Quit Messing With Me

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Nina

I just haven’t been able to keep up with everything this week. There come times when every so often you have to clean up, re-group, re-organize and just take some things off the to do list and let it go. That’s where I’m at. I’ve been very busy the last 2 days with my “real job”. It’s not very exciting or fun, but it’s what pays the bills. Since we are self employed, the work, and the worry, is all up to us.

I don’t know how the bloggers out there that actually do all their own website design on two websites, write all their own posts, pages, etc., like I do, can keep up with it all themselves if they also work a regular job. These days, having a website and social media for your business is not an option. The invention of all this technology has certainly not saved time. It’s a necessary thing, but it’s made for more work. Something has to give.

I spend my evenings working on my knitting, sewing and crafting. I try not to let anything interfere with that time because it’s my relaxation, fun and creative time. I also have two art shows coming up and I have to get my inventory built up.

I’m always asking myself, “how did I do this when I was younger with two busy boys”? Well, I didn’t knit and sew and I didn’t have a website, facebook, e-mail, or even a computer for that matter. I worked, took care of my house, my kids and my husband. That was it. That’s what I did. Now we have websites and social media, and constant news to clutter our heads. Plus, I’m 54 instead of 34. I hate to admit how that makes a difference. Does it make a difference because of having less energy (maybe) or because I just want to enjoy a calmer, quieter life now? More so the latter.

I’m very guilty of the internet taking over my life, partly out of necessity and partly out of addiction. How in the world did we get by without it before? And then there’s the too much information syndrome. I guess I have a very addictive personality, or obsessive compulsive disorder, call it what you will, but I have a hard time pulling myself away from the computer and the news. And it all DRIVES ME CRAZY! I know too much! I worry about the things I read and see all day long!

So this all leads me back to the beginning of my post. I am trying to relax more about some things and do what needs done first. I’m trying to not get so worked up about things I can’t control, such as the political and world situation. I’m trying to be OK with just doing what I can do and letting the rest go. It’s not easy. I feel anxious if I don’t get up a new post at least once a week on my blog. I feel guilty if I don’t get the house all clean on Mondays. I worry about the country and the future for my children and grandchildren. Then I think about what I just wrote and it’s all silly! Who cares, besides Google’s SEO if I don’t write something on my website? Who cares if the house isn’t spotless? And I care very much about the future, but there isn’t much I can do about it. I’ll do what I can, not worry about what I can’t change, and prioritize by most important first. At age 54, some things just aren’t worth it!

My Over 50 Beauty Tip for the Week: Don’t worry! It’s not good for your health and it’s not good for your complexion. It causes lines and wrinkles and your smile and happy glow disappear.

There, now I’m glad I had this little talk with myself. I feel much better and it’s time to knit and watch The Voice!

He Left Me!

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Nina

Are you happy when you’re alone? I’m sure that depends on a lot of factors. It would depend on whether it’s by choice or not. Is it just a short and temporary situation or a seemingly permanent way of life? Are you a person that thrives on quiet alone time or do you need to have constant live interaction with others in order to feel alive and happy? Like most things in life, we usually crave what we don’t have or don’t have a lot of.

As women, and especially women over 50, I think I can make a general statement that we are much more in need of, or at least comfortable with, our alone time. I’m sure that’s not true for all of us, but in general. Am I wrong on this? I know I love being alone! I’m sure that’s because I am alone very seldom. I’m home alone for a few days while my husband is out of town on a business trip. I feel like I’m on a 4 day vacation without even wanting to walk out my door! Guess what I did yesterday? I sat on my butt most of the day, in my little studio/sewing room, in my cute comfy favorite chair, surrounded with everything I needed. My dogs slept on the couch next to me and I had my little TV turned on to the channels I like to watch without anyone saying to me, “How can you watch that crap?” My coffee cup and later my wine glass, the TV remote, and the telephone are all within a short reach on the end table to my right. My computer and bookkeeping that I’m working on, are right in front of me on my little ottoman. My yarn and book basket is on the floor to my right and my beading stand is on my left.

