Oprah's rerun today was about how hard it is to receive a windfall of money (personally, I'd love a windfall of TIME). Getting rich quickly is harder than we imagine when we fantasize about winning the lottery. I was a little bored with the show, to be honest, but my mind kept wandering to the question, "What does it mean to be wealthy?" Of course, the first thing I tend to think about is having enough financial means to live big. To live luxuriously and extravagantly. But then, I thought about a time in my life, about a decade ago, when I had a pretty "important" corporate job. Big office, big paycheck, big title. Still, on a day to day basis, I was miserable. I dragged myself to work each day and when I sat down in my chair, I wanted to be someplace else. While on paper, I might have looked wealthy, spiritually, I was bankrupt. Was getting such a big paycheck worth 60 hours a week of unhappiness and angst?
Luckily, being miserable is quite an inspiration to change for me and 10 years later, I have a job I love, strong relationships, actual free time, hobbies, and a fulfilling life. I feel wealthier now than I did in the old days even though I make less than 1/2 the salary I did in Corporate America. I am grateful for the abundance I have. What I need to do is remind myself of this every time I open up my bills and cringe and think that the grass might be greener on the other side of the financial fence.
I was feeling pretty frazzled as I worked on all my Oprah assignments last night and so I got on her website and did a meditation she's got archived. It's saved as an audio file and I lit some candles, sat comfortably and meditated. Afterward, I felt peaceful and centered. Thanks to Sharon Salzberg who created the program.
I'm starting to use more and more tools from Oprah's site. Recipes, organization, self-improvement and such. Although my financial situation is...ok...it could be better. I will be using some of the financial tools on her site and look forward to new shows about budget and financial planning. And speaking about new shows...
Drum roll please...NEXT WEEK BRAND NEW SHOWS BEGIN! Woohoo!
I'll be tuning in on Monday to learn about Oprah and Bob Greene's "Best Life Challenge." I have never paid too much attention to Bob Greene before, so I'm interested in seeing how all this will affect my quality of life. Is anyone out there planning on following the Challenge?
Have a great weekend!
Best,
LO
Friday, January 11, 2008
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1 comments:
I'm more than a year late in reading this post, but I am determined to read your blog from start to finish since I discovered it well into your project. When you ask "What does it mean to be wealthy?" you really made me think. I have a sibling who is quite well off while I have enough to live, but not much else. To me, being able to put new tires on my car when they are needed with out thinking about whether I can afford them would make me feel wealthy. There was a time that I could go out and by a piece of jewelery that cost several hundred dollars without giving it much thought. Like you, I "stepped down" to a job where I was happier, but poorer. I don't need money enough to live extravagantly, but to be able to handle necessities without worry would be wonderful.
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