Hello world!

The first thing you may be wondering about is what kind of name is that for a weblog?

Psilva is short for my name, Paul Silva. The chfc part is one of my professional designations, it’s short for Chartered Financial Consultant. This blog will focus on how financial matters impact our lives.

We can be haunted by feelings of inadequacy, fear and all sorts of stressful stuff because we haven’t learned how to escape the effects of money issues.

OR, we could be liberated from the distractions caused by a flawed relationship to money, and be free to pursue our true passions in life. The thrill I get from helping people in this way is indescribable.

Do you have something you’d love to being throwing your life at with unbridled enthusiasm? Would you be more likely to jump out of bed in the morning if you weren’t dreading some part of your life?

If you answered yes, it’s imperative that you find someone to help you think through the issues that keep you from the life you are supposed to be enjoying.

(I love the saying, “Life is a song to be sung, not a sentence to be served.”)

I’m not the guy for most people. My concentration on the financial aspect of life limits my usefulness to those who are limited by their improper orientation toward money.

The people who get the most out of reading my stuff are those who value the application of wisdom to practical daily living. Most people don’t spend much time thinking about how the lack of foundational truths in their decision making process hinders them.

I started pursuing truth early in life. It lead to a philosophy degree, with no intent to ever focus on business or things financial. Funny how your life gets molded by your experiences, isn’t it?

My financial life was always a wreck by way of being ignored. The ensuing meltdown got my attention. Eventually I recognized the need to pay attention. I became equipped to help others by my own suffering.

On the question of discovering your calling, or purpose in life, I once heard  a very wise man say something that stuck with me. “Just look at what makes you cry.”

Think about it. Do you know anyone about whom you can say, “they are obviously doing what they were intended to do”? I know a lady who works in the developmentally disabled services field who is loving her life. I know a guy who’s calling is to guide young people toward a more successful higher educational experience.

You know the people I’m talking about, don’t you? The child abuse activist; or a  missionary for any number of kinds of relief.

What makes you cry is the clue. Your sensitivity to an issue and the suffering it causes can point you to a more satisfying life. The other key is that your energy be poured into others. Seeking your own happiness is futile.

A survivalist worldview leads to focusing on getting what you need. Helping others get what they need goes much farther toward your fulfillment, as well as your provision. 

A worldview with abundance as it’s core assumption frees us to think of the good of others.

You will be provided for. Your creator promised that. Fear may cause us to doubt it. Mismanagement, or disobedience can interrupt the flow of that provision. That doesn’t mean the resources don’t exist. It just means we’ve gotten out of touch with what we were designed to be doing.

If you have kids, you’ll know what I mean shortly. You want them to be happy. When they fight over a toy, instead of sharing, you observe the absence of happiness. It grieves you. If only they’d stop putting themselves first, you say to yourself.

But what about our adult lives? “Hey, I’ve got to make a living, you know.” Self reliance is an obstacle, not a solution. One foundational truth is that living for others just works better. It’s no accident that the business world is filled with aphorisms like …

“Help enough others get what they want, and you’ll get what you want.”

“Find a need and fill it.”

The trick is purity of motivation. Building a better mousetrap doesn’t guarantee ample provision for you. Starting a business, or pursuing a career just for money doesn’t “get it”.

I know someone blessed with the mind of an inventor. He wants to market any of his ideas to make himself a lot of money. The motivation is toward himself. Do you think he’ll succeed? When he discovers that the true and proper use of his gifting is to help others, his motivation will be moved toward others.

“Find a need and fill it” works best when the need you are addressing is one about which you have an intense emotional involvement. My friend can raise more money for Autism, (because he’s seen it cause suffering in his extended family), than any other “cause” he might try to benefit.

If you are already doing your “thing”, please respond in the comments section. If you are intrigued by the idea of finding how to get money “out of the way” of your being who you were meant to be, please comment.

More about where ageless truths come from next time.

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