I only had to get up to go to the bathroom, get something to eat, and let the dogs out. What a great day! Nobody was talking at me, asking me questions, wanting something to eat, or wanting my attention. I had guacamole chips with spinach dip for dinner, watched the TV shows I wanted to in bed, and then read my book with my nightstand light on instead of my little tiny book light! Oh such simple little joys!

I know why it felt like such a treat, and that’s because it very seldom occurs. My husband and I have been married for almost 33 years. We have also worked together for 32 of those years. For the last 8 years our office has been in our home and so we are together almost 24/7. Not only are we physically together most of the time, we are working together, talking, discussing, planning, and at times disagreeing. We see and feel each other’s stresses, hear each other’s phone calls and share each other’s emails. So a little alone time is a very welcome change.

I know there are many single, divorced, widowed, and maybe even some ignored married women that would tell me that they would change places with me any day just to have a loving partner next to them and interacting with them. I understand that. I am not complaining. Like I said earlier, we usually crave what we don’t have.

Our situation obviously works for us, but it takes a lot of patience at times. We also have lived this way almost our whole married life and so at this point, living any other way for a longer length of time, would just not feel right at all. In fact, shortly after my husband left, I started telling myself that I really should have gone with him! Last night we talked on the phone and I just kept thinking that I should be there with him!

Yes, my kitchen is clean and there are no dirty dishes, but it’s not very enjoyable cooking for one. The bathroom is staying clean and I seem to sleep better and wake up without my back hurting, but the nights are getting cooler and I have no one to snuggle with. I’m doing my work without someone talking to me, but there is no one here to answer my constant annoying questions. And what if an appliance or piece of office equipment breaks down? I can’t fix stuff like that!

I’ll enjoy my alone time. I have a lot of work to do so it flies by. I’ll be so glad when he’s back home!

How To Be Happy in Your Home

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Nina

Hi! Come on in. This is my HOME. It’s not just a house. It’s not just where my office is. It’s my HOME where I’m Happy to live and work. I even like to stay home when I have a few days off.

(Sigh —) My little staycation is coming to an end tonight. That’s OK. My husband has been in Las Vegas at a seminar since Sunday. We work together, at home, so when he’s away I kind of goof off a little. I seem to actually get more done, really. I’m not making lunches and dinners and discussing and talking with him all day, so I’m just doing what I need to do. Then I have the evenings to do what I want to do. Four days is about enough, though, and our little break from each other is over and I’m ready to have him back and get back to work with him.

Our Financial Planning business can become very stressful and we put many long hours into it. I’m in my house for days on end sometimes, only walking outside to let the dogs out. I suppose this would drive a lot of people crazy, but I love being home! It’s a good thing, huh? Here’s the secret I’ve learned: Your house has to be a home that hugs you! I am always feather-nesting my home in ways that I feel so comfortable and warm and at peace here. It’s a large house, and with just two of us in it, our house could feel cold and cavernous and empty, which wouldn’t be the place and feeling we would want to spend so much time in.

The first layer of our nest consists of being clean and organized. We have so much that happens here all day, that we need to be organized. And then I’m just the kind of person that can’t do a thing if I’m surrounded by clutter or dirt or dust. I have to feel good in my surroundings to be able to relax and work efficiently. Just think about it – if you walk into a home or an office that’s cluttered and dirty vs. a home or office that”s clean and organized, which home or office would you rather stay in? Our business and work is stressful enough, so I need to make our surroundings and our lifestyle happy and joyful.

The second layer of our nest consists of decorating. I want to be able to walk from room to room to office with a smile because I like what I see and how I feel. My home is filled with family pictures, heirlooms passed down from my grandmothers and mother-in-law, and things I’ve made. I change colors and decorations with the seasons. Pennsylvania can be very dark and gloomy in the winter, so I like to leave some of my Christmas trees up with the little white lights and redecorate for Valentine’s Day, and then again for St. Patrick’s Day.

The tree comes down after next week. We turn the clocks ahead on Saturday night and there’s more sun and light coming in, so the Spring and Easter and pinks will be taking the place of the green. My dining room is off to the left when you walk into the front foyer.

Spring and Easter will take over this room after next week, too.

