Monthly Archives: April 2022

Walking Into Armageddon

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I am not sure if it is reverse culture shock or if I am just dismayed at the state of America. The reaction is physical. There is a tightening in my chest, pounding in my veins, and a stiffening of my body. Returning to American life has its challenges, just watching the local news here can be panic-inducing. Yet, though things around me seem hard, I am determined to keep the edges of my heart soft. Here are a few conundrums and my salves:

Un – Panicked!

Problems At Home

Inflation is easy to spot in America. Initially, there is sticker shock! A 5-year-old used car costs nearly as much as a new 2022. That is if you can get your hands on a 2022. Supply chain issues have created delivery delays. Thus, used cars are being sold for double what they would have cost 2-3 years ago. Housing prices in America have seen the highest year-on-year appreciation on record. There have been at least 20% increases in valuation in some areas. When I compare costs in Japan, they have more or less stayed the same over four years. Here in the US, most things have risen in price.

SCAMMERS

As more public services in America are privatized, the room for consumer confusion is high. In Atlanta, scammers are purporting to be the police department. At my mother’s home, I see (post) mail with misleading notices on the cover. Some notices pretend to be from a trusted health care provider, insurance company, or the federal government. Once you open the post, you see the words hedging or all-out different from the external warning. “You MAY be eligible for” or “please call one of our agents.” Lots of these advertisements would confuse an older adult in a hurry. It feels like everyone is trying to take a bite out of you.

With all this going on around me, I sometimes struggle to keep anxiety in check. I do not shrink from the world. But I am not too proud to seek help. These are some of the tools I use to keep my peace of mind in check.  

Deeper Resonance

I often notice that anxiety only builds up in me when I struggle internally. It is almost a catch-22. The door of the internal home is porous! So when I need to reconnect with inner peace, here are a few guides I tune in to.

The Lotus Grows From Murky Water

1. A Spiritual Perspective

The Power of Now is a classic; I have gifted Eckhart Tolle’s work numerous times. It was first given to me during my PTSD. Over a decade later, I still revisit it and find bits of wisdom. To my above whines, a healthy dose of Tolle:

“See if you can catch yourself complaining, in either speech or thought, about a situation you find yourself in, what other people do or say, your surroundings, your life situation, even the weather. To complain is always non-acceptance of what ‘is’. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is useless.”

Eckhart Tolle

This friendly reminder about the complaining or misalignment with the NOW is a jolt. While I can take ACTION to resolve the concern, staying discontented with how things are is not doing me any good!

A new online sensation is Tara Brach. Instead of focusing on only cultivating peace, one of her essential tools is to turn into what is kicking off anxieties. Through her RAIN practice (and the book on it), she suggests that you R-recognize, A-allow, I-investigate, and N-nurture what is going on. This practice allows you to see what is bothering you and be with it. Often just being with the source of concern will alleviate the pain. By investigating and nurturing, you can begin to arrive at any unmet needs that require tending.

I believe that spiritual teachers essentially bring us to an insight that was already living within us. This traveling to the understanding helps us create a healthy space for perspective.

If lectures and books are too cumbersome, nature, green leaves, and walks in the woods are my classic calming practice. I learned recently that knobby tree roots can provide an excellent foot massage!

Knobby Roots = Fun Grounding

Of course, writing is one of my solutions. 😊 Just physically writing down what I feel, in a private journal, creates a bit of space from internal tension. When self-directed is not available to me, I look for a prompt. An excellent Instagram account, the isolation journals, often has good ones. Recently, I answered, what would make it worth living through the apocalypse. Hugs, sunrises, and shorelines for me!

Through my recent shock, I learned that I could reawaken my own lessons of resilience. From the private comments of readers, I sense that others are looking for some similar forms of resolution. I hope that this piece will contribute to some relief and bring understanding to lessen someone else’s trouble.

Wishing you all a Zen-full day!

