advice
Advice that will put you on the path to success; tips, tricks and nuggets of wisdom from trusted experts and motivational mentors.
When Life Gets Tough đŞđ
At some point in life, we all face moments when everything seems to be going wrong. The weight of our challenges can feel suffocating đ, and it's easy to look at others with envy, wishing for their seemingly perfect lives. However, it's important to remember that everyone encounters difficulties. No struggle is inherently bigger or smaller than another; it's all about perspective đ.
By Ananya Agrawal2 years ago in Motivation
How do we Find Self-Validation, Self-Approval, Self-Care and Self-Love?
Like me, many people out there have relied on outside validation to feel good about themselves, from wanting to connect with others, fitting in, being complimented on their looks, outfits or needing constant reassurance from others. However, as we go through experiences, we come to the realization that the true validation we need is from ourselves and has always been within us. Often, this realization comes from setbacks, unmet expectations from others, rejections, and the universe forcing us to look inward for answers, take time for reflections and embrace time alone. Although at first, we may find it difficult and even unbearable, we come to find enjoyment, peace, happiness and ultimately ourselves in the process. Slowly, we start to become more confident in knowing who we are, more self-assured, authentic and understanding that all along, we only needed ourselves to feel validated.
By LaPlume Verte2 years ago in Motivation
Personal Safety
Picture this. You're a younger woman coming home from walking your small dog. You haven't gone far and cut back through the parking lot of the apartment complex where you live. As you get closer to the building, you see a group of unfamiliar young men watching you, but you continue on your way.
By Mellie Miller2 years ago in Motivation
The Quiet Beauty of Clara's Life
In a small town nestled between rolling hills and a sparkling river, lived a woman named Clara. She was known for her warm smile and gentle spirit, always finding joy in the simple pleasures of life. Claraâs days were filled with routines that brought her comfort and a sense of purpose.
By Paul U2 years ago in Motivation
How to Stop Being Lazy: Skyrocket Your Motivation
Have you ever been looking through your phone for hours on end while saying youâd get to work in five minutes? You are not the only one if thatâs the case. A big problem for many of us is that we donât know how to stop being lazy. People often see laziness as a lack of drive and productivity. Itâs a common problem that affects both our personal and work lives. Donât worry, though!
By Bloom Boldly2 years ago in Motivation
Unclipped Wings
There comes a moment in life when the longing for freedom becomes too overwhelming to ignore. For me, that moment has arrived. The desire to live on my own terms, to navigate the world with my own compass, and to embrace the peace that comes with solitude has grown into an undeniable force. This is my journey towards living alone, embracing the struggle, and finding peace.
By Lil'Rosie2 years ago in Motivation
How to Get 1K Followers on Instagram in 5 Minutes?
Gaining followers on Instagram organically might take more time than using shortcuts, but it ensures that your audience is genuinely interested in your content. Hereâs a detailed guide to help you get 1K followers on Instagram the natural way.
By Zubair Ali2 years ago in Motivation
Living Life
Yes âŚ.some traumas are realâŚ. time fliesâŚeverything changes but the scars remains us everythingâŚ. donât limit yourself to the scarsâŚ.wear them as a medal of pride and experiencesâŚfor how long are you going to weep of those scares you never deserved âŚ.but God wanted to teach you a lessonâŚ. see how mature you became âŚsee how judicious decisions you are capable to take nowâŚ.you became the better version of yourself because of those scarsâŚ.stop questioning everythingâŚif he had chosen for the pain it means you needed some experience to tackle your life furtherâŚ. Scars do hurtâŚâŚembrace them â¨â¨â¨
By Lil'Rosie2 years ago in Motivation
How to set and achieve goals. Content Warning.
It's important for both personal and business growth to set and achieve goals. Setting and achieving goals can help you find direction, stay motivated, and achieve success. However, setting and achieving goals could be challenging if you don't use a measured approach. Along with examples from real life that back up these ideas, there are a lot of doable ways to set goals and be successful.
