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December 31, 2016

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Parenting Tips: Secure Your Family’s Future

I have known Andrew’s family for decades. Andrew’s dad is a retired government engineer while the mother is a retired teacher. Andrew has 3 siblings. This is a family that almost worshiped academic excellence. Academics is just about everything for them. Anything lower than an A is almost taboo in the family. Two of Andrew’s siblings are advocates and his youngest sister is undertaking her Masters degree in Finance. Andrew however, has been different. He loved extra curricular activities such as sports and music and has always struggled with academics. He got a grade B in is KCSE exams and his father hit the roof! He was forced to pursue engineering in a private university, even though he really protested that he did not want to become an engineer.

Formal Career Path Not For Everyone

Life at the university was challenging for Andrew. He could not cope with the demands of the course and his father would hear nothing about him changing courses. He made him understand that none of his children would ever pursue useless degrees, not even over his dead body! He told him that if he quit the degree program, they would have to sit down and calculate how much the father had spent on his education so far, and Andrew would have to repay him! Andrew started abusing alcohol while in the first year at university. His parents knew nothing about it since he was living at the university and only came home from time to time. He was able to cover his tracks. By the end of the first year, he had failed several papers and needed to resit them. He developed cold feet at the time of resitting the papers so he did not do the exams. He was discontinued. Andrew was able to survive by doing odd jobs here and there. He never told his parents that he was no longer pursuing the degree course. Until it was time to prepare for graduation and of course Andrew was not going to be on the list of graduants. His parents learned about it in the most painful way possible. Andrew was found dead in mysterious circumstances. The autopsy report ruled that he had committed suicide.

The World Is Changing Fast

We are living in a world that is changing rapidly. Decades ago, excelling in academics was just about the only way known to become successful. Failing in school was almost an assurance that one was headed for a life of failure, with no chance of making anything worthwhile out of one’s life. The period after 2000 has seen the world experience rapid change. One of the changes is the Internet, which has connected the world. Another change is in the world of work. The likes of Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and others who dropped out of the school system to pursue their dreams and succeeded more than the average person could ever dream of, marked a turning point in the way people earn a living in the 21st century. And in Kenya, athletes have earned themselves large sums of money that traditional career paths have no chance of producing. Sportsmen and women, musicians, artists, comedians and so many others are able to build very successful and fulfilling careers.

Parents Need To Change The Message They Give Their Children

Parents are the first people who instill values in children. Others are teachers, religious leaders, peers and society at large. Can the values our parents instilled in us about earning a living be passed on to our children today? Recently a friend of mine and I were having small talk over a cup of coffee. We got to talking about our journey as parents in today’s world. Both of us have adult children. I told her that my children have deviated from the traditional career path, probably because we as a family put so much emphasis on talent development from the time the children were very young. She told me that the prestigious career paths that parents have praised so highly for as long as we can remember no longer pay as well as they used to. The unfortunate thing is that many children still grow up with a closed mind, believing that those career paths are the key that unlocks the world of success. Just listen to top candidates in national exams being interviewed about their dreams and you will get an idea what I am talking about. Today, someone who pursues a career in web design, software development, acting, comedy or some other nontraditional career path is more likely to enjoy long term success than one who pursues the traditional career path. The traditional career path is still admired by many but the outcomes are not always as rosy as is expected.

Talent Mixed With Financial Literacy = Financial Freedom

Everyone is talented in something. Even for those who believe that they have no talents, they only need to dig deeper to discover talents they never imagined existed. If talents are nurtured well and monetized, they can be used to create very fulfilling careers.

Earn Money From Your Hobbies

What about hobbies? What do we do with our hobbies? How many people for example can take nice photos for fun? Photography is a hobby that can be monetized. Keep in mind that success is not given to anyone on a silver platter; you’ve got to work for it. Just about everyone can take a photo but very few people can take really nice ones. If you would like to earn some money through photography, you will have to be good at it and that takes learning and practicing. Learn how to take professional photos and you will be able to create a stream of income doing that.

Writing is a very fulfilling career. Much of the content we see online is written by people who are paid to write. If you learn how to write professionally (pay for training if need be), you will be able to create a rewarding career for yourself as a writer.

Nowadays just about every smartphone is able to record videos. Creating and editing videos can be turned into a career. Just visit sites such as Youtube and you will get an idea how big the video market is.

Web Design is another nontraditional career path that can be very rewarding. Online content is limitless and all of it is designed by web designers. Don’t let the fact that there are free templates discourage you. There are very many people who have no time or who lack the skills to design their own websites, even using templates that are readily available.

Book your free mentorship session here.

This article is written By Susan Catherine Keter, Network Marketing Professional, life coach, personal development mentor and blogger.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc
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Financial Independence Africa
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December 27, 2016

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Parenting Tips: Raise Kids So Strong They Will Not Get Stuck When You Are Gone

I am a parent and I know that parents have this belief that they will always be in their kids’ lives. We never imagine a time we will no longer be around. This is a mentality that we need to deliberately break away from otherwise we will incapacitate our children and make them dependent on us, which will block them from living successful lives.

I know that it is not easy to watch as your children make choices in life that you do not approve of, but remember that when you plant a seed in the ground and it germinates, your work is to nurture and protect it so that it realizes its full potential. It is not your work to control and stop it from growing to what it was meant to be.

Begin With The End In Mind: Independence

Nothing frustrates parents as having adult children who are not able to live independent lives. What makes some children remain dependent on their parents way into their 20s, 30s, 40s? Why do some individuals lack the self-confidence to take charge of their lives? Howo you want your children to grow up to become independent or to forever remain dependent on you? 

Do you want your children to grow up into strong individuals who handle their own issues whether in their jobs or relationships or to come running to you about every challenge they encounter?

It is very tempting to adopt an authoritarian style of parenting because it saves us the hard work of molding the character of our kids. You demand that your children must do 1,2,3 because you said so; zero dialogue, zero listening to them. 

Let us compare bringing up children to nurturing a plant to maturity. You get a seed and plant it.

You want to ground your child to become like a tree that grows big and provides shade and fruits season after season, for generations. 

You don’t want your child to be like a crop that gives fruit once then it withers and dies. That sort of crop is taken care of and nurtured until the time of harvest; it never becomes independent.

When the seedling of a tree is young, it is totally dependent on you. You water it every day, add fertilizer, protect it from the hot sun and harsh weather conditions. So is it with a baby; totally helpless and dependent on the parent for everything.

As a tree grows and matures, it no longer needs someone to water it or protect it from the elements. Its roots run deep and so it can access water from deep down in the ground during dry spells. 

The mature tree is capable of shedding its leaves during harsh weather and to grow fresh leaves when the weather conditions change. You can leave that tree there for decades and find it still thriving when you come back.

In the same way, nurture your baby and provide everything he needs when he is little and helpless. But adapt to the growth of your baby. 

As your child grows and begins to explore, don’t clip his wings. His needs at the age of 5 or 7 are not in line with your needs at age 30 or 40 so don’t try to make him reason like you. Don’t try to make your child a copy of you.

