My Aunt Gail mentioned recently that I have always been good at reinventing myself. Well, I am good at adding to my skill set. I completed a year of night classes on massage therapy and got licensed by the State of Texas to be a professional massage therapist. The reason I did it is because I have friends who need massage and can't or won't pay for it. I have a few paying clients, but haven't formalized it into a real business. . . yet. My long term goal is to open a practice with a scientific bent to quantify the benefits of certain types of massage therapy for conditions like PTSD.
Because working full time in a stressful day job during school was causing me to be exhausted and struggle both at work AND school, I took a contract with lower pay and flexible hours to complete school, and now that contract has ended and I'm starting to get back to consulting with clients of Veritable Networks Inc., a firm I own 50%. I can commit more time and make more money. Also, during the past year I have been also working as a mentor / caregiver for a disabled veteran who struggles with the effects of combat in Iraq and helping him navigate life as a civilian. Even after I met all of the requirements, including Easter Seals training, the VA rejected my request for pay for doing that work, but I continued it out of a sense of actually caring. I'm going to file another appeal, because the burden of that has been a test of patience, fortitude, will power, and compassion beyond my previous capabilities, and apparently beyond my financial capabilities. If it weren't for the self-care regime that the Easter Seals taught me at the beginning, and the things I learned in massage school, or the gratitude from his immediate and extended family, or the mental clarity I get from my Buddhist-style meditation practice. (Om mane padme um, y'all!) I would have given up a long time ago. He's turned the corner and I'm starting to ask him to take care of himself. He's in the gym more and taking more responsibility and handling his own stresses in healthy ways. He's ready for school and a job now, and ready to get on with his life.
So, now is a time for transformation: Really reinventing myself to improve my income, lifestyle, and personal relationships! I'm going to blog about it for 10 weeks, and see if, by the end of 70 days, I'm not way better off by focusing on doing things differently. And, I'm asking for advice, because I'm sure I have a lot of blind spots, so I'm going to need the help of anyone who will help. I wish health, wealth, and happiness on everyone.
Now, I need an accountant.
