finance part. I had a great set of suppliers, staff, and ideas. But I had a hard time with finance. And it started to affect my creativity. And so I had this realization. Every job has to have a yin and yang. And naturally, understanding finance is important. Even President Aquino in his recent SONA acknowledged the need for more bookkeepers, accountants, etc.

As I was going through business and family challenges, I got the opportunity to talk to my financial advisor. My very good confidante, and because he gave me such sound advice (not just financial ones, mind you even life lessons), I began learning bit by bit how to save. I asked him questions about where to put my money (especially as a single mother). I also asked him what it's like to be a financial advisor, if it was hard to go after people, and he even gave a unique answer. He said, people sought him instead. And true enough, I was the one who set follow up meetings with him. I was expecting him to give me a proposal on our first meeting, but he gave it on the third. Most of all, my talks with him, made me trusted him enough to take the leap. And what is this leap? The leap to learn about financial independence. 

The article in Moneysense magazine that made me feel like I should do more, be more.

And so I decided to become a financial advisor. I joined Philam, and met my friend LJ's mom.  I threw away the notion that I should always be in a creative job, Sometime late last year, I attended all the trainings our office gave. I passed the exam, and I closed some policies. The thing that made me like those sessions with my classmates aside from the great trainers, was the fact that at the end of the day, we were talking about people. About lives. About what would  happens if a person dies? What happens to his millions? How about his investments, is it indeed safer to put it in a bank, or buy properties? Then there were even juicier questions, what if he had illegitimate children? The numbers began to have meaning. Math began to be more heart.  Most of all, what if a person did not have money to save?

How does one begin? How do I begin?

With my reasons for everything

I was able to be close one of the biggest FYC accounts in the Manila A category. This was totally unexpected. And though I would like to say it has been smooth sailing from then on, it was hard!Because I was still into my other line of business, I had a burnout. Something happened in our family too, our ancestral house was under construction, I had to handle some clients, and new opportunities presented themselves. And I was left with another dilemma.
Do you get more than one dream?

With balloons, happy moments

I felt alone. I felt like I was drowning. who am I doing this with? So they say, trust nobody when it comes to business. Ganyan talga sa negosyo... How many times have I encountered stealing of ideas in the creative world, and more so in sales?  In spite all of these, the one thing that I know I can do was to write.  When I do not have funds maybe for going out and doing sales pitches, or when my event client has not yet paid down payment, I can write. I can write about experiences, I can write about people, and I can write about my financial journey, about my spiritual journey.

 I can write about LIFE.

Learning about critical illnesses, and about life lessons

How do I balance all of these? How do I go up to my event client, my natural market and say, I plan parties, and I also sell investments. How does one combine everything? In the midst of all these, I can honestly say I just stopped. I looked at myself. Why am I here? Why am I doing this? I have always known the answer, and it's my family. It's my son. But the how? it was tricky.

And so I have decided to just finally let go and accept that I cannot do this alone. I tried to do everything, except I realized I cannot do anything. I cannot do anything without God. Someone wise told me to offer everything up to Him.  I know He will not give me opportunities that He knows I cannot handle, and then I received 2 messages today. I also met someone who prayed for me so eloquently the day before. Here is one of the messages:

I'm not going to say I suddenly had all the answers. That I suddenly became the best in everything I have been doing. But as it turns out, I don't have to choose. God's promises are abundant. But, I have this attitude. I am given the task to ask questions, to discuss things.  "Let's find out together". With God at the helm, just be still. HE can do this for you because it is His promise. Don't doubt it, claim it.  Let's start our journey together.

Have faith, all will be well, my friends.