Anyaa H'redulla

[ Home ] [ Down to Business ] [ Reflections ] [ Anyaa Recommends ]

"He who knows and knows not he knows, he is asleep - awaken him." Kahlil Gibran

"We do the best we know how with what we know now."

Anyaa H'redulla - The Perseverer

I've adopted the nickname "The Perseverer" because it's the one characteristic that has served me well over the years - the past twenty in particular - and I'll share more about that later.

Some of the information here is also to be found in my book Joy Makers: My Tools for Self-Empowerment, but that was written in 2004. Lots has happened since then and I like to think I've evolved... at least a little bit J.

The challenges in my life have been no more and no less than many others'. Some have been quite remarkable, but then again, some haven't (except to me). It really is a matter of perspective.

Some people experience what we may call great tragedy. But if they have come to terms with it and discovered the gift within, then is it a tragedy? We may feel sorry for the person who becomes a quadriplegic as the result of an accident and who now lives life in a wheelchair. But the event that changed their life may have pointed them in an entirely new direction which they may consider to be the best thing that ever happened to them!

Who are we to judge?

You may have noticed that certain actions or life experiences elicit praise or recognition from another person for the way you handled them; they may feel you were very courageous to have done what you did. These are always welcome strokes for the ego, but, in actual fact, you were simply doing what you needed to do so you just went ahead and did it. That's how I feel about many of my own life experiences. 

Please don't think I'm diminishing my accomplishments, far from it, but when faced with a particular situation, we simply do whatever needs to be done and that's where I'm coming from.

My daughter feels the same way about her choice to spend several years hitch-hiking throughout North America. She was constantly warned by others about the risk she was taking and judged to be foolhardy. Others thought she was very courageous to do what she did. Regardless, it was something she felt compelled to do and it really wasn't courage that propelled her.

Co-Dependency

That being said, I feel I have faced and overcome many challenges in my life. One of my greatest triumphs has been my relationships with alcoholics. Not only were both my husbands alcoholics, but after my second divorce, I got involved with yet another who was a classic binge drinker.

It took me a long time to recognize my own power in these relationships (along with a couple of years in Al-Anon and a great deal of soul-searching) and get past the co-dependency. The problem was, I loved these men and I felt that if only I loved them enough, I could change them. 

I didn't realize it was up to ME to change... not them. Well, change I did. Eventually I was able to walk away from my last relationship with love in my heart for him AND myself. I now know that I will never endure another abusive or alcoholic relationship.

Prosperity

Another major challenge has dogged me the best part of my life, and that is prosperity! It's actually a toss-up which challenge has had the biggest impact on my life... alcoholism or poverty!

Maybe part of my problem with prosperity was the type of work I had been doing. There was never a lot of money paid for the jobs I was qualified for. I did well in school, I'm fairly intelligent, have a great personality :), get along well with people, learn fast, etc., but I lacked the piece of paper that would qualify me for many well-paid positions which may have challenged me in the way I needed. 

My parents were English working class who never encouraged me to pursue further education even though I did well in school. In fact, they expected me to get a job as soon as I left high school, so it never entered my head to go to university. As a result, I ended up in office jobs where the best position I qualified for was manager.

Years later when my children were young, I went to college part-time to study computers, but it was just before PCs became popular and my training was with mainframes and it didn't translate well to the modern office. 

Eventually I taught myself to use a PC in my own word processing business and later again, I taught myself web design. This opened up a whole new world for me… but I’m getting ahead of myself.

The “E” Quadrant

Have you heard of Robert Kyosaki? He's one of my favourite authors and has written a series of books called Rich Dad Poor Dad. Robert's Poor dad was his biological father, while his Rich dad was his best friend's father. It's a fascinating series which changed my whole concept of money and how to accumulate wealth, as he was taught some radically different ideas about what constitutes assets and liabilities (such as your home is a liability). You can learn more about him and his system here.

One of his Rich dad's favourite explanations of where people fit regarding wealth creation, is his Cashflow Quadrant (in the book by the same name). Watch the video below to hear what he has to say:

If you don't have time to view it right now, I'll briefly explain what he talks about. He draws a simple diagram as you can see above: E = Employee, S = Self-Employed or Solo Business, B = Big Business, and I = Investor.

