I want to start this story in 2008 and 2009 which is the complete turning point of my life. I was the Chief Information Security Officer for one of North America's largest healthcare companies. My boss walked into my office and asked me for 10% of my staff, the company had gone from public to private, and was cutting costs across the country. Beginning of the writing on the wall, LoL. In addition, I was going through a divorce; my grandmother, who was one of the most important people in my life, had recently passed away; the economy was falling; and I just so happened to become blind in my left eye for the second time in my life. Now I know that all sounds unreal, but all is 100% the truth.
Remember that writing on the wall statement, well I also got laid off not too long after that. Therefore, all within in a year, I lost my job, divorced, went blind, lost my grandmother, and due to loss of employment and the situation the economy was in, lost pretty much everything I owned (primary home, two rentals, and timeshare), as I couldn't pay the mortgage payments. So I lose my income and owe over three quarters of a million dollars to the world. And if you remember, in 2008 and 2009 when the economy fell, couldn't find a job. Wasn't a matter of not willing to work, just couldn't find anything (let's say in the professional world).
I lost EVERYTHING!
At that point in time, I had three priorities: roof over my head, clothes on my body, and food!
A lot of people actually freak out when they get calls from creditors. I actualldcy got to the point where I could just have fun with them. They would threaten me with "we are going to report this to the credit bureau .....". My response was "There is absolutely NOTHING you can do that will make my situation any worse!"
These were the lowest days of my life.
The 1st thing I did was get a job working in a camping department of an outdoor store so I could have money to buy food, #1 priority, LoL. Was still living in the house before I had to short sale all three properties. I still had clothes, so shelter and clothes taken care of, at least for now. Oh, and to add, needed to at least pay the electric bill. Therefore, work for electricity and food! That was it. That's all I did for just a bit.
I said all that to say this. When you get that LOW, you very quickly determine what the priorities in life are.
I'm not going to document here, all of the individual things that occurred over the followng year for me to get back on my feet again. I want you to more concentrate on the fact that, no matter how low you are, no matter where you are in life, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR FUTURE AND LIVE A VERY HAPPY LIFE!
There is a requirement, "I DID!"
My Story is: using the experiences I have had to help others to find themselves without having to go through what I did, and put a plan together that will forever change their lives!