I have started to write about my journey of setting up a Financial Advice and Financial Coaching business which are in line with my values and vision. The first part of my journey was leaving my job which was not easy at all. It was such a huge decision and I hope by writing about it, it may help others who are thinking about making the leap to live a life that is more true to themselves and more in line with their values and life goals.
Friday 8th July 2022 was my final day at my job as a Financial Adviser for the firm I had worked at for nearly 3 years. I had finally made the big decision to quit my job and it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy at all. Over those years I had over 100 clients who had come to me for advice and who I had built up good relationships with over the time I had known them. Due to the nature of my work, if I was to leave the company then I would have to cut off all contact with my clients. I would also have to cut off the income that I had worked so hard to build up over the years and which was our main source of income for the family.
As I write this it makes me realise how much of a huge decision it was. If I could have told myself a year ago that I would have left the company a year later, I don't think I would have quite believed it. I could have carried on doing what I was doing and would have been in a much better financial position than I am today. However, work was affecting my well-being and I wasn't happy.
If I could have told myself a year ago that I would have left the company a year later, I don't think I would have quite believed it.
I don't think I had been happy for a while there, but I had carried on as that was the sensible thing to do, right? I had no other income coming in and wasn't in a position to just quit my job. I had a family to take care of. I also loved seeing my clients and I wasn't ready or willing to lose contact with them. However, I finally found the courage to leave and although it was really hard, there are 3 things that helped me make the leap.
The Support Of Others.
Coaching.
Having A Dream.
The Support Of Others
I couldn't have made the leap without the support of others. This past year has made me realise the power of having supportive people around you. It is invaluable. If you feel like you don't know where to turn then find communities and groups of like-minded people. I joined some online groups, one of which was the Financial Coaching Facebook group. To be honest, I'd never really used Facebook groups before (I have a bit of a phobia with Facebook) but it was through this group that I made contact with someone who was probably most pivotal in me making the final decision to leave my company. She didn't know me but she kindly gave up her own time to speak with me about her own experiences, offering much needed guidance and support.
I have realised how many genuine kind-hearted people there are that are willing to give up their time to talk with you and help you with problems or issues you may have. If you don't have any support at the moment, there are people out there willing to help and it's so important to surround yourself with those who will help lift you up. I know that going forwards, if I succeed then it will be because of the people who I surround myself with and those who support me in what I do.
Coaching
In September 2021 I started a Financial Coaching course ran by Catherine Morgan and, although I didn't know it at the time, it has had such a huge impact on my life. Through the practice sessions I learned so much about myself and my relationship with money. I was lucky enough to be coached through my experiences at work and to find the best way forwards that was in line with my values and which was true to myself. It was so scary just cutting off the income to myself, but coaching helped me evaluate what was most important to me and how I wanted my future to look and feel. I realised that the short-term discomfort was more than worth it for my long-term happiness and well-being and the happiness and well-being of those close to me.
Having A Dream
I've always wanted to help others and educate others about finances, which is why I became a Financial Adviser. However, I wanted to make it more accessible to people and more engaging. I wanted to create a company which is inclusive, authentic, where everyone is equal and which will help others become financially empowered and live the life they want to live and which is true to themselves, whatever that looks like for them. It is this dream or vision, which is bigger than myself, which helps me overcome my fears. To be honest, I don't like being visible. I find it uncomfortable. But when I think about my vision then it's OK as if by putting out videos on social media (which I haven't quite mustered up the courage to do yet) I get closer to my mission then it's worth it. It's this mission that made me help find the courage to leave my job. To set up a company which is in line with my values and vision.
There are people who just won't get it, but that's OK. There are people who really don't care, and that's OK. It's when people actively put your ideas down and make you think that they're silly or unrealistic which is not OK. Don't listen to those small minded people. It's not worth giving any energy or attention to it. There are so many people out there who will support you, whether you know them yet or not, so start surrounding yourself with those people. Find what your passion is. What are your values? What makes you really mad? I get really mad when I see inequality. I'm not going to start a rant here but it drives me absolutely insane when I see someone treat someone as though they are beneath them. I've experienced this and I'm sure many people have. What gives someone the right to speak to someone like they are less than them just because of their job title or sex or ethnicity or how much money they have! You should judge people on what sort of a person they are. I digress...
I realised that pursuing a vision bigger than myself made the thought of eating rice for the next 6 months more bearable (I exaggerate!). In fact, pursuing this mission, staying true to myself and living in line with my values means everything to me. It's only taken me 39 years to figure this out but now that I have, I will never look back and I know that even on the hard days, it will all be worth it in the end.