The third and most important layer of our nest is the love, emotion, and feeling that the people that live in it bring to it. My husband works very hard and his mind gets so pre-occupied that I know he doesn’t really give a second thought to any of the feather-nesting that I do. I know it’s important and I know he appreciates it, even if unconsciously. He would be so much more irritable if we lived and worked in a cluttered mess.

He’s been in a Las Vegas hotel for 3 nights and hates to be away from his home. It’s one reason I didn’t go along. My home is more comfortable than almost any hotel room I could stay in. Maybe it’s just as we get older we become more of a homebody. Maybe. But I’m much happier being a homebody in a clean, organized, warm, loving home than a home that doesn’t have any of those attributes.

So back to work tomorrow! Don’t forget to Spring Ahead on Saturday night!

Organization is Key When Working From Home

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Nina

Work From Home – Part 5

I love Working From Home. I wouldn’t want to work any other way. Contrary to popular belief, though, working from home takes more self discipline and working hours sometimes than working outside the home. The only way to be successful is to be organized and have a schedule.

It is so easy to get sidetracked and interrupted when you’re working in your home office. That’s the #1 priority, too, is to have an “office”. Don’t have your couch, a chair in the living room, or your bed be your “office”. Set up a designated room, or at least a section of a room, as your office. You need to have, at the very least, a desk, a filing cabinet, a cupboard or shelving for supplies, and enough surface area for your computer and printer. Even a small space can be adequate if you can keep it organized, efficient and uncluttered. I just recently cleaned out my corner kitchen cupboard to make sure that the only thing on my designated shelves were essential to my office. Get rid of the old candles, mugs, dog treats, and chipped dishes and vases!

Essentials for your office cabinet, cupboard or shelving

envelopes – letter size and larger manilla. Depending on your type of business you may also want to keep some Fed Ex and Priority Mail envelopes
stationary and printer paper
file folders
packages of printer labels
notepads, notebooks, 3 ring binders
CD’s, DVD’s, MP3′s – only that are necessary to your business

Essentials for your desk

scotch tape
stapler and staples
pens, pencils, highlighters, letter opener
white out
business cards
stamps
paper clips
calculator
post it notes

Essentials for surface and desk top

To Do List (very important)
computer
printer/copier
3 hole punch
telephone

Essentials for “Making it Feel Good”

pretty lamp
plant or flowers
pictures
bulletin board
candle or essential oils
window, television, radio, water or green iced tea (not necessarily essential, but I have to have these)

Of course, everyone’s business needs are different, but I’ve tried to come up with lists that are basic to almost any office or business. If you have a business that requires inventory, or maybe crafting or sewing supplies, or photography equipment, and the list can go on and on, then at least try to keep everything in one room or area. Keep it all organized, well marked, orderly and efficient. If you need something, you know right where to go to get it. Your home is still your home so you don’t want all of your business and work supplies taking over the whole house. Keep your home, or at least your “office” space clean, organized and inviting. Even if it’s not an office that others come into or see very often, it needs to be welcoming to you so that it’s a place where you want to be and feel comfortable being in.

Organizing your mind is so important anytime, but especially in order to have the self discipline needed to be your own boss and work at home. You don’t have someone telling you what you need to do, when to do it, how to do it, etc. If your mind is cluttered it just becomes that much more difficult to figure all this out on your own.

There is a great book by Margaret Moore and Paul Hammerness, a Harvard Health book, ”Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life” that you can buy here. They talk about your brain being designed to handle one task, one focus at a time. Our brains our not designed for multi tasking. Our brains have the ability to do many different things, but in order to get the full benefit of doing any one thing well you need to focus and concentrate on the task at hand. You are in control as far as choosing your focus, but then you need to steer that focus. I have to admit that this can be very difficult for me. In this time of emails, facebook, twitter, and trying to do it all, it’s so easy to jump from one thing to the next. But then do you ever find yourself getting caught up in something that you jumped to and completely lose sight of what you were doing in the first place? It happens to me all the time! This book is a great lesson on how to manage this.

