My parents are from a generation that was all about safety and security.  It makes sense because my grandparents grew up during the Depression, so they naturally passed down their very conservative financial view to them.  It was all about stability.  You got a job out of high school or college and you were likely set for life.  There were people that had the same job from the age of 18 to retirement.  That was what was desired in those days.  The one very important thing that was missing was happiness.  Yes, they had safety, security and stability, but were they happy?  I do not remember my parents always being happy with their jobs, but at least they had one, right?  To them, the stability was more important than their own happiness. 

This need for safety, security and stability was passed down to me.  Was it passed down to you?  I remember graduating college and looking forward to getting my license as a Certified Public Accountant.  After that, I had plans to find a large company I could go work for until retirement (if I was “lucky”).  I felt the need to have that safety because it was what I knew.  I grew up in the Bay Area which has always been ahead of its time.  Unfortunately, layoffs were a fact of life because of the volatility of the market in that area, even in the 1980’s and 1990’s.  I did not want to experience the same ups and downs, so this set my fate in stone…or so I thought. 

If you are like me, once you got settled after school, you were happy for a little while.  But then, I started to get this feeling that I was meant to do so much more.  The corporate world was like a box that was way too small for me.  The corporate ladder was very difficult to climb with a baby on my hip.  Luckily, I broke the chains of my upbringing.  I realized I could have a job for life, but that was not what was going to make me happy.  I wanted more, I needed more. 

Are you doing the same?  Are you settling because you are afraid of what lies in the world of the unknown?  Are you underpaid, but keep telling yourself I am just happy to have a job right now?  I understand we are still in a recession and we have to take what we get sometimes, but I challenge you to go for it.  When the time is right, make your move.  You have to follow your heart.  You do not want to end up at retirement, looking back at your life, realizing you were miserable and missed out on some precious family time and great financial opportunities just because of some old programming.

I am not telling you to take some crazy chances that could land you in some hot water.  I want you to look at your life and start thinking about what you really want.  Are you happy?  If not, why not?  Take stock of your life and start to make plans for the future.  Create the life you really want to live!