This post is going to be very candid. I’m going to highlight what’s been happening in my life recently, how I’ve dealt with it, and what habits really help.
Let’s just tackle the last month, shall we?
I had three things going on all at once.
We’re Moving
First, I ran into an issue at my current apartment. When I was shown the unit, I mentioned that I’d have my dog, Mya, a couple of days per week. The remainder of the time, she’s with my ex-wife.
I looked at the unit in October of 2019 and they were fine with it. Come to find out the Condo Association where I rent has a 25-pound weight limit on dogs. Mya is 75 pounds, so there were a few complaints.
I tried to get them to make an exception and my landlord (the owner of the condo) went to bat for me. I was thankful for that but to no avail.
The choice was to part with the dog or find a new place to live. My son and I love Mya, so it was a pretty easy decision. We’re moving.
Thankfully, we were able to find a place pretty quickly. Our new home has more space and a basement, and that’s something I’ve wanted for my son so he has plenty of room to play when the weather is crappy.
Investment Property #1
Second, my old house (the one my ex-wife and I own) is being rented. It’s March 24, 2020, as I’m writing this and our tenants have moved in.
There was a strong push to get everything done sooner than I anticipated because of the Covid-19 situation. They (the tenants) wanted to get as far away from the city as possible, and our house is 45 minutes from the nearest “big” city. They moved in, a week or so ahead of schedule.
I busted my butt to try and get the house ready for them, but that had to be done when I had free time. Outside of business hours and outside of when I had my son. That left me with two nights per week and all day Sunday.
It was a lot of work, but I’m happy to say that I got it all done. The tenants are pleased and I’m looking forward to providing a lovely home for them.
The Market
Third, the elephant in the room. Covid-19. There has not been much of an impact on me personally. My lifestyle hasn’t changed much, though, I’m not sure what that says about my lifestyle.
I avoid going out as much as I can. I also forego taking my son to his favorite play place on Wednesdays.
Outside of that, it’s created an extraordinary amount of volatility in the markets. Thankfully, I prepared clients ahead of time, in terms of proper asset allocation and mentality.
On the other side of things, I’m part of our building’s tech department, so there was a strong push over the last two weeks to set my colleagues up so they are able to work from home if it’s deemed necessary.
I’m not going to lie, things have been incredibly stressful. A lot of work in a short amount of time and a relatively significant change in my living situation. Not to mention, I’m trying my hardest to limit the impact moving has on my son.
What habits help?
I’m meditating more regularly, I’m interacting with people I care about more often, and I’m viewing everything (or trying to) from a positive point-of-view.
The meditation calms me and makes it easier for me to find my “center”. It also reminds me to breathe when I start to feel too anxious or overwhelmed.
With regard to social interaction, I’m just meeting a primal need as a human being. We’re social creatures, not to mention I’m fairly extroverted, so talking with people always gives me a good boost.
The last piece is the x-factor. I’ve shifted my mindset and I have Stoicism to thank for that. If there’s an obstacle or a trial, I’m always looking for the bright side and I’m always looking for a lesson to be learned.
As I dive deeper into Stoicism, I find more value and gain more insight from it.
It’s been busy and challenging, but I’m doing much better from a mental perspective. Keep putting in the work, find habits that help, and things will get better.
To learn more about Stoicism, I highly recommend Daily Stoic. They have weekly newsletters, videos, and podcasts.
Related:
A Systematic Approach to Goals
My name is Jacob Sensiba and I am a Financial Advisor. My areas of expertise include, but are not limited to, retirement planning, budgets, and wealth management. Please feel free to contact me at: jacob@crgfinancialservices.com
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