Cocoon's Journal

Cocoon's Journal

Hello, my name is Cris. I bought Dean's book last year after hearing him speak on T.V.. He made a lot of good sense and I figured I might as well try and read what he writes about, since I have always been interested in Real Estate. I read it and joined this site and read and read some more, when schedule permitted. I actively read, but did not actively participate in the forums. I had a ton of questions to ask, but I just searched for the "keywords” on the "Search Box" on this site, so I got some of my questions about some techniques taught in the book answered (that way, I wouldn't be wasting website resources in kilobytes with redundancy and repetitive questions). So I have learned (and am still learning) a lot from this site, and from Dean's book. Thank you Dean, for being so gracious with your wisdom and for having this website set up for your customers/students. Your customers/students pay it forward because they have seen it in you; you are a good leader and a good exaple. The members of this site are awesome with the way they help each other out and share their knowledge. That's always a good thing. For the questions that I had that were left unanswered, I went on my journey to seek for the answers, while going on with daily tasks, life and routine.

And then tragedy struck! My home got water-damaged while my son and I were on an overseas trip. We were displaced from our home for almost 6 months. We just moved back to our home a couple of weeks ago. (I have learned a lot along the way, I want to write and share when schedule permits, when I am on the other side of it). Looking at the brighter side of things, that experience has taught me some more about real estate that I never read about anywhere, nor was I prepared for. I am grateful to have met some wonderful people and hardworking contractors and vendors, and so while I was going through it all and dealing with everyone, I was also building my future Power Team, I told them that I am going into real estate investing, and so I will be doing business with them again, as soon as my son and I can move back to our home and establish some normalcy back into our day-to-day. At least I have had a good sample of how they work and how professional they are in doing business.

So what brought me back to this site? While unpacking one of the boxes (that the packers packed during the time when my house was being demolished) in my garage-still-full-of boxes, I found Dean's book, the one I bought last year, drenched (well, it's dried out by now - like pages plastered together! It gives me new meaning to a Hard-Bound Book – it’s too hard bound, you cannot even open it!). It had all my marginal notes and lessons learned and RE related paperwork.

So, rather than get hardened by depression, I went back to this site and ordered the same book PFRERN, and ordered other books that I have not read yet. It is worth re-ordering because I remember back then, when I ordered it the first time, it gave me hope. And with these current troubling times, we all need to have a source of hope. And the wisdom to know what to do next. It's important to connect with like-minded individuals. We all have a need to improve our lives and to financially secure our future and the future of our loved ones. We also have to know our boundaries - what is legal, what might not be legal. We can discern a rip-off – when in doubt, ask, research, or best yet, stop. PRAY about it.

Money matters. We all go through the ups and downs of it. Money is a magnifier of who you are. It does not change you, it simply magnifies what is inside you. A pastor once lectured “the best thing we can all do for the poor is not be one of them”. I thought that was hysterical. But it's true, when you have more money, you are more giving and you are less stressed.

I believe in seeking wisdom, either through my own experiences or through learning from the wisdom of others who have gone before me.

I believe in the power of prayer, and that if we tell God about our problems, we receive the Holy Spirit and we receive and experience God's favor and countenance. You seem to see what others cannot see; sometimes you see the impossible happening as you take the step of faith, because you feel God is with you.

When I got divorced years and buckets of tears ago, I thought it was impossible to not live in fear while in a foreign country. I thought it was impossible to get out of debt. I thought it was impossible to raise my son singlehandedly, without any child support. I thought it was impossible to finish college. I thought it was impossible to get into a good graduate school. I thought it was impossible to finish graduate school without any school debt. (I had to work several jobs to put myself through school). I thought it was impossible to build my own credit. I thought it was impossible for me to buy my own car or my own house as a single person for me and my son. I thought it was impossible to survive surgery after surgery. The list goes on and on, and we all deal with the enemy within. Some seasons, on a daily basis. I dealt with it constantly and daily for the past 6 months.