Set boundaries in order to keep your child safe but don’t take over his life. Do not try to make him like yourself. 

Don’t be so afraid that he will make mistakes till you cannot give him any room to explore and learn anything. If you find your little girl playing with mud or dolls and you punish her because she is creating a mess, what exactly are you doing to her development?

Try as much as possible to give your kids space to grow and develop without forcing them to act a different age or development stage from what they really are. 

Guide them such that they start learning responsibility early. For example, work with your little one to put away the toys in their rightful place after play; don’t do everything for your kids otherwise they will never learn life skills. 
Let her play all she wants with toys, mud or whatever but involve her in cleaning up after the play until it becomes routine for her to clean up whether you are there or not.

We parents love our children so much we want to shield them from any painful experiences. But life is never smooth for anyone and we all face challenges and disappointments in life. Life comes to us without a syllabus and we have to learn to navigate through it. 

Give your child the gift of self-reliance by allowing him to find solutions to the minor challenges he encounters in life, without rushing to solve everything for him and protect him from minor struggles and frustrations.

We learn by doing so don’t deny him valuable life experiences by solving everything for him. Should you do that, you will be a very frustrated parent in your later years as your adult child will bring each and every challenge to you at a time when he should be living an independent life and you no longer have the energy to parent him.

Loving your children means training them to survive in this world whether you are there or not. 

If you do not train your children and enforce rules allowing them to get away with anything, they will get a rude shock when they will get out into the world and discover a world that does not revolve around them. 
It will be difficult for them to learn to obey rules and fit into structures if they never learned that from a young age.

Enforce discipline from a young age. Have reward and punishment aspects in your discipline. 

One thing I totally disagree with is punishing children unnecessarily and especially when punishment is damaging to a child such as caning, quarreling or shouting at the child. 
A child breaks a glass or a plate by mistake (which each and everyone of us does anyway) and you punish. A child does something they even had no idea that it is wrong and they are punished. Instilling fear in a child will come back to haunt you when he will fear to take risks as an adult.

What exactly does that sort of parenting do to the growing child? He learns that making mistakes in life is wrong (yet everyone makes them and learns from them). 

His curious nature is killed by fear. I come across adults who are incapacitated by fear, they lack the self-confidence to try anything new, for fear of making mistakes or failing.

Parents really get frustrated when their children turn out that way yet in most cases that character was shaped from a very young age. 

An authoritarian parent controls the kids through fear but gets frustrated when they grow up to become dysfunctional because they are paralyzed by fear.

Your Child is Not An Extension Of You

I see many unfortunate cases where parents force their own beliefs and value systems on their children. I do not like certain colours or fashions so I force my children to live by my value systems. I adhere to certain religious beliefs so my children must adhere to the same.

In many cases the parent acquired those values from someone else; parents, teachers, religious leaders, peers, etc.

Yes, as a parent you have your tastes and preferences but your children are not an extension of you. They too have their tastes and preferences. 

When you impose your own tastes and preferences on your children, you become a dictator in their lives and you achieve one or two things; you raise bitter, angry, children or they rebel against you. When your children reject your leadership and rebel against you, you can no longer be in a position to guide them.

Listen to your children. Give them direction without taking over their lives. explain things. Ask questions and encourage dialogue. 

You are not a sort of god that knows everything. 
‘You will pursue such and such a career…. You will choose such and such subjects…. You will not pursue such and such a hobby or sport….’
By killing the dreams of your children, you destroy them and condemn your family to many years of pain and frustrations. 
You kill the dreams of your children while they are young and helpless then when you will want them to have dreams and goals to pursue, they will have none and will be a burden to you.

How many parents are forever crying because their children have grown up to become dysfunctional yet they were feeling like some sort of gods when those children were young because the children feared them and trembled whenever they (the parents) spoke?

Train your children and nurture them to maturity. Don’t control them. Teach them and instill the right values in them, not by being dictatorial and ruling them by fear but by nurturing them, permitting them to question things and taking time to explain. Don’t threaten and silence children when they question things.

We are living in dangerous times where there is all manner of wrong influences all over the place ranging from the Internet, TV, peer pressure, drug traffickers, criminals and everything else. 

How will your children choose what is right whether you are with them or not? Win them over to choose what is right even when they are exposed to what is wrong. If there ever was a time when parents need to love their children and be close to them, it is today. 
Spend quality time with your children. Play with them. Read books together. Watch movies, programs, sports and other entertainment together. Schedule special time together such as family time, outings, etc. Attend their school events.

Appreciate Individuality

Each one of us has what matters to us most. There are people who value excelling in academics while others value sports. It all depends on our own value systems. 

What do you do if you value academic excellence above all else yet your child is weak in academics but is very good in sports? Do you harass your child, trying to make him excel in academics? 
Do you criticize/belittle sports as a way of making your child change his focus? Do you compare him unfairly with the sibling who is excelling in academics and make him feel useless because he is not as good as his brother when it comes to academics?

Will it be worth it to live with a destroyed child all your life simply because what is important to him is not what is important to you? 

What if your child goes into drugs, goes down with depression or commits suicide because of your endless criticisms? Will that give you any kind of victory? 
Yes, you might be happy about one child who happens to be just the way you like but don’t destroy another child by favouring or preferring one over the other.

Appreciate diversity and learn to give room to whatever different gifts your children bring into your home. At the end of the day, both will remain your children and one damaged child can take away your peace, even lead you to an early grave. Learn to appreciate and encourage diversity.

Your child is looking for a hero; be your child’s hero. Model appropriate behavior rather than training your children to become hypocrites by preaching water while drinking wine. 

Be human, after all you are not superhuman so don’t give the impression that you are. Apologize when you are wrong. Make amends. Admit that you don’t know everything and be open to learning new things. Apprentice that your children too have things to teach you.

Be very careful how you treat your spouse. Respect him/her and apologize when you are wrong. Do not control and destroy your spouse but respect and appreciate differences, unless it is completely wrong and unacceptable such as a parent who introduces a young child to unacceptable behavior such as smoking or drinking alcoholic drinks. 

Always appreciate that you and your spouse are two distinct individuals and your children will grow up knowing that they need to appreciate and respect standards and opinions that are different from their own.

Build the self-confidence of your children. Praise and reinforce good behavior rather than putting too much emphasis on what they get wrong. 

Train yourself to speak positive things about your children whether they are hearing or not. Remember that they are likely to hear from someone else what you said. 
Imagine the pride in your child’s heart when he overhears uncle telling aunt that you said that he is such as talented artist. Refrain from complaining about your children to people because sooner or later they will get to hear about it and it will crush their spirits.

Don’t overlook or ignore bad behavior from your children. If your child treats his sibling or a neighbor’s child with disrespect, handle it promptly. 

Remember that you have very few years to shape the character of your child before you release him into the world where you will not be with him to guide and protect him.

We are living in a day when parents are busy and they cannot always be with their children. Parents often leave their children with someone else as they go to work or travel away from home. What do you do about this situation? 

Prepare your children’s minders adequately and spend time together with them and the children so that you can pass on your requirements to them.

