Martin Wilson
07-06-2003, 04:18 PM
I have just read Cheryl's latest newsletter about having faith and how life can change in a moment.
What great timing ! Because last week after burying my head in the sand for many months I faced up to the fact that my business ( a law firm) has been operating at a loss for 6 months now, after operating profitably for 9 years. It is hard to accept, particularly when all the fundamentals for running this business are sound and solid. It is just that the market has changed on me and there is not enough new work coming in to support the number of people employed by the business. This is fairly freaky for me ( being a person who has mastered financial security ........ until now). I have started taking action and am reducing my overhead, but that is difficult because it involves laying off staff who I care about dearly and who have been a great support.
Funnily enough though I am feeling strangely - for me - calm and am also quite excited as to what lies around the corner, what will emerge from this. This is a new space for me . To be in a space of feeling financially threatened and yet also to be feeling calm and excited by the future prospects. I cannot fathom though whether this space I am in is one of me having faith or avoidance.
There is another side to this too. I have worked so hard for many years and now when I ought to really be reaping the rewards much of what I have built up is being stripped away.. The bank keeps lending me money to keep things going but I know that I will have to pay that back and to that extent the bank is simply lending to me knowing that in return it will be paid back out of the equity in my house and business. That makes me feel sad and quite despondent about the huge effort that I have put in and yet now I seem to be facing another huge challenge and effort. I am feeling tired and confused.
I would appreciate any thoughts people have. I am 45 , married to my wife Chris, have 3 adorable children (2 girls 1 boy) and live in Wellington, New Zealand.
Warm regards
Martin Wilson
What great timing ! Because last week after burying my head in the sand for many months I faced up to the fact that my business ( a law firm) has been operating at a loss for 6 months now, after operating profitably for 9 years. It is hard to accept, particularly when all the fundamentals for running this business are sound and solid. It is just that the market has changed on me and there is not enough new work coming in to support the number of people employed by the business. This is fairly freaky for me ( being a person who has mastered financial security ........ until now). I have started taking action and am reducing my overhead, but that is difficult because it involves laying off staff who I care about dearly and who have been a great support.
Funnily enough though I am feeling strangely - for me - calm and am also quite excited as to what lies around the corner, what will emerge from this. This is a new space for me . To be in a space of feeling financially threatened and yet also to be feeling calm and excited by the future prospects. I cannot fathom though whether this space I am in is one of me having faith or avoidance.
There is another side to this too. I have worked so hard for many years and now when I ought to really be reaping the rewards much of what I have built up is being stripped away.. The bank keeps lending me money to keep things going but I know that I will have to pay that back and to that extent the bank is simply lending to me knowing that in return it will be paid back out of the equity in my house and business. That makes me feel sad and quite despondent about the huge effort that I have put in and yet now I seem to be facing another huge challenge and effort. I am feeling tired and confused.
I would appreciate any thoughts people have. I am 45 , married to my wife Chris, have 3 adorable children (2 girls 1 boy) and live in Wellington, New Zealand.
Warm regards
Martin Wilson