Now that your space and mind are organized, we’ll talk next about your time. This can be the most difficult thing about “working at home”. There can be a lot of interruptions. One of the hardest things is making others understand that you are actually “working”, even though you’re at home. The phone rings and people come to the door. It’s always assumed by friends and family that if you’re home you must be free and available for whatever. This is why you need to make a schedule, stick to it, and make others aware of your schedule. Part 6 of my series I’ll talk about scheduling and give a sample of what mine is.

You can see the first 4 parts of my “Work From Home” series here.

If you’re new to my site - Welcome! I hope you enjoyed this article. You can receive updates, my blog posts and almost daily “happy” thoughts in your email by signing in below or here. You’ll also receive my free e-book, “7 Simple Keys to Fitness for Real Housewives Over 50″ as my gift to you!

Don’t Try This at Home!

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Nina

A suggestion for Work From Home grandmothers – don’t think it’s possible to keep your 20 month old granddaughter for the week and also continue to work as usual. Not going to happen!

I’ve happily had Baby Leanna at my house now for 5 days but I think I’ve returned all of one business call and have taken one shower and one bath. Baby Leanna and her family are moving from Pennsylvania, 1-1/2 hours away from us, to Texas next Wednesday. Since her mom and dad were busy getting the house ready for the movers to come and pack them up, and her two older brothers are finishing out this week in school, they asked if I would keep Baby L. for the week. Well, of course! Bob and I just adore her, as we do all the grandchildren, and 20 months is just such an adorable age. Her little personality, the good and the “attitude” are showing and she’s just a joy. Besides that, we aren’t going to see them like we’re used to after next week, so this opportunity for time with her is so welcome.

Here’s the deal, though, and I don’t have much time to go into it because she just woke up from her nap early, – my empty nest, work from home, 54 year old’s schedule isn’t used to this! For those of you that know me by now, know that I like (and require) organization and a schedule in order to get everything done. Bob and I Work From Home full time. I also have a few hobbies that I love to do. We also have a large home and 3 pets that I just wouldn’t take on when my two sons were young because it’s too much. Well, it’s now too much with one little 20 month old baby. I’ll tell myself that I’ll do this or that after she goes to bed at 8:30, but I’m too pooped to get off my chair and out of my vegetative state!

I wouldn’t change this week for anything, but I’m just sayin’ – Don’t try to Work From Home full time with a baby at home! It’s really not possible. I’m sure there are young mothers out there that maybe do this. And if you do, and do it well, I commend you! If I were a full time mother in this situation I would have to either work from home part time, doing something that could be done while the baby naps and after she goes to bed in the evenings, or take baby to a day care as any other full time working mother would have to do. I suppose if I were a young mother I would be able to come up with other options, but from a grandmother’s point of view, it’s too much!

Heck, just a small shopping trip with Baby L. to Wal-Mart yesterday just about did me in! Getting her in and out of the car seat is a chore all by itself! Then she decides she wants every cookie and cracker snack that you walk by and fusses about it until you distract her with something else. And since I was a taking a little longer than I had anticipated, we ran into nap time and then it was all down hill from there. I had to just rush toward the end of my shop and forgot so many things!

Maybe a Young Me could Work From Home somehow with a baby, but the Older Me thinks it’s very difficult. If I try to Work, Baby gets a little ignored. Although, a little bit of this is OK, but not to the extent that I need to put into work. And when I give Baby the attention she needs and wants, Work gets ignored and only done halfway. It’s impossible to stay organized like I need to and the house just is not able to stay as clean as it normally is. Bob is still handing me more to do and then tells me to just relax when I give him a “look”! Does he not see this baby I’m feeding and diaper changing?? If this weren’t temporary we’d be having a huge “discussion” over this! I have phone calls to make but I feel it’s not professional to have the recipients of my phone calls listen to a baby babble, or worse – cry, on the other end.

Here’s my solution: Basically drop everything else while Baby L. is here! We can’t help but be happy and smile every second we’re with her. If I can squeeze something else in, then great. (Such as writing this! She’s playing good by herself right now.) If I can’t get it done, it will still be waiting for me next week, after Baby Leanna and family are gone far away. After I’ve cried for a good solid day!