Don’t hesitate to change a minder who is not good for your child. For example, you get a nanny who shouts at your young child, calls him names, wounds his young spirit; have no apologies to make for replacing that nanny. Your child is far too important to you to be destroyed in the name of keeping a nanny.

What if you have to leave your children under the care of someone else for any period of time, be it a family friend, your parents, siblings or someone else? 

How do you ensure that the right values are passed on to your child? At the end of the day, it is you who will live with the consequences of what your child grows up to become; not the nanny, grandma, neighbour, teacher or anyone else so make the right choices when it comes to the bringing up of your child.

This article is written by Susan Catherine Keter; life coach, personal development mentor, motivational speaker, freelancer and blogger.
Website: www.susancatherineketer.com
Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Susan-Catherine-Keter
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Financial Independence Africa
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December 22, 2016

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Financial Freedom For Your Future Generations Is In Your Hands

I met Lucia through her sister Maryanne who was in campus with me. Lucia was pursuing a diploma in Business Management at the Kenya Polytechnic in Nairobi.

Lucia was outgoing, pretty and fun loving. Unlike her sister Maryanne who was rather a serious kind of girl, was very studious and was an official of the Christian Union, Lucia believed in enjoying life to the fullest. She played hard and partied hard. 
My friendship with the two sisters has survived over the years and we still keep in touch. Maryanne pursued an academic path and she is a lecturer in a local university. She is married with 4 kids. 
Lucia’s story is the one that makes me ask lots of questions that have no answers. She got married to a young man whom I found rather a poor match for her when she introduced him to me. He was rather serious while Lucia has always been fun loving. 
Joe had a good job with a multinational company; a company car, well paying job, living in an upmarket part of the city… When he and Lucia got married, the latter was employed in a school in the city. 

Career Cut Short

I was uneasy when Lucia told me that she quit her job because Joe would not let her work. She told me that any time she brought up the issue, he would ask her what she was lacking.
It has been over 20 years since Lucia quit her job as demanded of her by her husband. Life has been ok for the family. Their 5 children have attended good schools, the family has always lived quite well with Lucia and Joe each having their own small car and they have lived in upmarket Nairobi all these years. 

Redundancy

Everything came crashing down when the multinational company Joe has been working with for the past 5 years or so closed shop in Kenya and he found himself rendered redundant. That was over 3 years ago. 
It was like the world came crashing down on the family, literary. They have been living in a rental apartment and they do not own a home either in the city or in the rural area. 
The first one to go down was Joe’s mother. She had been battling health complications for years and Joe was the one taking care of her bills. She did not last even a year after Joe lost his job. She died because Joe could no longer afford her medical treatment. 
The second born daughter of Joe and Lucia was diagnosed with a chronic health condition 2 years ago and they drained all their savings on medical treatments for her. 
I listened to them recently and almost shed tears. Joe says that he has applied for jobs everywhere, talked to everyone he knows and still nothing has come out of his efforts. This is understandable because in his early 50s, he is not the most ideal new employee. The family is sinking in debt.

The family has been evicted from their rental house and are housed by a relative. They have no source of income but are dependent on handouts from family and well wishers. 

It is so many years since Lucia left the job market so efforts to get a job have proven futile. She has started a small business of making detergent and selling among her family and friends but so far that can barely provide 3 meals a day for the family. 

Family Finances in Today’s Economy

I look at the situation in today’s economy and ask myself really tough questions. Can a family afford to kill the productivity of one of their members and still achieve their long term goals? If a couple does not set goals and make decisions jointly, how will they stay afloat over the years? 

Half the Kenyan population live in abject poverty, cannot afford 3 meals a day for their families. The job market is constantly shrinking leaving more and more people jobless. 
There is no form of government social security to cushion those who are out of job so they are dependent on people around them mainly family members. Times are difficult and one thing that will make families stay afloat is working together as a team. 

Goal Setting

Husband and wife would do well to set goals for the family right from the beginning of their journey as a couple. “I am 28 years old and my salary is Kshs. 32,000. My wife is 24 and her salary is Kshs. 18,000. 
We plan to get children at some time in our lives. How many children do we want? When? What sort of lifestyle will we want for our children? 
Does either of us have responsibilities outside the immediate family such as providing for parents or siblings? Is there possibility that some family members will become dependent on us in future? If we rely on our jobs only, can our salaries grow at the same pace as our expenses?”

One year is a very short time so I do not work with one year goals when it comes to planning. A decade is realistic if we intend to bring about real change into our lives. I therefore always begin with 10 years segments when I work on goal setting, and then break it down into manageable portions. 

I always prefer that couples work on goal setting jointly so that they are both reading from the same page. One spouse blocking the career of the other makes zero sense to me. 
Many families in Kenya live from hand to mouth, get into debt and still fail to evaluate their lives and plan ahead. So, why do some people become rich despite having come from disadvantaged backgrounds and having no real advantages over their peers?

The power of decision

The no. 1 reason is the power of decision. They simply decide to change their lives. They evaluate their lives, take stock of the resources they have and plan ahead. 
They don’t just live from day to day hoping to get lucky (to win a lottery or receive some handout or inheritance from some wealthy person). They make concrete plans and follow them. And they rely on cooperation from other people in order to achieve their goals. 
If a couple cannot even rely on the cooperation of each other, how likely are they to achieve long term goals? 
Thinking small and operating alone is the sure way to settle for mediocrity. If you can trust someone with your life such that you lock the door at night and fall asleep with that person in the same room and you trust that he or she will not harm you in your sleep, then you better learn to trust that person as your life partner in all things. 
Begin by understanding what you would like to achieve in the long run, probably by retirement. Set family goals and work on them jointly. How can the two of you utilize the skills and expertise you already possess, to improve the lives of your family? What about gifts and talents? 
How can the husband/wife team monetize their combined skills, expertise, gifts and talents for the good of the family? What can they create that is unique to them? Do they have people who are dependent on them (parents, siblings, etc.)? How can they put their heads together and empower the dependents?

I believe that anyone who is not either a minor, the aged, critically ill or severely handicapped can be taught how to fish rather than being given fish (handouts) every day. Even parents can be empowered and become financially independent. 
No one knows the future so no one should be dependent on another unless it cannot be avoided at all such as in cases of someone who is incapacitated by serious health conditions. 
Technology has made it possible to build successful careers from home so even mothers who quit formal employment in order to take care of their children can still work from home.

How can a mother earn income from home?

1. Identify something you are good at. It could be cooking, baking, taking care of little ones, playing a sport, etc.
2. Look for ways that you can get paid to do what you love. You can do it for people and charge such as cooking for busy people. You can get paid to teach people how to do it. You can turn the teachings into an online course and sell it online.
Being dependent on anyone is a huge risk. There are no guarantees that the adult child who provides for the parents cannot die before the parents, leaving them with no bread winner. 
The more streams of income a family has, the more solid their financial foundation will be. The more family members earn their own income and are independent, the more financially secure the family is.

The curtains will soon fall on the year 2016 and it will go the way the dinosaurs went. As we prepare to welcome the year 2017, make a decision to secure the future of your family. 