"I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me." - I read that from the bible a long time ago; I don't remember the exact chapter or verse number, but I got the message. And that promise usually tides me over (after crying a bucket of tears). You need to know who your enemy is. Your enemy is someone who is grieved by your success. Your enemy is someone who hates that you are still trying to stay positive while you are in a very negative situation because they just expect you to crumble or fail or just stay down! The dream killers and time-wasters in your life. (It gives new meaning to, “if you can’t say anything nice, shut up”). And the best way to actually, in a round-about way, get back at your enemies is to make the best out of your own life, be the best person you can be. That speaks for the inner strength and character building that that process instills in you, that the wrong that they have done against you, didn’t really keep you down. Maybe for a while, but not for long, if we always do something to keep us going forward and moving upward, and then forgiving them from your heart in the process so we are not carrying the heavy burden of un-forgiveness and bitterness. Bitterness, which is just plain and simple “anger that is stretched towards time”, is the heaviest and most unproductive thing to be carrying around in life. (It’s heavier than a dozen of my water damaged hardened Hard Bound books!). Set boundaries – forgive them from your heart and at the same time do not give them permission or any opportunity to knock you down again or anymore. (If they still manage to knock you down, let me know, I’ll send you my water damaged hardened Hard Bound books, you can seriously use them as a weapon to protect yourself!)

Choose the people who have access to you and your time. We are all just given the same 24 hours per day. If we cannot manage our one 24-hour day, how can we manage our one life?

A wise man once said that it is our sole responsibility to keep ourselves inspired. Nobody thinks about us and our future as much as we do. And if someone criticizes us? That's the only time they thought about us! Our world is what we choose to magnify. So let's not cooperate with depression! Make tomorrow so big that yesterday would be so scared silly to show up!

So, in the next couple of days, I will be receiving my Dean books 2.0. I will find the time to start working on setting up my Real Estate Investing business. That is going to be my next challenge and I am up for it. I know it is going to be a rough road ahead, but, quite frankly, I believe, like everybody else here, that real estate investing is something that has the bigger possibility and probability of securing our financial future at a faster pace. We all just have to work “smart”.

I thought it was impossible for me to actually type something up here. I actually did it. Thanks for visiting and reading my blog. Sorry it got lengthy, I got carried away!

Now, back to my garage-still-full-of-boxes. For right now, I need to re-claim the living space on my newly restored home. My Real Estate Investment #1 (and I thought before that was impossible for me!). Today, as I start my first Journal post on 1/23/2012 marks the start of when I ACTIVELY decided to do REI!

Happy Investing, Everyone.

Cris


"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, do not sit down first and count the cost, to see if he has enough to finish it?"
"(Luke 14:28)

__________________


Cris

it was very nice meeting you in person at the Edge- wasn't the event incredible? All the positive energy, the great advice from the speakers... and meeting Dean in person? how cool was that?!!!

... regarding your posts, I don't think any of the members here are 'flagging' them, I think they get flagged automatically when you have links attached to them, because that's what spammers have been doing here (very annoying!); so I don't think your posts are getting deleted intentionally... and I do understand how discouraging it must be, after putting in effort to write it, etc.

Keep up the positive attitude!

__________________

Valerie

“And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed!” ― Dr. Seuss

"I believe in angels, the kind that heaven sends; I am surrounded by angels, but I call them friends" - Unknown

My journal: http://www.deangraziosi.com/real-estate-forums/investing-journals/59110/...


Hi Valerie

Valuni wrote:
it was very nice meeting you in person at the Edge- wasn't the event incredible? All the positive energy, the great advice from the speakers... and meeting Dean in person? how cool was that?!!!

... regarding your posts, I don't think any of the members here are 'flagging' them, I think they get flagged automatically when you have links attached to them, because that's what spammers have been doing here (very annoying!); so I don't think your posts are getting deleted intentionally... and I do understand how discouraging it must be, after putting in effort to write it, etc.

Keep up the positive attitude!

Hi Valerie! Nice meeting you too! Smiling Yes, the 2012 Edge Event was just so worth it! I sure did learn a LOT that I am putting to work this week and incorporating into my schedule. Don't want to lose the momentum and I will keep at it! Smiling

On the flags and posts disappearing, who knows what happens to those.... LOL! I don't want to "sweat the small stuff" anymore, but you are right it's just very annoying at times! Anyway, keeping it positive... Happy investing to you too and hope to see you again next year!
Smiling
Cris


CRIS YOU STILL AROUND ??

huh ?


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