The rest of Baby Leanna’s family are moving in with us tomorrow, since their household is now on a big truck on the way to Texas. We’ll have 24/7 with them until Wednesday. This may be God’s way of working it out so that I’m ready for them to leave and it will buffer the pain of saying good-bye. I don’t know. I’ll let you know next week how it goes!

Can Working With Your Spouse Work?

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Nina

Part 3 of my Work From Home Series: The answer to the question, Can Working With Your Spouse Work? – is Yes! The follow up question would be – “Is it fun and easy and ideal?” – honest answer is, “Not always!” I’ve heard from so many people that tell me they are working toward this situation in their own life. I would say, go for it, but be prepared and know what to expect. It takes a very strong marriage and relationship to make this work. My husband and I started out shortly after we were married by working together in our own little office outside of the home. There were many times that I would tell Bob that I didn’t know if this was going to work, being together 24/7! He had no problem with it, but I think women for the most part enjoy their own space more than men do. He would cite me examples of other married couples that worked together. Some of these people we knew personally and some we just knew of. I think I am correct in telling you that all of those couples are divorced today. It’s definitely not easy – especially for a long length of time. Well, I should clarify that. If you make it after so many years, by the time you get to 30 years of working together I think it’s a safer bet that you’ve probably figured it all out and have weathered the storms.

My first suggestion would be to divide the responsibilities of your business and each of you be in charge of your own responsibilities. This means accepting the way your spouse handles and works their particular job without harsh criticism and constant “suggestions” on how to do it better. There are serious fights in your near future if you don’t accept this. When we first started out, with our own insurance agency, we were both doing the same thing. This was 31 years ago and I was very young, so I think Bob felt like he was “the boss”, and back then especially, it was always assumed by new clientele that he was naturally “the boss”! Problems arose! Eventually, after many trials and changes, we divided up the responsibilities. In our case, I was in charge of property and casualty insurance lines and Bob handled all life insurance products. That evolved into his desire to become a Certified Financial Planner and Investment Adviser.

We also had 2 sons that were practically raised in our insurance office! When they were very young, my grandparents would look after them. Our office was next door to their home, so this worked out. As they got a little older we started taking them to day care. Then when they started school, we arranged for the school bus to drop them off at our office and we had a back room with a television and kitchenette. This became a little more difficult as they got older and we then were able to arrange our work schedule so that I was home at 3:00 and could be home with these two teenage boys! This isn’t really any different than any working couple. A major advantage of working together is that we were able to “cover” for the other one when needed.

That’s how we worked it out and it wasn’t easy! We lived and breathed our business at least 12 hours a day! We had very little time apart and yes, we could get on each other’s nerves! We did not (and still do not) always agree on business ideas and decisions. You learn to compromise and take turns being in charge.

Now for the past 8 years we continue to work together out of our home. By this point we know how to make it work. We made it way past the trial period! Many work from home couples don’t make it that long. I’ve come up with a starter list of necessities for working with your spouse. This is just a starter list because if you start with this you’ll then develop many ideas of your own that work for you:

* Work on your marriage and keep it and each other more important than anything else

* Compromise – your are not going to agree on everything all the time

* Show respect for your spouse at all times and never criticize them in front of anyone else

* Try to set aside days and times of the day that are for each other or family only, with no thought or mention of work or business. You are husband, wife and family above all else

* Have regular business and planning meetings, just as though you were not married and were business partners only

* Get and stay organized. At home and at work.

* Keep a regular schedule.

* Be very disciplined

I’ve come up with these suggestions through our own trials and mistakes. We didn’t always (and still sometimes don’t!) follow these guidelines. Because of years of experience I know what works and what doesn’t. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to abide by! But with a lot of work and determination to make it work, it can be ideal to work with your spouse in your own business!

Part 4 will be about Working From Home specifically. Working From Home full time, vs. part time, vs. main income, vs. supplemental income. All Work From Home situations are not created equal!

If you’re new to my site – Welcome! I hope you enjoyed this article. You can receive updates, my blog posts and almost daily “happy” thoughts in your email by signing in below or here. You’ll also receive my free e-book, “7 Simple Keys to Fitness for Real Housewives Over 50″ as my gift to you!

