Hello Fellow Steemians,

First off a big shout out to my long lost brother from another mother I.J. Maha over @steemcafe. Glad I found you, brother. Thanks for telling me about Steemit.

Sorry about my layout. I need to figure out how to make these posts more stylish. Will check out the helpful posts and videos out there. Anyway here is my introduction.

It all started when my nephew from Mexico city came to stay with us while attending summer classes at a local college.

He was perplexed by a task the teacher had assigned the class. “Please write an essay on how this class will help build your resume and help you get a job.” It was an English class as a second language.

I asked him why that was difficult for him and what he did not understand the assignment. His response resonated with me the difference we had with our mindsets.

“I am not looking to write a resume or find a job. I am preparing myself for the future and to have a better command of the English language. I know it will help me in my future business dealings.” He responded. He was 16 at the time.

You see my wife’s family are business owners. They are brought up with the mindset that, become business owners and have not one but multiple companies. I come from a military family. Like 90% of Americans now I was brought up to think differently. My mindset and like many others is to go to school to learn how to become an employee.

The seed was planted. A 16-year-old planted the idea in me as to why I thought the way I did. How can I change that? Well, I started looking at ways people were starting businesses and to educate myself.

I came across a book Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki. This along with a few other books helped me understand why some people developed a financial understanding and others did not. I will have to write a post about those books.

As we look at the way we learn (By we, I mean the poor to middle class ) is from our parents and public education. We see a big difference in how the rich learn. They learn from their parents' examples and mindset. I never learned the difference between an asset and a liability. My parents taught me our house was our biggest asset and that the more successful a person is the more stuff they had. Keeping up with the Jones although everyone says it’s bad our actions says that is what we have to do.

The rich do not think like that. They think, “How can I create more assets and reduce my liabilities?” Of course, there is more to it than that and this is where I hope I can expand on this concept with this blog.

It has been 3 years since that day with my nephew. I have changed jobs and jumped from one industry that ate up 60-80 hours a week of my life for in comparison was a little money, to one that provided the same amount of income for just 40 hours a week. I have also been able to contribute to small investments and a 401k. I was still trading time for money. I was also on my way to having enough saved for a down payment on a house.

December 15th, 2017 I was called into the conference room for our weekly sales meeting and review. There I was told sales were down for the company and I was not making sales quota so they were letting me go along with a couple of other new people. I had accepted this new position only a few months earlier and moved my family from the Fort Worth Texas area to South Texas in McAllen.

Crap! The holidays are here what do I do? I drove home to tell my wife but when** I got home a little early I saw another car in the driveway. Wait, wait, no it wasn’t that. Sounds like it though doesn’t it.**

Anyway. My wife’s friend was over with her daughters so they could play with my daughter and have pizza. She is 7 years old.

So all I want to do is tell my wife I had been laid off and I have to find another job but had to say instead, “My day went well.” Well while waiting and halfway partaking in pleasant conversation, I was thinking what will we do? How will we get by? Etc etc. Then that little voice inside popped in my head and said it’s no big deal. “You are great at building relationships with clients and in sales. Just not the way this company wanted things done and what they were selling.” I had enough saved and I had already begun looking for another opportunity.

So begun the journey to setting up this blog, completely changing my mindset and looking at ways to help students, veterans, and women do the same. I will explain why these 3 demographics in another post.

So now comes the time, though it be a nervous time I know I will learn and grow out of it, to act. It will take a lot of work but I am positive it will change my mindset and provide me with a better more solid financial understanding so I can reach financial freedom for my family while helping others do the same.

Now I hope you join me on this life-changing journey as we grow, explore, review, travel, and reach financial freedom together.

Best regards

David Wardlow

P.S.
I used the image below to show that even though I was let go during the holidays, I still had the two best gifts in the world. My wife and daughter.

*P.S.S. *
Side Note: I think our system is broke in many ways banking, government, and education. Hence the FUeducation name which yes, one part FU to education but also Finacial Understanding. I will try not to bash too much about these things, I like to be more positive and use that good energy in the universe to look at ways to introduce positive changes and adapt to the changing world around us.