Begin with the end in mind as a family. Work together as a team, not as separate individuals. Do not pursue different road maps if you intend to end up at the same destination.

If you have adult children, involve them in planning for the family too. Learn to work together as a team or be ready to perish together as fools. 
At the individual level, take a few minutes to visualize your life 10 years from now (your family’s lifestyle, your intimate relationship, your circles, your self-image, your standing in society, etc.) 
Bring your visions together as a family and harmonize them. You are both building the same home, not two separate homes.

What will your family be like 10 years from now? Describe that life as vividly as possible. Use sketches/illustrations/images in your journal/notebook/scrapbooks, as much as possible.

* Are you married? If not, do you plan to get married some day?
* Do you have children and if not, do you plan to? How many? When?
* Are your children in school? With your current level of income, are you able to provide quality education for your children until they are ready to leave home?
* Is your family cushioned against eventualities such as serious illness or even death?
* Do you have savings? Investments?
* What sort of home do you want for your family? Will you buy it or build?
* What car will you drive? Will you have only one car in the family or more than one?
* What schools/universities do you want for your children?
* How do you want to impact society?
* What legacy do you want to leave behind when your time on earth is up? Think of that moment when you will be breathing your last. Will you close your eyes and be at peace because you will be proud of the way you lived your life?

Do not live your life without a vision. The Bible tells us that where there is no vision, people perish. If you don’t plan for your family’s future, who will?

“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” – Napoleon Hill

If you have no destination you are heading to, you can end up anywhere. If you have no goals, anything can do. So, begin by setting very clear goals. Then work on a road map to take you to those goals and keep going until you get to your destination. 

You can achieve a lot in 10 years if you have clear goals and are focused. What you need is: 
* Clarity. 
* Focus. 
* Persistence. 
Keep going no matter what it costs you or how long it takes. Life does not owe you anything; you have to fight for your territory every day, but you must begin by knowing what territory you are fighting for.

Would you want help to set and achieve your goals? You can get a free chapter on goal setting here.

This article is written by Susan Catherine Keter, a personal development mentor and blogger.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanCatherineK

Financial Independence Africa
Entrepreneurship, Family, Marriage |

December 17, 2016

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Mothers Can Have The Best of Both Worlds

I can still remember that magic moment when I would hold my newborn baby in my arms for the very first time….
Nothing can compare with that special moment….

The bond between a mother and her baby is special and it does not die even as the child grows and becomes independent.

Many mothers face the dilemma of leaving their precious darling with a minder when maternity leave comes to an end. It is tough to go back to work and leave the sweet little angel at home with a minder the entire day. This is even more difficult if the little one has health challenges or special needs.

The economic times make being a stay-at-home mom the preserve of a very few. Even when the husband has a good job, it is still challenging for a family to balance all needs with one source of income.

My story

I look back to my own journey. I got married a few months after graduating from campus. I had a good, stable job at the time. First came the relocations as my husband changed work stations. Then came the kids and the responsibilities that come with raising a young family.

I quit my job and became a full time stay-at-home mom. I took care of the kids myself and that is something I would never exchange for anything even if I could. The kids and I enjoy a very strong bond because I was the person closest to them from the time they were born.

Finding my way in the market place after raising the kids was however not a walk in the park. I had to work extra hard to get back on my feet. I was fortunate enough to have benefited from a lot of support during those days that included sponsorship to attend trainings both locally and internationally. That helped in a big way.

The gift of technology

Technology has made it possible for moms to enjoy the best of both worlds. Armed with a few working tools; a smartphone or tablet, a computer, Internet connectivity, a car that can move her around and a corner in her house; a mother can get to raise her kids and still build a successful career working part time from home.

What the working-from-home mom will need is to identify her niche and ensure to invest in acquiring the necessary skills and expertise. Coming up with a routine is also important to ensure that she gets her work done every day, more so when the children are little therefore requiring a lot of attention.

Having support systems/people she can work with and whose support she can count on is definitely helpful. Support systems include but are not limited to supportive family and friends, circles such as networking clubs or chama, coaches and mentors.

Ways that a mother can earn income working from home

A mother can stay home, enjoy witnessing every milestone her babies achieve, and still build a successful career from home.

Here is an article about my journey: http://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/saturday/Work-at-home-queens/1216-2858100-126vawq/index.html

Financial Independence Africa
Uncategorized |

December 14, 2016

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Secure Your Family’s Future Through Strong Leadership

Matthew was a graduate teacher. He taught in a private school in the city of Nairobi. It was his first year in employment and he was in a serious relationship with a beautiful young lady by the name of Mercy. Mercy was pursuing a degree at private university in the city and she was in her final year. Life was good.

Mercy and Matthew got married the year she graduated from the university. She landed a job soon after graduation, as a personal assistant to the owner of a private security firm. 

Working in such an institution taught her a lot. She learned about being professional, having an eye for detail, confidentiality, responding to issues promptly, and being a careful planner. 
Mercy maintained her own personal diary as well as an official diary for the office. She adhered to her schedules religiously, did evaluations at the end of each day and planned for the next day without fail. 
She maintained very accurate records concerning the security firm and her life was always very organized.

Cracks started to show in the marriage within months. Mercy believed in planning meticulously while Matthew often operated in crisis mode. He brought his younger brother who was in college to live with them, without discussing the issue with Mercy. 

Mercy just arrived from work one evening to find the young man in the house with his bags. When she raised the issue with her husband, it degenerated into a quarrel.

Matthew was also supporting several projects back home which included farming for his parents, financing his mother’s medical treatment and other responsibilities. 

He had a loan he was paying, a debt he incurred while doing some work on the family land including fencing the land and renovating his parents’ house.

His wife did not know about all these responsibilities while they were dating. She would wonder why he was struggling financially yet he earned much more than she did. 

A lot of that information came out during their frequent arguments about money. They were living from crisis to crisis, sometimes having their rented apartment locked for non-payment of rent or electricity supply disconnected because of late payment of bills.

Matthew and his wife never discussed any plans or budgeted for the family. Mercy would sometimes take emergency loans during times of crisis. 

The two gradually drifted apart and Mercy – who was expecting their first baby – started staying for days, even weeks, without saying a word to her husband. She totally refused to be intimate with him and the mood in the house became unbearable.

The couple’s bouncing baby girl was born just before they celebrated their second wedding anniversary. By that time, their relationship was as good as dead. 

The financial struggles escalated with the added expenditure from the hospital bill for the delivery, shopping for the baby, hiring a house help and the extra expenses that accompany a new addition into the family.

The quarrels got worse and Matthew would always silence Mercy telling her that she disrespected him instead of knowing her place in the home by being submissive. 

He would always disarm her by telling her that was rebellious and big headed. He accused her time and again of loving money and being proud.

Mercy and Matthew separated before celebrating 3 years of marriage. She moved out with their baby, leaving Matthew and his brother in the house. 

Matthew was by then a frustrated, angry man and he gradually became dependent on alcohol. It did not take long before he got in trouble at his place of work because of his drinking problem and he was eventually sacked.

Attributes of Good Leadership

Good leadership is critical for the success of any institution, marriage included. What is good leadership?