Employees work for someone else (of course). This is the traditional path taught Robert by his Poor dad. "Get a good education, find a high-paying job, work hard and save for your retirement." It's virtually impossible to amass any kind of wealth as an employee. Even if you have money left over after paying your living expenses, any investments you make are with post-tax dollars as Robert explains in his books. In addition, as many of us have discovered, there's very little security nowadays.

Self/Solo-Employed individuals make the choice to take responsibility for their own future and work for themselves. They may have found it difficult to take orders from employers, or feel they have a better chance of financial success. It's often a much more rewarding occupation for many people. There is a possibility of wealth if they can take it to a Big Business, but usually individuals are buying themselves a job and often the job ends up owning them.

Big Business is where the Bill Gates of the world fit. They're able to create massive wealth for themselves by building large businesses with employees to do the work for them. This route can take a lot of money and a long time to create, not to mention the fact that you need a great idea to begin with! This can be a rocky road and requires a lot of business knowledge to be successful.

Investor is the quadrant for traders and stock holders. There is the potential for generating massive wealth, but the learning curve is long and steep. Also, many investment opportunities are only open to those with a very large bank balances and/or income. It's a very specialized field which is not for the faint of heart.

Like most people, much of my working life has been spent in the “E” quadrant, although I ventured into the “S” quadrant when I opened my own word processing business after my second divorce. This move was definitely a matter of buying myself a job as I had been laid off by my previous employer when computer operations were transferred to the head office in the U.S.

I did my best to make my small business grow, but after seven and a half years, decided this wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I had no passion for it and was beginning to recognize that this was what was needed to make a businesses successful… plus a great idea!

Career Change

By now, I'd had my fill of the traditional "get a job, work hard and prosper" routine after thirty-five years working at office/computer/bookkeeping-type jobs. I longed to do something different and wanted my new occupation to fulfill the following criteria:

In an effort to accomplish these objectives, I tried several different vocations: I became a real estate agent (and failed miserably after almost two years); I taught English in Thailand for six months; I worked in factories for temp agencies; I tried a couple of different MLM opportunities; all over a period of approximately five years.

There were many times when I felt very jaded about my goal and felt I would never accomplish it as it seemed virtually impossible for me to make any significant money. Nothing worked out financially, although I gained a lot of experience and loved Thailand, especially the weather!

However, I longed for the freedom to set my own hours and work for myself. I was also painfully aware that I still had very little in the way of a retirement fund and time was running! It became obvious that I needed to find a solution that didn’t involve working for anyone else in any capacity.

The Decision

I couldn’t stand the thought of continuing the way I had for the past few years… or even my life so far. By now, it was obvious to me that I could not be an employee in any way, shape or form… whether it was in an office or out! I had to get out of the "E" quadrant completely. The thought of going to any kind of job that involved working for anyone else physically repulsed me. That may be a strong statement, but I just couldn’t bring myself to work even one more day for an employer!

The day I made The Decision to reject the conventional path completely is etched in my memory. The phone was ringing and I knew it was a temp agency with an assignment for me – probably in some factory as I had stipulated that I didn’t want office work. I knew I could NOT accept it! I didn’t care what the assignment was. I was short of cash at the time (as usual), but I didn't even care how much they were paying!

It was a HUGE decision and one I didn't take lightly. Fortunately, I only had myself to support... and myself to blame if I failed! There was also something else in my favour: For quite a few years I had been reading lots of books about financial matters (including the Rich Dad series mentioned above), personal development, and spirituality. 

Spirituality

Up until my second divorce, I had lived my life unconsciously – just like many others. But the end of my marriage was a time in my life when there were many questions and few answers. One question lingers in my memory to this day. My husband and I lived what many would consider a great life. We were both working pretty good jobs, we had a beautiful house on a lake, we had our health and two lovely children. But...

I could see no possibility of significant change in my life which, at that time, seemed to consist of getting up, going to work, caring for my family, shopping, and the occasional social outing. My life stretched before me as more and more of the ‘same’. It felt mildly disconcerting to think this would be my ‘fate’ for the rest of my life. It was a fleeting thought that I promptly forgot until a few years later.

I firmly believe that thought changed my life. It was a message to the Universe that I was ready for change, because not long afterwards, my husband told me he wanted a divorce. We’d had our ups and downs like most couples, but his request was totally unexpected. In fact, I could hardly believe what I was hearing!

This is a story in itself and maybe I’ll tell it some other place, but suffice to say, we separated, then divorced, and my life began to change more dramatically than I could ever have predicted.

