Only I can change my life
I don’t know if god exists or if he listens to our prayers. Me being an eldest kid in our family, I always remember thinking about ways to overcome our financial struggles. Sometimes life seems like a dark tunnel with no light at the end, but if you just keep moving forward, you will end up in a better place. I couldn’t find any other better option than WORK. I’m glad that my parents never limited me and trusted me enough to let me explore opportunities. My first job was in my first year of masters, teaching in a computer institute for my monthly expenses. TEACHING – the job which I love. I was just earning Rs 1500 at that time which took care of my day-to-day expenses.
Money brings power and respect
In my final semester, I got a project in GE to do my academic project. It was a time when people used to pay high chunks of money to get projects. But in my case, they paid me RS.5000. I was super excited with the money, a computer with internet all day, a desk phone, debit card and my own trash bin too 😀 . Things started to become better. I was finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
I completed masters and it was a proud moment as I was the only girl who did masters from both of my parents side. I had huge inclination to Work, but I also realized that earning 5k will not help me to run a four member family with one income. As per my calculations I should earn minimum 9k to run the family and to support my brother who was still studying. I started my search immediately after the next day of my course completion, and within a month I got placed in TCS in IT side. Again one more proud moment – I was the first person to get placed among 53 students in my class. My take home salary was 12k. I had never been more proud of myself!
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
Another happy and proud moment – I was able to join my brother in engineering college. And Within less than 2 years of my service I got an onsite offer. I also gained respect from our relatives and all were surprised to see my path towards success. So what drove me to work is, the responsibility that I was carrying. Work has changed my life! Not just my life, it changed everyone’s life in our family.
Everyone comes with a baggage. Find someone who loves you enough to unpack
I got engaged within two years of my stay in US to an awesome person. This match wouldn’t have happened if I wasn’t working or educated; I would have definitely missed him. This is the fact! These days does anyone marry a person who is not educated or working? Again here, my work helped me find the right person. Marrying him is the best thing happened in my life. I proudly say this because, the best gift I got out of this marriage is I get to be me! I am loved for what I am.
Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.
Another proud moment – the time when I was getting married, one of my distant relatives Aunty waved her hand 10 feet away from where I was. She was trying to introduce her son to me, who was a teenager at that time. I smiled to her. She rushed with her son and came close to me, and this time she spoke loudly so I could hear her in the noise. She said, “I brought him forcefully here to show YOU to him, so he can study like you and become successful”. Tears rolled, and I realized I gained huge respect from others.
The art of being happy is to be satisfied with what you have.
We were back to US after my marriage. I continued to work with TCS and supported my family and brother. I never occurred to me if i’m working with passion or responsibility or if I need to grow more. May be because I got more than what I expected.
I am proud to call you my brother. Blood made us related but only faith, respect and love for each other made us a family.
Another proud moment – I went to India for my brother’s marriage. He had completed one year of service in Oracle. The day I landed in India(31st March) , as gratitude, my brother put this salary cheque in my hand which was his high paid salary till then.
The goal isn’t more money. The goal is living life on your terms.
After having two kids, my work became more like routine, and took a backseat when compared to family. I feel I’m good in teaching and finance management. To do what I love, I’m working towards financial freedom, where I don’t depend on these day jobs anymore. Hope I will get there soon!
“Your economic security does not lie in your job; it lies in your own power to produce – to think, to learn, to create, to adapt. That’s true financial independence. It’s not having wealth; it’s having the power to produce wealth.“
– SC, DevOps Engineer, a perfectionist baker and cook, with an interest in finance
WORK made the person I am today! It gave me a life! I celebrated my 40th birthday last week with no regrets. I’m planning to retire from my profession soon and want to do what I love. I’m 1000 percent satisfied with what I’m today but this decade is to focus on how I can continue to generate income doing what I love and stop this day job. I teach my kids about the value of education and how important it is to live life respectfully. Hope they get it one day!
Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today