The Foundation for FIRE: 3 Lessons from A Family in Permanent Hustle Mode

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Gujaratis are famous for their business acumen. Stereotypes make me cringe, but this one I see proven through my family experiences. Even with my professional education, I have always had some business on the side. As I trace my roots, I see entrepreneurs throughout my lineage. My maternal grandfather moved his family from post-colonial India to rural Pakistan. Through a combination of land ownership, the running of a small mill, and a wholesale grocer, he could support a family of nine. On the other side, my father’s family moved from India to East Africa to trade in agricultural goods. The stories of hustle were a natural part of my upbringing. The observations I made from watching my extended, and immediate family prepared me for the ups and downs of business. With a can-do spirit, the obstacles along the path became teachable moments.

Family Photo (circa 2001?)

1. Reading, Writing & Arithmetic

My uncle Wazir is a successful and well-loved real estate broker in Toronto. He did not, however, start his career in real estate. He was born in Pakistan and was offered a scholarship for a master’s program abroad through excellence in his studies. After finishing his engineering studies in Honolulu, opportunity took him to the shipyards of Baltimore. From there, he eventually sought a better quality of life in Canada. His analytical mind, undoubtedly honed by his education, led him to seek better returns on his time through real estate. With a singular focus, to make more time in his life for his family, he was able to engineer his life. From his strategic thinking and natural warmth, he grew his real estate business from word-of-mouth referrals. His example, to me, speaks of the combination of education and humanity in success.  

Similarly, while both of my parents were physicians, they both had a desire for business. When my parents arrived in Atlanta, neither was licensed to practice medicine in the US. My parents plunged their savings into a 24-hour gas station/ convenience store in a rough downtown neighborhood to make an income. This venture required grit, humility, and lots of hands-on management. From there, their golden egg, my mother was able to return to her studies and get licensure to practice in America. Eventually, she created her own medical practice in Atlanta’s underserved Latino community. Though she does not speak Spanish, she partnered with a well-connected church organizer. This partnership helped her to step into the market with language and relationships. My parent’s story carries the lesson of education and collaboration. In each instance, my mother’s business success relied on finding support from a partner.

2. Follow Your Heart

In the late 90s, my two favorite uncles lived around the corner from us in Atlanta. Initially, they worked at the family gas station. However, they did not want to participate in the sale of alcohol and cigarettes. For them, these products were part of a lifestyle inconsistent with Islamic principles. So, these two brothers searched for other ventures that would allow them to work with autonomy and righteousness. They investigated a windows and glass installation company; for a while, they helped homeowners delay the process of foreclosure. Finally, they settled on the business of hair distribution. When they first started, online shopping was not the norm. Shopify was non-existent; my uncles were early adopters. In the post-pandemic world, they have excelled because their platform was ready for a wholesale shift in perspective. In their struggle to follow certain principles, I find proof that anyone can find the right business if they keep at it.

Clean Up Pretty!

My cousin Mariam’s story, is probably my favorite, though. We are related via my father’s side of the family, and since she grew up in the UAE, we did not spend a lot of time together as kids. However, while I was at the University of Maryland Law School in downtown Baltimore, I got to know her better. She worked at a snazzy lighting store in Annapolis not too far away. Her eye for design and art were ever-present, and I am sure the lighting folks were happy to have her. But her heart was in crafts. She has a talent for making handmade soaps that are both beautiful and cruelty-free. Initially, she started selling her creations on Etsy. I remember buying her soaps early on. Ten years later, Chester River Soaperie operates in a worldwide niche for custom retail and wholesale soaps and lotions. Through her success, I see the importance of remaining faithful to your inner calling. Mariam is a creator, and now she stands in the world of her creation.

Dispute Diligently

3. Read the Fine Print

Running a business is not a cakewalk. Some of the lessons I learned are cautionary tales. Litigation can deplete cash reserves and sap emotional energy. Drew, one of my uncles, was eager to make money fast through the gas station business. He jumped into a lease-purchase agreement when he thought he saw a good deal. Drew believed he had a valid option to purchase the station without much external investigation. After a few months of running the store, the property was sold from under him. Drew was wronged, but he let his anger fuel his following choices. He embarked on protracted litigation over the right to purchase. In stubbornly chasing his indignation, Drew got a raw deal. He pursued a lemon and lost both money and energy. In Drew’s story, I see the importance of hiring help to do diligence and identifying when to cut your losses.