A good leader:

1. Provides direction and influences those he leads to carry out his wishes and recognize his guidance and advice. Good leadership begins with clear objectives and a sense of direction for the institution. 

A good leader constantly evaluates the situation; “We are at point A and need to move to point B.” How do we achieve that? What resources do we have at our disposal that can enable us to achieve our objectives? 
A good leader not only provides direction but takes the upper hand in solving problems, is courageous and has self-confidence. He leads even when the institution is passing through challenging times.

2. Draws on all the skills and expertise within the institution for overall success. He is a team player. Mercy possessed skills that could benefit the marriage yet they were not being tapped into.

3. Shows enthusiasm and gives assurance to those he leads. He is focused and knows where the institution is headed. 

This motivates the rest to work with him and support the goals he has set for the institution. He puts the goals of the institution ahead of his individual goals. He is not selfish.

4. Has a strong sense of justice and fairness. A person who is rejected and disrespected by those he leads is unlikely to succeed. The no. 1 reason why one gets rejected as a leader is a failure to safeguard the interests of the institution. 

A leader who is in the habit of thinking about his personal interests when making decisions on behalf of the institution is going to find himself rejected sooner or later.

To lead people effectively, one must understand those he leads; their opinions, what is important to them, their value systems, problems, etc. 

Value systems are instilled on someone from a very young age and if you impose your value system on someone else (even a spouse), you are likely to fail. 
Changing someone’s value systems takes time, effort and cooperation of that person. Leadership by dictatorship does not work long term.

A good leader considers the situation of those he leads and puts himself in their shoes. He frequently asks; ‘If I were in his/her shoes, would I like to carry out orders if they were given to me in that way? How would I feel about those orders?’

How could Matthew have built a strong foundation for his family and secured their future?

i. Teamwork. He could have taken his wife as his partner in life, involved her in planning, budgeting and decision making. If the two had worked together as one team, they could have sought solutions to the challenges they were facing, such as the needs of Matthew’s side of the family. 

Matthew had responsibilities outside the immediate family and that is not anyone’s fault. Those responsibilities needed to be factored in and planned for, which can only happen in an atmosphere of openness and trust. 
When a couple manages their home as a team, they achieve much more than when one partner struggles with his or her own problems all alone.

ii. Nurturing his leadership qualities and accepting his wife’s support when possible, rather than claiming to be the leader when he could not handle the responsibility. 

In a healthy relationship, no one is permanently in the leadership position since the leader-follower roles keep on interchanging depending on the activity. 
In certain activities – such as handling the day to day decisions in the home – the wife will be in the leadership role while in other activities – such as investing for the family – the husband is likely to find himself taking the leadership role.

Leaders are not born; they are developed. Leadership is nurtured; it takes deliberate effort to develop leadership qualities. A man is a natural leader in the family but leadership qualities take time and effort to develop.

In traditional society, training in leadership took place from a very young age and usually culminated in the rite of passage to manhood. 

That system of doing things has been lost over the years and many men are growing up without any nurturing to become leaders while others even lack male role models in their lives.

All is not lost. With awareness, even a man who was not trained in leadership as he was growing up can make deliberate effort to invest in himself and develop the attributes of a leader. 

We are living in the age of information and anything we need to learn is achievable. One can invest in whatever skills one desires. It does take sacrifice to invest in oneself but the rewards are worth it.

This article is written by Susan Catherine Keter, life coach, personal development mentor, freelancer and blogger.
Website: www.susancatherineketer.com
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Financial Independence Africa
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December 8, 2016

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Take Charge of Your Life in 2017; Awaken The Genius That Is Hidden Within You!

I hear the heart breaking words almost on a daily basis; ‘I don’t have a job…. My spouse does not have a job…” Over dependence on formal employment is a major cause of suffering on the African continent, pushing up the levels of dependence beyond manageable levels. Everyone has a personal goldmine, a genius that lays deep within us and like gold, needs to be dug out, cleaned up and made ready for use. Each person’s goldmine is different since we are all unique and we have been shaped by different life situations.

Sam is the 23-year old son of a family friend. He is crazy about soccer. Many are the times the windows of his parents’ house suffer cracks because of Sam’s over enthusiasm with the game. For him, every free moment is a chance to enjoy what he loves most; playing soccer. Just about anything can serve as a ball to him, hence the damage to his parents’ beautiful house. He has been struggling with academics and has already changed courses at the university 3 times and there is no sign that he will graduate in the near future.

A personal goldmine is that something that you do effortlessly, that you can do 24/7 without feeling like you are working.

“Do what you love and the money will follow.” – Marsha Sinetar

“Do what you love and the necessary resources will follow.” – Peter McWilliams

Most of us live our entire lives doing things and working in careers that our parents and friends have told us to do, not taking time to know what our talents and passions are. In some cases children who discover and insist on following their talents are seriously discouraged by people close to them including teachers, parents and siblings. Some are harassed and called disobedient and disrespectful. We have allowed others to tell us what is possible and what is not. Fear has been instilled in us that if we do not follow the traditional career path, we shall fail. We have allowed fear to hold us back and keep us in a life that does not give us fulfillment and happiness.

The job market is shrinking by the day and more and more people are finding themselves pushed out of jobs before they are ready. Many find themselves endlessly chasing jobs that no longer exist. It is time to rise up and give ourselves permission to awaken the genius that is buried deep within us. It is time to mine that gold that is buried somewhere within us, buried by the messages that we have been fed since we were little. The number 1 need in Africa is the need for self reliance. We are sinking under the weight of a culture that is destroying us. A small percentage of the population are in employment and they are being crushed by the burden of dependents who are out of employment. The employed people can barely make ends meet so they are relying on borrowing in order to cope with the unrealistic demands. It is time to tap into our personal genius and let it work for us. Maybe your genius is music or sports. It might be something that is not all that apparent as it could be hidden in plain sight. We will work with you to help you remove all the clutter that has covered your goldmine over the years and empower you to rise up and be great as you lead with your talent. Maybe you used to be a creative writer or an artist and you have no idea how you can monetize your talent. That is where we as mentors come in, to shorten your learning curve.

Are you 100% satisfied with the life you’ve got? Is your job fulfilling or you hold on to it simply because you have to pay your bills? Could you do with a secondary stream of income? It is time to harness your brilliance so that you can live a full life.

“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” – Marc Anthony

To take advantage of our special Awaken The Genius In You December offer, book your slot now. Slots filling up fast. Change your destiny in 2017 by taking action now. Call +254728999136 or email: catherine_keter@yahoo.com for further details/reservations.

Susan Catherine Keter is Personal Development Mentor with Sagesse Mentors, a network marketing professional and a blogger. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanCatherineK

Financial Independence Africa
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December 6, 2016

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You Are Your Most Important Asset; Invest In Yourself

We are coming to the end of the year 2016. The year 2017 will soon dawn. Time flies really fast and before you know it, 2017 will be over. Make a difference in your life in 2017 and beyond by paying attention to the way you invest in yourself.

You are your most important asset so if you want lasting success, invest in yourself. The number 1 way I know of improving the value of that investment is by feeding your mind right.