Working From Home – Part 2

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Nina

Now, where was I? In my last post, http://over50andhappy.com/work-from-home-to-live-your-best-life-or-not, I told you some of the good about Working From Home. As promised, now I need to tell you the behind the scene realities and what it takes to make it possible to be self employed and work from home, and in my case, with your spouse!

We could probably never be an employee at this point. My husband and I have worked for ourselves almost our whole married life. For anyone that thinks this is the ideal Best Life you can have and that this is what you strive for, don’t let anyone tell you that there are quick and simple ways to do this. There are so many get rich quick schemes out there that promise financial freedom. Then there are those that tell you if you just pay them a few hundred to several thousand dollars, they will show you how to make a 6-figure income while you Work From Home, at your computer, and in your pajamas! While this is possible and definitely can happen, it’s not easy!

Hard work, LOTS of hours, persistence, studying and learning, self discipline, strong will, organization, and just maybe a little bit of luck, is what it takes. The luck we had was my grandfather offering my husband and me the family insurance agency 32 years ago. That was luck and family love. Because of that we got our start. But that’s all it was – a start! It was up to us almost right from the start to begin the 32 years of studying and working hard. We worked six days a week and didn’t take our first vacation for 5 years.

So yes, it’s great that no company or boss is dictating your hours and your time off, but that is not necessarily the good news. We worked (and sometimes still work) longer hours with less vacation time than any employee working for someone else. Then when you’re not physically working in your office or at your desk, many evenings and weekends are still spent planning and thinking. You are the one responsible for the success, income and future of your business and family. You want to talk about STRESS?!

There’s also the matters of taxes and benefits. I know, fun and interesting subjects, aren’t they? Very few people that talk about the great lifestyle and possible income of being your own boss ever tell you the whole story. It’s not fun stuff to discuss, so I won’t go into details because no one really wanst to hear about it, but just let me remind everyone about what I’m sure you must know. Self employed people pay more in taxes and have to set aside their own hard earned money in order to estimate and pay their income tax every quarter. As an employed person, you don’t really think too much about this. It’s all done for you and you don’t really miss the money withheld because you never see it or hold it in the first place. In addition to that, the percentage of taxes we pay being self employed is higher. I can tell you – it stings a little. We try to have an attitude about it that it’s our privilege and we’re thankful to be able to do it. But honestly, this attitude is hard to hold onto all the time!

Then there’s the matter of benefits – or should I say LACK of. None are given to us. NONE! We pay our own, and again this is something I’m sure everyone knows but if you’re an employee you probably don’t think too much about. Health insurance is very expensive for self employed, especially if you aren’t part of a large group of any kind. And there are no pension or retirement moneys being set aside for you. We have to have the knowledge and self discipline to do this all on our own. Okay, a little more stress now! This has been the case for us all these years since we are both self employed and we don’t have a spouse’s company’s benefits to attach ourselves to.

So why would anyone want to be self employed? Why do we stay self employed? Well, even with all CONS, the PROS outweigh them. It definitely can be a good life as long as you’re aware of all that it takes. Plan for and be prepared for the best and worst. There are no guarantees of income just the same as there are no guarantees of continual employment working for someone else. And even though I’ve been self employed for 32 years, I still get stressed and worry. At least I can still stress and worry as I sit at my desk in my kitchen, wearing my pajamas, while I look out the window at the lake! There’s also the great feeling of satisfaction that there are some payoffs for all the hard work.

I know many of you are interested in being self employed, but working from home. We spent 25 years working outside the home in our own office, and have now spent almost 8 years working from home. TOGETHER! And believe me, that presents a whole new set of issues!

I’ll discuss this in Part 3 of this series coming up in the next week or so. If you have any questions or anything in particular you’d like me to address, please leave me a comment. I love the comments you leave me, either here, on Facebook, or by email.

Work From Home to Live Your Best Life – or Not?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Nina

So your ideal best life would be to Work From Home? I have received so many questions and requests through Facebook and my website to talk about this. How to go about it and get started? What do I do first? What is a good business to do from home? How do I get a website? And much more! This is a growing trend these days, with unemployement what it is, and people wanting to increase their income, or just the desire to be your own boss and get away from a BOSS telling you what to do and/or Corporate America.