By Kate Livinus 2 years ago in Motivation
How a 28-Year-Old Earns Over $210,000 Annually at an Emergency Clinic Without a Prescription School Degree
If you find yourself having surgery in Tampa, Florida, Chabely Rodriguezâs face may be one of the last ones you see before you go under anesthesia. The 28-year-old is a certified anesthesiologist assistant, which means she helps doctors keep patients comfortable and sedated when they have surgery or other medical procedures done. Itâs a well-paying job that has allowed Rodriguez to pursue the medical career she always dreamed about without having to go to medical school. âGrowing up, I loved science, that was my favorite subject â chemistry in particular,â she tells CNBC Make It. âI loved the critical thinking behind it, and I wanted to pursue a career in medicine.â In only her second full year as a CAA, Rodriquez is earning over $200,000 annually between her base salary of $198,000 and the overtime shifts she typically picks up. In 2022, she pulled in over $210,000 and sheâs on track to earn even more this year. A New York native, Chabely Rodriguez lives in Tampa, Florida, and earns $210,000 a year. Though her salary allows her to live comfortably while saving half her income, it hasnât always been easy for Rodriguez. Her parents immigrated from Mexico and settled in Brooklyn before eventually buying a farm in upstate New York. Rodriguez and her four siblings grew up working on the farm and selling its products at farmers markets back in the city. âIâm so appreciative of my family; theyâre the closest people to me,â Rodriguez says. âGrowing up we didnât have time off, but now as adults we all make time to be together.â Farm to operating table Though sheâs close with her family, it was difficult breaking the news to her parents that she didnât want to continue working on the farm beyond high school, Rodriguez says. âI believe their dream was for us to continue the business as adults in some capacity,â she says. âHowever, my dreams were not to be a farmer.â Rodriguez stayed in New York to pursue her undergraduate degree at Brooklyn College, where it would be more affordable because itâs a public school and she could continue living at home. Her parents helped some, and she applied for scholarships, allowing Rodriguez to earn her bachelorâs without taking on student debt. She studied chemistry on a pre-med track, but after she graduated, Rodriguez realized the time and cost of medical school werenât commitments she wanted to make. âI started looking more into physician assistants, something with similar responsibilities [as a doctor], but with a shorter timeline and typically less debt,â she says. âIt would be less compensation, but I felt like it was worth it for the time that I was exchanging for it.â Her passion for chemistry and interest in anesthesia led Rodriguez to learning about anesthesiologist assistants. After researching the career and shadowing CAAs to get a sense of the work, she knew it was the path for her. âI work with a lot of needlesâ Even if youâre fairly familiar with surgery procedures, you may have never encountered a CAA. Currently, CAAs are only able to practice in 20 states and the District of Columbia, which is part of the reason Rodriguez currently lives and works in Florida. Though her job is all about making patients feel comfortable and pain-free, itâs not exactly for the faint of heart. âI work with a lot of needles, drawing up medicines,â Rodriguez says. âI place IVs on patients, I can place arterial lines, needles for epidurals, needles for blocks which will numb up local areas of a patient.â Chabely Rodriguez in scrubs looking at a monitor with a training dummy patient on operating table Some days are quiet, but she typically sees more action at the hospital than her days on the farm, Rodriguez says. A typical day can have Rodriguez seeing anywhere between one and 14 patients, she says, depending on the length of each procedure and whatâs on the hospitalâs schedule. âThe pace is so fast, but I love it,â Rodriguez says. âI feel like it just keeps pushing me to be better and faster and smoother with what I decide to do for patient care.â In fact, working with patients is one of the highlights of her work. âMy favorite part of the job is waking patients up and seeing how comfortable they are at the end,â Rodriguez says. âThey wake up and they are surprised that the surgery is done, that theyâre already awake and recovering.â From six figures in debt to a six-figure salary After undergrad, Rodriguez went to Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to earn her masterâs degree in anesthesiology, which allowed her to then get her CAA credentials. But unlike her undergraduate studies, Rodriguez had to take out loans for graduate school â a total of around $200,000 for the two-year program. But âgiven that the salary would be around $150,000, I still pursued the profession knowing I would go into debt,â she says. âI felt like I had a realistic chance of paying it off within five years.