As we prepare to welcome the new year, take time to plan how you are going to invest in yourself. 

* How will you spend your free time?
* What books will you read?
* What audio books will you listen to?
* What online communities will socialize in?
* What sort of people will you surround yourself with?
* What forums will you attend?
* What course will you undertake in order to improve your skills and expertise?
* Will you volunteer?

To improve your life, you need to commit to reading or listening to a minimum of two books a month. If you can do 3 or 4, that is even better. 

I often get reactions to the effect that people are busy they don’t have time to read. No one is ever too busy to do what is important to them. You can read or listen to audio books while commuting, performing domestic chores, waiting in queues, during lunch break, etc.
I will give you a short list of 5 personal development books to get you started on your road to self-improvement. Include reading these books in your 2017 goals.

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad By Robert T. Kiyosaki

This is the book that will challenge your beliefs about money. How many times do we hear the words; ‘I can’t afford it. I don’t have the money…’ Many people struggle financially all their lives and eventually retire poor and dependent on others not because they did not earn money during their working years but because of their lack of financial literacy.

Why do some people earn good salaries but still retire poor and dependent while others start out in life earning little but are able to turn that little money into great wealth? What is the difference? Robert uses two fathers to parallel two possible routes in life and how each goes full cycle.

The highly educated professional who goes through life enjoying a successful career but gets a rude awakening upon retiring and discovering that he can no longer finance his lifestyle with his pension (if there is any pension anyway). 

The second type is the person who takes the route of building assets that last generations, even after he is gone from this world. If you have not read this book, get yourself a copy especially if you are an employee and read it through. You will be thankful that you did.

2. Think and Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill

This is one of the best books I have ever read and I never get tired of re-reading it. It does not grow old. After interviewing over 500 of the most affluent men and women of his time, Napoleon Hill uncovered the secret to great wealth based on the notion that if we can learn to think like the rich we can discover wealth and success.

According to Napoleon Hill, the secret to success really lies in the mind. Success is actually hidden in the power of thought. There is a great secret hidden in this book which is really the magic formula to success.

There is a reason the book’s title is Think and Grow Rich and not Work and Grow Rich. The book has been updated and revised to include stories of top achievers of our day such as Bill Gates and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This book will transform your entire outlook to success and money. Fail to read it at your own risk.

3. The Magic Of Thinking Big By David Joseph Schwartz

This book is really a self-help guide to getting the most out of your job, your marriage and family life as well as your community. It provides you with the cure for failure. The difference between successful people and everyone else is the magic of thinking big; the size of one’s thinking.

Are you a happy and fulfilled individual in life? Do you blame something else from your parents to the government to your spouse for your lack of success? If you are not 100% satisfied with your life, you will do yourself a great service by reading this book.

4. Making A Living Without A Job By Barbara J. Winter

If you are employed, you could be wondering what this book has to do with you. This book teaches something that is critical for survival in today’s economy; the importance of having multiple profit centres which is nothing but multiple streams of income.

A single source of income will not keep you afloat in today’s economy so you better figure out additional ways to generate revenue, aside from your core business.

This book will open your eyes about finding opportunities in a chaotic economy. That is exactly what each one of us needs. This book is a must read in today’s economy. You risk living a life of financial struggle if you don’t read it.

5. Make Your First Million in Network Marketing By Mary Christensen with Wayne Christensen

I guess that if you have heard all manner of horror stories about network marketing and are convinced that it is some sort of scam or pyramid scheme, you will be shocked to find this book on my list. That is completely understandable. In today’s economy, we cannot afford to ignore this industry that is growing at a very fast rate around the globe.

This book is simple but very comprehensive. Instead of following rumors and misconceptions by people who are not experts, be open minded about an industry that is going to transform many lives in the coming decades. Don’t dismiss an opportunity to transform your life but rather get full information then you will be equipped to make informed decisions.

Once upon a time I was ignorant about the network marketing industry and would have preferred to struggle financially rather than look at it. The reality is that many people are still in the dark about network marketing.

It is amusing that many reject this model of business largely because network marketing organizations are configured in the form of a pyramid, but the reality is that just about every organization on the planet is; government, billion dollar corporations, schools, churches and even the family unit.

Network marketing is not illegal and it shouldn’t be. If you are struggling financially and could do with an extra source of income, this book will give you the straight facts about what you need to do to build a successful network marketing business.

And because the school system does not teach us how to build businesses, you will do well to learn entrepreneurial skills as taught in the network marketing industry. You will have better chances building your own business after you have mastered the skills you need to build a successful network marketing business.

This article is written By: Susan Catherine Keter; a network marketing professional, personal development and business coach and blogger. Catch me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc or Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanCatherineK

Financial Independence Africa
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December 6, 2016

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Secure Your Future; Become Your Own Boss

The curtains will soon fall on the year 2016. Many people have the habit of coming up with what they refer to as New Year resolutions. 

I have found this not to work well for me. I can have wonderful resolutions but I rarely manage to keep them going long enough for any lasting change to take place. 
I have found setting clear goals and putting down a plan or a road map to make those goals a reality to be the most effective way to bring about change in my life.

As we prepare to welcome the New Year 2017, this is the ideal time to evaluate your life and ask yourself whether you are 100% satisfied with the life you’ve got. If you were to come to the end of your life today, would you have any regrets? 

Most of us live our entire lives doing things and working on careers that our parents, teachers and friends have told us to do, not taking time to know what our talents and passions are. 
In some cases children who discover and insist on following their talents are seriously discouraged by even their parents and teachers. Some are harassed and called disobedient and disrespectful. 
It is very common here Kenya to hear all top students saying they want to become doctors, lawyers or engineers – without much knowledge of who they are or whether that is their true calling. 
Is the life you’ve got what you really want for yourself or are you living another person’s dream?

What kind of life do you have right now? What kind of life do you want to have 10 years from now? 

Take a few minutes to visualize it (your family’s lifestyle, your intimate relationship, your circles, your self-image, your standing in society, etc.) Describe it as vividly as possible. Use sketches/illustrations/images in your journal/notebook/scrapbook, if possible.
> Are you married?
> Do you have children?
> Are your children in school?
> What sort of home do you want for your family? Will you buy it or build?
> What schools/universities do you want for your children?
> How do you want to impact society?
>What legacy do you want to leave behind when your time on earth is up?

One year is a very short time so I do not work with one year goals. A decade is realistic when it comes to bringing about real change in one’s life. 

I therefore always begin with 10 years segments when I work on goal setting, and then break it down into manageable portions. You can achieve a lot in 10 years if you have clear goals and are focused.

Break down your 10-year goals into smaller, manageable targets. (Annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily and if possible, hourly goals). 