I talk about Making Your Life What You Want, and the Art of Living Your Best Life, and Being Happy Over 50, and I feel I have 32 years of experience and learning and doing what I talk about. My husband and I have been self employed for almost 32 years and have Worked From Home being self employed for the past 8 of those years. I can tell you the how, why, pros and cons. The good and the bad, the upside and the down.

Here’s the upside. This is the little bit on the surface that people from the outside looking in can see. We live in a beautiful house on a lake, with Bob’s office in a separate room upstairs. He sits part of the day in his custom made leather recliner looking out the window overlooking the lake as he talks on the phone. My office is in the corner of my kitchen, with my little antique desk facing a wall of windows overlooking the lake. I can cook, bake, do laundry, dust and vacuum all in between computer work or bookkeeping, or mailers being prepared. Bob is a Financial Planner and I am his assistant. We can come and go as we please, take vacations whenever we want, visit the children, grandchildren and parents on a whim. Sound ideal? Well – it almost is. While this is all true, this is just the tip of the Self Employed Work From Home iceberg! It didn’t happen overnight and it didn’t happen without a lot of hard work. And it is still a continual learning process and even more hard work. I know that people just see the tiny little bit that I just described and think, “Oh how lucky they are and I want to live like that”, (well, maybe not everybody thinks that! -) . You have to hear and know the whole long story of what it took to get to this point, and it still continues to be very hard work and scary and unsure a lot of the time.

Here’s the start of “The Rest of the Story” as the late Paul Harvey used to say on his radio show after the noon news. Remember him? I would listen to him every day years ago in my insurance office. 32 years ago Bob and I has just been married and my grandfather was turning 65 and getting ready to retire. He had started his own Real Estate and Insurance Agency back in 1950 in this small town in Pennsylvania. His office was on the lot behind his home. As he readied for retirement he really wanted to see his life work and business continue and wanted to keep it in the family if possible. Grandpa came to me and my new husband and asked us if we would be interested in moving from Cincinnati to small town, Pennsylvania, to take over the family business. We were so young, at 21 and 24, both of us with good jobs, but no real career that was keeping us there, so we decided quickly, as most young people do, to go with it!

We moved our few belongings and started right off with going to classes and studying and taking exams and within six months we took over the business. There were many ups and downs over the past 32 years. There was a lot of hard work and many changes including 2 sons, later 5 grandchildren, parents moving back to the hometown after retirement, selling off part of the business, and last year the death of both of my beloved grandparents at the ages of 92 and 94.

Through those years Bob and I experienced and learned a lot. One thing we learned and know for sure is that it isn’t easy. The insurance and small agent industry also went through a lot of changes and we saw into the future a little bit and sold part of our agency about 8 years ago. Bob was already a Certified Financial Planner, working out of our agency and I sold auto and homeowners insurance and managed the office. It was my portion of the business that we sold. Bob’s part of the business was going very well and growing, so it is then that we started phase two of our self employed career. We sold part of the business, moved into a bigger home, put our offices in the home, our sons had gone onto college and moved out. I semi retired after 25 plus years of running an insurance agency and selling insurance. I could now work in the background as my husband’s assistant and I was very happy to do so.

But there is still a lot more to the story. It sounds ideal, doesn’t it? And it really is, but only because of what we’ve made it. It’s been and continues to be a lot of hard work. In the next article, and more after that in this new series, I’ll give you advice, tips, Work From Home ideas, go-to websites, and more.

Please leave me any questions you’d like me to address or comments you’d like to share of your own WORK FROM HOME experience. You can Live Your Best Life if you really want it! Working from home and for yourself you may discover isn’t part of that plan for you. What I can tell you, is that it can be Your Best Life as long as you know what to expect and don’t have visions of something that some (not all, and I’ll tell you the good ones) gurus, coaches, internet marketers, and business opportunity pushers try to paint for you.

Stay tuned for my next article on Monday, January 16, 2012.