For the next seventeen years I learned more and more about myself spiritually through meditation, reading, and surrounding myself with like-minded individuals. It was the experience I needed that led me to make that Decision.

The Decision and my new beliefs about having a JOB (Just Over Broke) led me down many paths, but I always held onto my dream of not returning to the "E" quadrant. To me, getting a job would have been a cop-out, although I must admit that I did work part-time at a video store when times were particularly tough. 

At one point I had health challenges which forced me to go on welfare as there was no way I could work at anything. I couldn't stand up or even sit at the computer! And I've done a variety of odd jobs just to make ends meet, such as painting furniture for a friend, dog/house-sitting, doing yard work, etc. All the time I was searching for answers to my lack of prosperity.

One project early after The Decision involved helping a friend to write a book from recordings of her workshops. I had never considered writing as an occupation, but the people involved in the project seemed to like what I did. So, in 2004 I wrote my own book Joy Makers: My Tools for Self-Empowerment. It was never a best seller, but people say nice things about it when they read it and it's usually well received.

The Law of Attraction

It also led me to read a variety of books about attracting wealth. One of the most significant was The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles. The most remarkable thing is, he wrote the book almost one hundred years ago in 1910! Now there's a man who was definitely ahead of his time. It's truly amazing reading and is an excellent introduction to manifesting your desires. If you're interested in downloading the e-book, it's available for FREE here.

Actually, that book was the basis for The Secret movie which I watched many, many times! As I mentioned, I had already been introduced to the principles of the Law of Attraction in The Science of Getting Rich, although that’s not what Wally Wattles called it. We all need to view our lessons from various perspectives for them to have value to us and this movie helped me understand the principles in a whole new way.

As recommended by Wally and the stars in the movie, I started defining exactly what I wanted and created a vision board of my ‘ideal’ life. I believe I have something to contribute to this world and really want to make a difference, so that was the central theme. Also, I wanted the freedom to work from home, work whatever hours I choose, and make my own decisions about what I do, where I do it, and how. Plus I wanted to be free to travel the world and go somewhere warm for winter. (NB: Only a Canadian would want that!) 

There were other personal items on my board, but I was very pleased with it as it represented what I wanted my life to be. I practiced the principles daily for several weeks. And the weeks turned into months… BUT NOTHING CHANGED!

Why were all these other people able to manifest their desires, but I couldn’t? There are reports of literally thousands and thousands of individuals realizing their dreams, but I wasn’t one of them. I was frustrated and discouraged to say the least and continued to read everything I could lay my hands on about the Law of Attraction. There was certainly lots of material available by now.

I knew enough about the Law to understand that if I wasn't receiving what I wanted, I must be putting out the "wrong' energy. There was something within ME that attracted what I didn't want. But understanding that and knowing what it was or what to do about it seemed beyond me. No matter how hard I tried to remain positive and feel "good" emotions, I couldn't get past receiving more of what I DIDN'T want.

Eventually, I learned there was something Joe Vitale calls ‘counter-intentions’ at work within me. These are unconscious beliefs we have about certain subjects that actually oppose what we say we want. As you probably know, the Law of Attraction works to bring you what you focus on. But when you have counter-intentions, the positive energy you give out is cancelled by the negative energy from your unconscious beliefs.

For instance, as I mentioned earlier, my big challenge in this life has been money. My ideal life therefore included a generous income so I followed the suggestions in The Secret and visualized cheques coming in the mail and lots of money pouring into my bank account. Sounds simple enough... doesn’t it?

However, I discovered unconscious beliefs within me that made it impossible for me to attract money. They were counter-intentions that made it impossible for my visualization to manifest. It was a very significant discovery and I’ll tell you about it another time.

The bottom line is: My monetary situation remained the same and no matter how much I tried, there was nothing I could do about it until I changed that unconscious belief. That’s when Joe Vitale helped me out again.

This time, it was when he introduced Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len and Ho’oponopono to the world. Check the link to read about this amazing Hawaiian practice.

The Perseverer

But through all the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations, the highs and the lows, I remained true to my conviction that I didn't want to be a conventional employee and, except for that couple of months at the video store, I've never gone back on my promise to myself. I have persevered through some tough times, but persevere I did. That's why I call myself The Perseverer!