To ensure that you achieve the results you desire, divide your daily goals by the number of hours you are willing to put in daily towards achieving those goals. That will enable you to come up with specific daily goals and ensure efficient management of your time. 
Use a diary, a journal and a daily-to-do list to enable you make effective use of your time. There is nothing like being too busy to achieve one’s dreams. Examine the way you spend your time every day. You work 8 hours a day, sleep 8 hours and have 8 hours to yourself (eating, commuting, personal care, recreation/ relaxation, socializing, etc.) 
How can you make better use of your time? How can you seal the black holes that steal your time? For example, what do you listen to in your car in the traffic? Could listening to an audio book instead of music or radio have a positive impact on your efforts to transform your life? 
Could you read something while sitting in traffic in public transport, while waiting in queues at supermarkets, doctor’s clinic, etc.?) Tablets and smartphones have made it easy to read anywhere and at any time.

“Most ‘impossible’ goals can be met simply by breaking them down into bite size chunks, writing them down, believing them, and then going full speed ahead as if they were routine.” – Don Lancaster

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins

To achieve your goals, you have to make certain sacrifices (time, money, circles, relationships, etc.) If your goals are important to you, you will be willing to make some trade-offs. 

You might have to reduce some of the time you spend on recreation and use it to do something that takes you closer to your goals. You might also need to miss out in some political discussions on radio or miss out on some soccer matches by some of your favorite teams. 
If you live in a busy city such as Nairobi, examine the time you spend in commuting every day and see how you can make better use of that time. Can you cut out some unnecessary trips by combining errands? Plan efficiently so that you are able to accomplish many things on one trip, reducing the number of trips you need to make every week. 
How can you bring about positive change into your life by ensuring efficiency in the way you use your time? Are there things you can accomplish without having to commute? For example, can you make use of online marketing platforms for some purchases rather than commuting to shopping centers to make those purchases? 
In which other ways can you make technology work for you and save you time? Take stock of all the trips you normally make to wherever and ask yourself if each and every one of those trips is absolutely necessary or some can be avoided.

What do you need to do in order to achieve your dreams? What changes do you need to make?

One answer I often get when I talk about people transforming their lives is the excuse about not having the capital to do anything outside of what one is already doing. 

The truth of the matter is that this world owes no one anything! You either take charge of your life or you will become part of the statistics of people who retire poor and dependent on others, people who settle for mediocrity. 
If you are employed, that job will not last forever. You will still have needs even after retirement so the sooner you plan long term for your life, the better. Don’t wait to look back with regrets, wishing that you had taken action while you still could.

Does your mindset work against you? Do you have a negative attitude such that it is natural for you to focus on what could go wrong rather than the rewards you stand to enjoy when it actually works out? 

That mindset is not serving you so better do what it takes to change it or you are at risk of looking back with regrets someday. Read books about positive thinking. 
Watch videos on YouTube. Listen to audio books. Read autobiographies of successful people and learn from their own journeys. Attend forums and listen to others who have taken action and learn from their experiences. Learning from the experiences of others shortens your learning curve.

Does fear hold you back? Confront that fear. What exactly do you fear? Do you fear that you don’t have what it takes to go for your dreams? Do your research and work on yourself. Surround yourself with people who are pursuing their dreams and become one of them. 

Develop a strong belief in yourself by improving yourself every day. Endeavor to consistently work on yourself so that you become better. 
Have a very clear vision and be committed that you are in it for the long haul. Keep abreast with what others in the field are doing. Learn from their successes and their mistakes.

Is the excuse about not having money to enable you pursue your dreams the reason why you remain at the same spot year after year? Come up with a clear road map about where you want to go. Let the lack of money not stop you. 

Look at the way you spend your money and come up with ways to become more efficient in your management of money. Cut out unnecessary expenses. 
Do you buy lunch on working days? How about buying some foodstuffs wholesale at the end of the month and packing a healthy snack to take for lunch? How about waking up 30 minutes earlier than you have been doing such that you are able to take a full breakfast then you just pack some nuts and fruits for lunch? 
That will free some money which could have been going into financing your lunch. There is a lot you can do to put money aside if you set your mind to it. Do you have savings? Can you put your savings into a sacco and use that as collateral to enable you borrow the cash you need to build your dream? Can you sell an asset such as your car or a plot? 
If you don’t take action, you will always remain in the same place; you risk coming to the end of your life with regrets. Remember that your life is 100% your responsibility and no one is going to change it for you. Life has no remote; you have to get up and change it yourself; there are no shortcuts. Take charge of your life now!

This article is written by Susan Catherine Keter. A life coach, personal development mentor and blogger.

Financial Independence Africa
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December 5, 2016

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Your Job Will Not Last Forever. Do You Have a Plan B?

Dennis was one of the colleagues I respected. He was very organized and focused in his work. He maintained his diary perfectly and never missed an appointment. He was always on time and never procrastinated. He is the kind of employee every boss would love to have in his organization.
There are many people who change their employer a number of times during the course of their career, as they seek greener pastures. Not so with Dennis; he worked for the same organization until retirement, albeit in different capacities. It was painful to watch such a valuable employee bid all of us goodbye as he left on retirement. He would definitely be greatly missed.

I still remember the day a colleague broke the sad news to me that Dennis was dead, barely 5 years after retirement. Processing the news about the death of somebody one knows is always difficult and it was no different in this case. A number of staff members attended the burial of Dennis in his rural home. I was in that number that made the journey from the city to Dennis’ rural village. The situation we encountered was heartbreaking. We started noticing that all was not well during the preparations for the burial. The family was clearly struggling financially and depended on contributions from well-wishers to give Dennis a decent send off. But nothing prepared us for the situation we met during the burial… Dennis’ family lived on a barren piece of land that clearly portrayed poverty and destitution. Everything from the run down semi-permanent house to the few miserable cows was clear evidence of a family that was struggling financially. But that was not the most heart breaking part of the situation. Apparently, Dennis relocated to the village after retirement. He opened a butchery in the nearby shopping centre and operated it himself. He never quite succeeded and it seems like he depleted the money he was paid as retirement benefits. Balancing between providing for his family (including his elderly parents as well as 3 of his children; 2 who were at the university and one in high school) proved too much for his struggling business. He eventually closed the butchery. According to what we learned from his wife, he became withdrawn and angry and also completely antisocial. He kept to himself and rarely talked to anyone. The story ended tragically when he committed suicide by drinking some pesticide. Dennis’ story was one of struggle, frustration and lost hope.

I often encounter the emotion of fear when I bring up the topic of retirement to people who are employed. Many would rather live in denial about the fact that their jobs will come to an end someday. People are living longer nowadays and it is possible to live another 30, 40 years after retirement. That is a long time especially if one had not adequately prepared for it. Some would not as much allow any discussion about the possibility of building a business of any kind. Their fears are evident as they say that not everyone is cut out for business. Are you employed? Do you have concrete plans to ensure that you will be able to support yourself (and any dependents you might have) after retirement? If you have planned for that time, that is admirable. If not, building a business is not rocket science; the skills can be learned.

