It’s been awhile since I just sat and wrote, so I thought why not! It really is one of my favorite things to do and I don’t make enough time for it. I feel like things are slowly falling into place and everything is coming together. This past year has been something, and I often wonder what sorts of stories we will tell our grandchilren!
I wanted to give a quick life update and share what’s going on over here at our place. The kids finished out the 2020-2021 school year quite well! They loved their online classes and meeting with their teachers and fellow students. Most virtual students went back to school, so that left us without much guidance or any more “classes” for the last few months. I will say that the months of April & May were quite difficult for us on a few levels. The kids missed their friends and teachers and we also had to re-home our yellow lab Bailey. In April she attacked or small older dog so badly, Holly had to spend the night in Vet ER. Fortunately we found a lovely couple who adores Bailey and she is one loved and spoiled (solo) pup now! We miss her, of course, but we tried many training methods and even tried keeping the dogs separated by crates (one in, one out) and it was just too stressful and so hard. Our hearts broke, and the kids were upset but we used this as a learning lesson that we can do hard things. Sometimes what is best, is not always easy.
Our home is much quieter and so much more peaceful. And Holly? She’s like a new dog again. I haven’t seen her so relaxed and happy in so many years. It’s hard when you so badly want something to work out, but sometimes it’s just not meant to be. Now that we don’t have to worry about constant dog fights and insane barking if someone walks by our door, we have a lot more time freedom and it’s less chaotic.
We’ve made the decision to officially Homeschool the kids next year. I probably should have just done it last year, but with our business being new in “full time real estate” I was worried how we would juggle it all. YouTube and Google have been my best friend at figuring out hard things throughout the past decade and this is no different. Now that I’ve put in my research, I realize that Joe and I have some amazing opportunities to teach our children and travel all over (once we feel safe). We can create our own schedules and tailor needs accordingly. Bradley started reading really early on and Brooke loves learning,I do have my teaching degree, and Joe is always sharing his love of history, science and math so I know we will be more than just fine. Plus there are tons of online classes we can enroll the kids into as well. The goal is to spend a month down where the palm trees live come Winter!
Our real estate team has continued to grow and evolve. We have built a strong core around us of eager people who want to learn creative financing and help sellers with their unwanted properties. We have help buying the homes and also selling the homes. We have Rent to Own homes available in PA! We also have a deal working in North Pole Alaska–it’s crazy what you can do with the right education and internet these days.
We’ve also started coaching other people, so that has been a lot of fun too. I have dusted off my powerpoint skills and we bring our A game with Masterclasses and presentation style learning. We are developing an online course, for those who want self-led teachings. It’s been a whirlwind of a year but I’d say we are doing more than alright.
I turn 40 this month and I am realizing that what everyone has said about aging, seems to be true. 2021 is teaching me to stop wasting time with time wasters. I no longer allow people into my circle and steal my joy or energy. I’ve been really working on my mindset and reading books like Tim Grover’s W1NNING has taught me to not be heartless, but that in order to succeed and achieve what you really want, you need to use your heart less. You are literally the only one in control of you and your mind. No one is with you day in and day out. No one can tell you what’s hard in your life or what’s not. I’ve learned most people won’t get what you’re doing and that is okay. Simply surround yourself with those who are like you, and together you can change the course.
I think sneaking off to our favorite place in the ADK mountains, Lake George, really refreshed our souls. We connected and made it all about the kids, which was so incredibly nice. Joe and I have worked really hard this past year on our business and that takes some sacrifice at times. We were able to sit on the beach and watch the kids play in the lake for hours. We enjoyed some of our favorite foods and we walked around town just soaking up the weather and lake vibes. We rented a small cottage and it was literally in the heart of everything, so that was convenient. Like I mentioned before, the goal is to get away for a month at a time in the future!
The time freedom has been the biggest blessing of all, since taking our real estate full time. I am still working on not rushing around like a crazy person. We have a different kind of schedule because there may be nights we are teaching until 9:30pm or so, but then we can break mid day and enjoy a big family lunch. It’s funny how our brains are so engrained in old habits, routines and schedules. Now we can truly live life on our terms, picking and choosing what times work best for whichever business needs attending to.