Do you know how difficult it is to pursue your dreams when you know everyone around you thinks you're nuts? "Go get a job!" was their silent judgment. They couldn't understand why I wouldn't, or couldn't, do that. To be honest, I'd have a hard time explaining it even now, but something inside me kept me going and insisted that I never give up. I just HAD to go on and I knew that it was just a matter of time before my efforts paid off.

I’m well aware that many people persevere against incredible odds and I admire them greatly. Many face physical challenges, or cultural challenges, or addictions, or… you name it. Humans are faced with many, many trials and we’re all perseverers in one way or another.

NB: My personal opinion is that life on Earth is actually hell and we go to a better place when we die which we call heaven. But that’s another article!

Your Dilemma

First, you must determine where you are at this moment. Where do you currently fit on the Cashflow Quadrant? If you're on the left side, then you’re probably finding it difficult to make money and could use some help. If you're on the right side, then I’m guessing you don’t need any help from me… so why are you reading this?

Seriously, if you're in the E or S quadrant, what choices do you have? 

1.      You can try taking your Big Idea and creating a Big Business, or...

2.      You can read, research, take courses and start playing with the stock market to become an investor.

Both ways take many years and if these were viable options you would probably be on your way to doing one or the other and wouldn’t be reading this. So, I’m assuming you need to find something quickly!

The Solution

If you watched Robert Kyosaki's video above, you'll remember that one recommendation he has for creating wealth in a relatively short amount of time is Network Marketing. If MLM immediately comes to mind, I can hear you saying "Been there, done that!" Me too!!! But MLM is only a small part of network marketing. 

The reason he recommends this method is that there are a number of advantages to working with modern day network marketing companies. First of all, the start-up cost is relatively low. Second, you can also take your time working up to a substantial income. Nobody is going to rush you.

In addition, the parent company will also have a lot of what you need already in place. They will have products and marketing tools such as replicated websites, and a host of other ways to help you get going. There will also be a number of 'winners' who have already been successful in the company and many will coach new members who are willing to follow their lead.

In my own case, I had already tried two MLMs and was unsuccessful with both as I mentioned earlier. I did what I was told to do - at least I thought I did - but the highest commission cheque I ever received was about $80 for one month! So much for getting rich!

When I read about Robert's recommendation to use network marketing as a vehicle to create wealth, I really didn't fancy the traditional approach to building a MLM business that I knew so well. You know the routine: Make a list of one hundred people (friends, family, colleagues), ask for referrals, etc., etc., etc., but I didn't know of any other way to enlist people in my business.

I knew there were people who made a huge success of their online businesses and many promoted books and courses where they promised to share their "secrets", but these were usually quite pricey and I didn't have the money to invest in them. 

Business Opportunities

I shall be forever grateful to these individuals who showed me that I didn't have to follow the "old" path. My quest for personal freedom had led me to investigate many online business opportunities (believe me, there are a ton out there!), and I was truly attracted to many of them.

But, up until then, always in the back of my mind, were memories of cold-calling, setting up appointments, giving presentations, overcoming objections (what was it I was 'supposed' to say?), and all the attendant personal interactions that left me in a cold sweat. These methods did not suit my personality and I had a lot of rejections behind me that did little for my self-confidence!

I have a wonderful team behind me, supporting me, and teaching me the tricks of online network marketing. Without appearing conceited, I'd say I'm becoming quite an expert in my own right! It's such a simple system that anyone can duplicate with minimal computer skills and a desire to increase their earnings... or create a substantial income if they wish!

Two or three businesses that I'm involved in are definitely worthy of further study if you're interested in manifesting more money in your life. They range from free, easy and safe, to an investment of $3,000 - $5,000. It just depends how involved you wish to get and how much change you want in your life.

To be honest, the "big ticket" business I'm involved with takes time to set up and needs a few hours each week to make it really successful. By successful, I mean $5,000 - $10,000 a week income, but the others are soooo easy and take little to no time whatsoever. 

If you'd like more information about them, complete the form below and I'll be happy to send you details, along with a couple of free e-book bonuses to help with your online marketing efforts - whether you already have a business or you're ready to start one!

In addition, I'll share the information that totally changed my approach to network marketing so that you too can begin profiting.

In the following pages, I will also share a few other reflections about my life that I hope will be beneficial and encourage you to take whatever steps are necessary for you to also become self-empowered!

I wish you the very best of luck and don't forget... NEVER, EVER GIVE UP. Only those who persist will win the prize!

Anyaa

"The Perseverer"