I would like to address those who would be open to building a business as a way of securing their future. It takes approximately 20 years of consistent effort to become financially free so do not expect to build a business to take care of you using your retirement benefits; that does not work. Do not expect to set up a business with your retirement benefits as it takes time to learn a particular business and to make it profitable. I have often had people ask me how much I am making when I am in the initial stages of establishing a business. The truth of the matter is that at that stage in the business, one is likely to be injecting money into the business but not making any profit yet. It is like finding a farmer who has bought a piece of land, has cut down bushes and ploughed the land and he is busy planting seeds then you ask him how much he is earning from farm. He is still investing and has not yet started getting returns. So it is with an investor who is putting finishing touches on his hotel. He has put in a considerable amount of money into his investment but he is not earning yet.

Business is a viable option when it comes to securing your future past retirement age. I would like to share some very realistic information about business, to guide you should you decide to use this vehicle to secure your future.

Building a Business is challenging; Don’t Take It Lightly

Do not just venture into a particular line of business simply because so and so is successful at it or because someone has advised you that the business is lucrative. Each and every one of us is unique. You are not so and so; you are you. Take a moment to think of your value systems; what you believe to be either right or wrong; morally, socially, etc. How did you come to own your value systems? Are they your own value systems (what you are fully convinced is right or wrong), or do you in reality, echo the words of others without critically weighing what you believe? Are there areas in your life you would like to change but you hold on for fear of public opinion, being judged, criticized, disappointing people, etc.? Most of us live our entire lives doing things and working on careers that our parents and friends have told us to do not knowing what our talents and passions are. In some cases children who discover and insist on following their talents are seriously discouraged by people who are close to them, including their parents and siblings. It is very common here in Kenya to hear all top students in Kenya saying they want to become doctors or engineers- without much knowledge of who they are or whether pursuing those lines of careers will be fulfilling to them. Listen to yourself even as you listen to others. Weigh carefully what you really want out of life and follow your heart. And don’t let fear cripple you and block you from taking action to secure your future. No one is born into this world knowing anything; everything is learned.

Do your research. Find out as much as you can about the line of business you wish to pursue. Visit such businesses and make your observations. Identify people who are in that line of business and talk to them. We live in the age of information so you can easily access any kind of information. Do your research about the business. Ask yourself critical questions such as whether you have what it takes to build such a business. For example, are you planning to start a matatu or boda boda (motorcycle taxi) business? What do you know about the business? What challenges are you likely to face as you build the business? How will you mitigate against those challenges?

Every business involves some element of risk. Are you going to put in all your savings into the business or will you have cash saved to take care of you and your family in case of unexpected eventualities? To what extent are you willing to go to ensure your success in the business? For how long will you keep going without breaking even? What are the possible sources of capital in case you run out of money before the business becomes profitable? Do you have crucial support as you build the business, such administrative support, book keeping and other critical roles in a business? Is the support reliable? To what extent will you go to ensure that you become competent in running the business? Are you opening to undertaking some training if it proves to be necessary? Will you invest in your personal growth and development, top of the list being working on your mindset to ensure that you have what it takes to build the business long term?

This is A Great Day To Build A Business

The day we are living in is very good for starting a business. The population has grown tremendously in the past few decades so there is high demand for goods and services. We also live in the age of information, meaning that there if free flow of information. It is now very easy to access any kind of information including information about new ideas and business opportunities. Building a business has numerous benefits and not just the monetary ones. You have a chance to exercise your creativity and introduce something unique to the world. Building a business helps you to grow at the personal level as you handle different challenges that come your way. It is also good for your self-esteem as others looking up to you with admiration because of the contribution you have made to the world.

This article is written by Susan Catherine Keter; a network marketing professional, a life coach, personal development mentor and blogger.

Financial Independence Africa
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December 1, 2016

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Discover The Greatness For Which You Were Created; And Live It!

Money threatens to take over our lives such that we focus all our life’s efforts on looking for it. Have you confined yourself to a small area that you call ‘your profession’? There are lessons to be drawn from the Biblical teaching about the parable of the talents. You have much more talent than your line of work. You have so much more than you can offer the world.

Live Life To Your Full Potential

You are the master of your destiny; you employer isn’t. It is your responsibility to create the life you desire for yourself. What is your passion? Money makes us neglect so many areas of our lives. If money was no issue at all (imagine if you had right now all the money you would ever need such that you would never need to work ever again). How would you choose to live your life if the need to earn money was completely taken away?

1. How would you spend your time?

2. Where would you live?

3. What kind of people would you surround yourself with?

4. How would your intimate relationship be like? How about your interpersonal relationships?

5. How would your family life be like?

6. What productive work would you do? How would you give back to society?

If money were no issue at all, my ideal work (tick as appropriate):
i.Allows me to work alone
ii. Is idea-oriented
iii. Enables me to travel extensively
iv. Constantly teaches me knew things (is not routine)
v. Is flexible (not the 8-5 routine)
vi. Serves humanity
vii. Allows me to work in informal set-up such as from home, out in the open, etc.
viii Brings new people into my circles
ix Fires my creativity
x. Has global potential (is not geographically restrictive)
xi. Other (specify)

Now that money is still an issue, how can you incorporate some of the work that makes you happy and fulfilled into your lifestyle, even if it means volunteering? Earning money is very, very important but fulfillment is important too.

Social Circles

When people are single, they usually have no issues with having friends. The challenge usually comes in when one gets married, and more so with women. It is very easy to cut out friends and focus on family alone. That is a mistake. We all need support systems besides family. Who stands with you when something goes wrong in your family such as job loss, business collapse, serious illness or death of a loved one? What about when you travel away from home, do you need people? What about networks that build your business if you are in business? Family has a critical role to play in our lives but we need much more than family. A happy and fulfilled life requires the right balance between family, career, hobbies, social life and much more.

Hobbies

What is that one thing that makes your face light up? Is it when your favorite soccer team scores a goal? Is it watching your favorite actor/actress on the screen? Does watching the Olympics excite you and you would not miss it for anything? Is it a drive in the countryside? Painting? Life is not all work, work, work… When we were little, we used to be taught that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. We never outgrow the need for hobbies. There is something magnetic about someone who lives a happy and fulfilling life. It shows in the tone of voice, the twinkle in the eyes, the body language, the way the person walks… Work hard, earn well and play hard. Give yourself permission to enjoy the things that you love.

Family

There are people who put all their focus on making money until they become strangers to their families. They miss that moment when Junior says his first word, takes his first step or his first day in kindergarten. They miss important family occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, school events, graduations, weddings and much more. Family is very, very important. Your job will end some day but family will still be there for you so invest in them, spend quality time with them. Plan for occasional getaways with loved ones, even if for just a weekend or an afternoon on a Saturday or Sunday.

Spirituality

There is something that a human being has that other creatures don’t have and that is the spiritual aspect. No matter how good we are at what we do, we have our limitations. We can’t do all things and be on top of things at all times. It is important to believe in a higher power that helps you even when you reach your end. Each one of us is unique. Give yourself permission to practice your spirituality the way you believe it. Spirituality is very important in bringing balance into your life.

If today you were told that you only had one more month to live, how would you choose to live for your remaining days on earth? Do not risk coming to the end of your life with regrets. Give yourself permission to live a full life.

Susan Catherine Keter is a network marketing professional, personal development mentor, life coach and blogger. Catch me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Financial.Literacy.Africa/?pnref=lhc

Financial Independence Africa