â She wouldnât even need five years. Chabely Rodriguez walking along the river with NYC skyline behind her Rodriguez visits her hometown of New York every few weeks. Rodriguez wound up not needing the entire $200,000 to pay for school, and eventually paid back $127,590 in total. She hustled to start working right away after graduation. She was able to get expedited credentialing through a hospital that allowed her to start working â and earning â as a CAA faster. Within three months of graduating, she had secured a six-figure salary. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit and former President Donald Trump enacted the forbearance on federal student loan payments and interest, Rodriguez saw an opportunity. Instead of continuing to pay down her debt, she put her monthly payments into a high-yield savings account. By the time the pause was about to end in September 2023, she had more than enough savings to wipe out her debt, and thatâs exactly what she did. All in, she paid off her six-figure debt in about two years. She would have liked to be able to put that money toward her investments or just enjoying life, âbut I knew going into school that I had to pay this debt off ⌠and I felt like it was worth the amount that I had to pay,â Rodriguez says. How she spends her money Even after paying off her debt, Rodriguez has continued to save around 50% of her income. Partly because she wants to be able to travel freely and save for her eventual retirement, but also because of how she grew up. Rodriguez says growing up without a lot of money left her with a bit of a âscarcity mindset,â to the point where even though sheâs saving a lot, sheâs still nervous about worst-case scenarios like losing her job. âI just feel like I always want to prepare for that,â she says. âIâve worked a lot of overtime hours just to make sure that I always have something extra.â Hereâs how Rodriguez spent her money in September 2023: Savings and investments: $14,726 toward her 401(k), brokerage account and savings account Travel: $3,441 during a trip to Costa Rica, plus flights and Airbnbs for upcoming trips Housing and utilities: $1,370 for her portion of the rent, utilities and fees she splits with her roommate Discretionary: $755 on beauty treatments and fundraisers at work Food: $662 on groceries and dining out Insurance: $146 for health and dental insurance Transportation: $39 on gas and tolls Subscriptions: $11 for iCloud storage and HBO Max, split with her boyfriend Her monthly income was higher than usual in September because she received three paychecks, which covered a raise as well as overtime and hazard pay. Rodriguez keeps her monthly costs relatively low by paying lump sums for things like her car and renters insurance, which she pays at six-month and annual intervals, respectively. She puts most of her expenses for things like groceries and travel on credit cards in order to reap the rewards, but pays them off in full each month, carrying no debt. Outside of her rent and savings, traveling is her biggest expense, and Rodriguez sticks to a budget to ensure sheâs able to take the trips she wants to. She could afford to live on her own, but sheâs gotten comfortable living with a roommate, which keeps her living costs low. She also drives an economical Toyota Corolla. âI could get a more luxurious car, I could also live in a nicer apartment, or live on my own, but those are things that are not a priority for me,â Rodriguez says. âI try to save on the things that arenât as important to me, but I spend on the things that matter to me, like food and experiences when I go to a different country.â âLuxury would be a first-class ticketâ Though sheâs not planning to retire early, Rodriguez does plan to slow down a bit in the near future. Sheâs looking forward to cutting back on some of her overtime shifts and spending more time pursuing her other hobbies, like working out and creating content for her YouTube channel. Rodriguez posts videos to the platform raising awareness about the CAA profession and showing the world what her career is like. When she was starting to research CAAs, Rodriguez says she didnât see a lot of representation online or CAAs talking about what they do. âI do my best to set that example,â she says. In terms of financial goals, sheâs not looking to buy a home anytime soon. Sheâs still prioritizing traveling both to visit with her family in New York and explore more of the world. Her siblings currently live in various locations around the globe, so sheâs excited to travel with them to Mexico later this year and to visit her brother in Japan next year. âI just want to keep my cost of living low, but spend the money on making travel more comfortable between the different states,â Rodriguez says. âFor me, luxury would be maybe getting a first-class or a business-class ticket for a long flightStart writing...
By Muhawwal fawaz2 years ago in Motivation
