Happy New Year! Well, I hope it will bring you some happiness. Of course, there are always going to be ups and downs. We have to learn how to surf the waves. Current waves include a frozen shoulder (which is painful, but at least no longer agony). Then we are waiting for a court date to evict tenants who has been squatting without paying rent since last summer (we have tried to be reasonable but got nowhere). Also my previous GP partners have still not had the accounts for 2022 audited so I can’t complete my tax return yet. Not to mention that they have not paid me out my remaining share of the business and seem unable to even calculate how much this is! Meanwhile, the UK and other parts of the world are facing flooding, with our local River Trent bursting its banks.
One of the ways to cope with life’s challenges is to build diversity into our lives. Then if one thing fails, another might do OK. As the old saying goes, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. As two of our family’s income streams have let us down, I am looking to earn a bit of money this year. It has been good having the last 18 months concentrating on becoming more self sufficient, and as our food forest garden matures, it will continue to produce more and more food for us. But we do still have some expenses coming up, including a son hoping to start university later this year.
Therefore I am planning a diverse income stream. My aim is to only do work which is in line with my ethics and faith. Call it a portfolio career. I will run a “Think like a Tree” course in the spring and will see what other workshop opportunities develop. I am propagating plants from my home food forest to sell to others who would like to grow more of their own food. My nursery is called “Veg for Life“. I hope to offer advice and possibly garden design services as well. As another income stream, I am considering a part time job as a learning support assistant for traumatised children at an outdoor school.
My aim is to remain joyful in all circumstances, to be flexible (a bit of a challenge with a frozen shoulder!) and adapt to situations as they arise. I acknowledge that I have been privileged, but I also worked hard and saved up when younger with the aim of becoming more economically free in later life so that I would not be trapped in a lifestyle that I didn’t want. Now I am reaping the benefits. I say “Thank-you” to me of the past!