where is the joy?

Most agree that economically speaking, 2011 hit many all-time lows. Being in Nevada meant that we were harder hit than many. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment rate in Nevada was 13% for 2011, which ranked us as highest in the country. With one in every 115 households facing foreclosure, Nevada also ranks one of the  (if not the most severe) states for foreclosure.

Surrounded by loss, it can be difficult to find a bright point. There seems to be no end in sight to the financial conundrum we find ourselves in. Houses in Reno line the streets with various for sale signs. I know several people who have turned their keys in and walked away from their homes as values dropped by more than half.

wait there is more…

Reno/Tahoe is known as a winter recreational destination. We boast some of the West’s premier ski resorts in the country. To top it all off, there is no snow in the Sierra’s = no skiing = hurts economy even more. Also it is a total bummer when you bought a season’s pass and haven’t been on the mountain yet this year (actually we bought 4; one for each of us).

what lies ahead?

My daughter is currently a junior in college. What opportunity awaits her upon graduation? It is not sufficient to achieve merely a bachelors degree for many professions. Does this mean we will have to support her indefinitely while she continues her education? Probably.

The good news is that by the time she is finally done, the economy should not be so bleak. There is still hope for her future. My own education is a bi-product of the flailing economy as well. Is it really a bad thing when hard times means you take the time to work on yourself?

lesson learned: there is still joy to be found

I may complain about the current situation (especially the total lack of snow!), but the reality is that it can also be a highly productive time for personal growth. In place of snow sports, we are cycling (weird as it is) through the winter months. We can still be active regardless of the weather.

When the housing bubble was at its height a few years back, we decided to stay put in a home we could afford and were comfortable in. Thankfully, my family is in a better financial place because of our restraint. We recently purchased a new home with nearly double the living space of our old one for a bargain price.

I find joy in simple pleasures like enjoying a bottle of wine with friends. Staying home with my husband and kids watching a bad movie on Netflixis a favorite pastime of mine. Blogging has given me a wonderful outlet for spilling my guts. Knowing that when I get up in the morning I am fortunate enough to have a job that I love is joyous as well.

the 3 banana girls enjoying ourselves at Starbucks

It is through adversity that we find out what we are really made of. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I don’t remember who originally told me that gem. As a kid, I used to hate it when people told me this. In my adult form, I finally understand its true meaning. What has tested your capacity to find joy? What did you learn about yourself through the process? Share your thoughts and stories.

 

Related articles

• Computer glitch delays Nevada jobless benefits (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Is Nevada recovering? Depends on who you ask (sfgate.com)
• Is Nevada Recovering? Depends on Who You Ask (abcnews.go.com)
• Sierra resorts wait for snow as Christmas nears (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Reno Can Do Better (10march2004.wordpress.com)

Making a dream job a reality

reverie of a dream job

Dream job: fact or fiction?

What constitutes a dream job? Is it money, power, prestige, or all of the above? Some consider it a myth, in that a dream job is one that you can fantasize about, but never attain. I know several people who hate their jobs. What alternative career might they dream of?

In the past, a dream job fulfilled a sense of security for the future. Financial compensation paid a mortgage (another American dream) and sent the kids to college when the time came. At the end of 20 years of service, you were rewarded with a gold watch. At the age of retirement, you settled easily knowing that a pension would provide enough to live comfortably. Upon retirement, dreams were altered to those of grandchildren and golf, or some other hobby.

Wake up and smell the espresso!

#trust30 my top 3 dreams

ready to dream

Dreams by Michael Rad

Abide in the simple and noble regions of thy life, obey thy heart. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write down your top three dreams. Now write down what’s holding you back from them.

(Author: Michael Rad)

For fun, in this post I will take a more literal view of the prompt given. Dreams and aspirations are used interchangeably  and already have several recent post regarding what I wish to accomplish in life. I know that I dream most nights but I never remember to write them down. There are books, blogs and websites all dedicated to the meaning of dreams. Now is my chance to analyze some of mine.

Don’t you hate it when you are jarred awake by a partner snoring (or yourself) or that darn alarm clock? It always seems like this is the moment when I am in the middle of  a good part of the dream. After the interruption, I try desperately to get back into the dream. Sometimes it works, but most times I wake up frustrated. I wonder what is so intriguing about these dreams that I want to get back to them?

Here is a short list of dreams that I remember:

• I sometimes dream that I can fly. Whether I am aware of this gift prior to take off changes. I can be pushed over the edge of something high or just jump into the air and take flight. What the psychological significance of this dream is, I don’t know?  What holds me back from flying is that as a human, I lack the capacity for flight. There is probably something else about it and if you can think of it, please let me know.
• Dreams of being chased or chasing someone else come up quite often. Chases take place in cars or on foot. I remember one where I skied while chasing someone. Weird huh? I am chasing after a career and lifestyle that brings me joy. Better focus will bring me closer to finding whoever or whatever I search for in the dream.
• While reading a good book, I dream that I am a character in the book interacting with the other characters. I am sometimes an observer that is not seen by anyone. Like the dreams of flight, I’m not sure what hidden meaning lies in these dreams. If the book being read is set in a certain time, I am dressed in period costume, even when I am not noticed by the characters.

In my dreams, my age and appearance varies. Maybe this has something to do with the overall theme of the dream, maybe not. To find what is holding me back from realizing my dreams, I will start a dream journal. If I am too lazy to write it (which is why I currently don’t have a journal) I will dictate it into my iPhone for later transcription.

What do you dream about? Do you write it down? Please share your thoughts and stories about your favorite dream.

Related articles

• ‘DREAM’ Come True! (mythbroakia.wordpress.com)
• How to Experience a Lucid Dream (socyberty.com)

Play up your passion

Passion for Fashion (and feathers)

There seems to be a general theme floating around in the blogosphere  these days regarding putting passion into your blog. Two of the best posts I read were by Mack Collier and Margie Clayman. My interpretation of the take-home message from these and other similar posts is “Duh!” Of course you need to be passionate about what you are writing/doing, or else you will come off as being insincere.

Fake it till you make it

I don’t know about you, but I can’t fake passion. If I am at work learning a new policy or marketing promotion and feel less than enthusiastic about it, the associates sense it. It is vital that I have bought into whatever I am selling. When a new line is inspiring, it is easy to convey passion towards the product, the associates and the customers.

At school, if there is a subject I feel disconnect towards (cough, cough, finance) I can study all day long, but still fail miserably on an exam. Whereas classes perceived as fun such as the personal branding class I just completed, doing assignments becomes less of a grind and the classes are a dream to take. It is so much more fun learning something that I am interested in.