Moving on with things

Humdinger1

People in dark places don't like others walking into the light is what I often see @alt80. Keep going, you know what's right for you and loved ones Humdinger x

ladyholly

If its any consolation I find the older I get the less I worry about what others think. Live for yourself and your family. The rest dont matter.

enthusiasticsaver

Just quickly caught up on your diary and pleased you seem to be doing so well and your wife sounds like a different character altogether from a few years back. What a transformation for you both in terms of finances, attitude and hopefully health. Pleased you are managing to get some travel plans in with your parents too. I also note you are enjoying travel now which is a change from years back. We travel a lot while we are still fit enough to do it being quite a few years older than you. This year we have China, Spain and a Danube cruise through Hungary, Slovakia and Austria to look forward to.

As @ladyholly says I would not worry what others think of you and the way you live your life now.

RelievedSheff

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81887352#Comment_81887352

Fully agree with this.

Live your life for you and your family not for what others think.

RelievedSheff

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81887564#Comment_81887564

That cruise sounds nice.

From the parts of the Danube we have seen on our travels it looks lovely.

katsu

It's not sad. If you wouldn't ask some people for advice, why would you consider their unsolicited opinions influential?

Your life now is safer and more fulfilling for your family. You and your wife and your son are better off then you ever were.

Other people...meh, they are welcome to think what they like, we all do. Sing the Fozen song when you think of their opinions ("let it gooo" ;) )

alt80

Thanks all, I’ve not had chance to log in until now - lot going on business wise and I’ve managed to get really strict about keeping a bedtime routine and sleep pattern. Even on the bad days I’m doing a lot better than I was and probably 6 out of 7 days getting a good nights sleep. Finances wise we are just plodding along really. No consumer debt still but building up personal reserves is very slow - our own fault because there’s too much planned in the diary and we struggle to say no to our boy at the best of times. I’ll respond to you all and check some diaries over the coming couple of days - my nightly wind down starts soon haha.

For the big one in 2028, I’m planning to take my wife to Japan for her 40th. This year we have Scotland, London, Central Europe for my Dad’s 80th, Greece, Yorkshire and son is going skiing with school. Next year we’ve got Greece and IOM TT planned, looking like North Italy/ South of France with my parents. Room for a couple more suggestions for 2027 ha.

The past month or so has been quite rough trying to resolve the issues between my former employee and I. He’s caused a lot of trouble and I think has been the catalyst for some clients and staff / former staff waking up and realising things aren’t going back to how they were before.
I accept there was a bit of a party atmosphere for years, I had staff who thrived in that environment and there was a buzz that has gone. I miss aspects but getting my head straight also made me realise some of the staff I employed were !!!!!! liabilities - the ones who’ve thrived in this quieter environment are superstars I never realised I had until I addressed my drug habit. I wasn’t able to face up to it for too long and the one who is still causing me problems should have been gone long before he was. The only one winning in that battle rn is my solicitor. Idk hopefully it’ll be resolved before long.

My wife has really embraced therapy, she is doing well but it’s been tough on her. Nothing more humbling than having to confront aspects of yourself that you don’t like and have spent a lifetime trying to run from- I know that far too well. She’s still her @enthusiasticsaver lol loves her make up still, the gym and being a big kid but she’s serious about bettering herself. Following on from the best ha.

Still got her on the digital arts and graphics stuff. I won her a !!!!!! epic contract up against a couple of big digital agencies a couple of weeks ago, so she’s got no time to think about spending which probably helps haha. She is bricking it but I’ve told her when she gets to the other side, she will feel invincible- no high can match delivering that first big project. I love early stage business - nothing fires me up more than winning contracts going in as the wildcard and seeing the decision makers change their mind in front of you. Since I got the go ahead I’ve been absolutely buzzing for her. Probably sound like a real sad !!!!!! but winning new work for her is the honour of my life. These next few weeks I’ll be putting the scheme together, setting up a system to track the deliverables and getting freelancers onboarded, so much for slowing down. Never know, she might pay my mortgage off lol.

RelievedSheff

Sounds like you are both thriving. Well done to you both.

You have done the hardest part. It should all get easier from now on in.

Nice to hear from you. Your holiday plans for this year and next sound great. Very exciting and something that you can all plan together and look forward too together.

Your wifes new project sounds amazing. Good luck to her.

daisy_1571

Be careful not to take over because this is your buzz - you won it, you are sorting the scheme, the system and the freelancers - what is she going to feel she achieved ???

Cheers dxx

in_need_of_direction

you could do the north west 2000 fairly cheaply if there’s a gap in the holiday plans