Even though Gujaratis share a fantastic track record, it is not just their birth in the community that entitles them to success. I saw that the goal was never money for the sake of money. The key motivations are a determination to do the right work and the perseverance to make a particular lifestyle. The larger goal was for a balance in purpose and family life. With these values at the forefront, the family keeps a humble and narrow focus on the more significant why. Beyond the veneer of success, there are the pox marks of sacrifices. I have been keeping an inner log of the lessons in my work towards financial independence. Most importantly, I recognize that it is a process. Good partners, good motivations, and sound legal counsel are critical to making it through.

Two Steps Towards Financial Freedom: On FIRE

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From August 2020 to May 2021, I was without a paycheck. This unhinging from salaried work was on purpose. I chose to resign from my steady paycheck job as a JET in 2020. Leaving a decent job at the start of a pandemic was a bold move. However, I had a financial cushion and needed new challenges. The next challenge I had lined up in HR fell through as hiring freezes took effect in Tokyo. In October 2020, I was offered an exciting law class to teach for spring 2021 at Temple University’s Tokyo campus. Teaching law has always been a bucket list item for me; I wholeheartedly accepted the assignment. Then, again, at the last minute, that elective law class was canceled too due to pandemic related-BS.  Instead of finding mediocre work as a replacement income, I readjusted my plans and left Tokyo for five weeks in the Kyoto/Osaka area. This surprise situation did not prevent me from working on my larger goal of freedom through financial independence. In 2021, I spent late winter and early spring in a refreshing break from Tokyo life by applying geo-arbitrage in action. While location independence is one step of my approach, the formula for financial independence starts with a mindset.

Finding the Blue Flame

Nowadays, I think anyone can work towards financial independence. Many use online income streams to work on their FIRE (financial independence retire early) goals. I have experimented with a few such income streams. There were some moments last year when I lived off my savings. Instead of panicking, I found purpose in pauses between salaried work.

Trial By Fire

I prize freedom over money. Few things are as challenging for me as staying inside an office while the sun shines through a window. It is for this reason that I started to work towards financial independence. This idea was a revolution and a relief to me in 2009. For me, 2009 was a challenging year. I had just graduated from law school in mid-2008 and suffered from PTSD from my father’s sudden death a few months after my graduation. In 2009, the year after the 2008 mortgage industry collapse, the financial recession followed, and I was in a numb state of shock. I started my first full-time job as an attorney in both a personal and global crisis. Shortly after starting that job, I happened upon the 4-Hour Workweek while browsing Barnes & Nobles. The book profoundly changed how I saw money, work, and life. 

Zero Dollars

All in, for 2021, I made ZERO dollars of taxable income. As an adjunct professor of law at Temple University, the summer and fall semesters did not amount to much dough when I factored in the standard deduction. In fact, since I taught Fall 2021 virtually from the Americas, I could not even access the paychecks from Temple University that went into my Japanese bank account. How then did I manage to survive (or thrive, really)? These two key lessons helped me create a healthy financial buffer on my path to independence.

1. Stop Buying Stupid Shit

Spend My Freedom Away

Life is short. I enjoy it to the fullest. Though money does not buy happiness, money can support you to create moments of enjoyment. If you know yourself well (see #2, below), you know where you get the most bang for your buck. Once you know which expenditures bring you joy, hone in on & cut back on the places where your purchases are frivolous. 

For example, I seldom go to the movies. While watching Black Panther (the last film I saw in theatres), I fell asleep in the chair and needed plot updates from my friend. Movie-going isn’t for me. On the other hand, I love going to the ocean. I would instead spring for a weekend at the beach than a few nights of big screen watching. My approach is quite pragmatic, as well. I would rather drive a 10-year-old car to the beach than have five years of payments remaining on a shiny car. 

I have known many intelligent, accomplished, and high-income individuals with no savings and little self-control.  We live in a consumerist society. Everywhere you look, advertisements are vying for your attention and dollar. For many people, promotions set off psychological triggers and cue impulse spending. As you work towards financial freedom, it is essential to know your spending triggers. Sometimes it is as fundamental as knowing your own insecurities.

Many people get caught up in increasing their income. However, regardless of what you make, what you spend is what matters. I do not believe that austerity is required. Discipline is a muscle. It becomes stronger as you practice it. The first step towards discipline is to become aware of your spending habits. Make discretionary purchases that genuinely bring you joy.

Through practice, I have been good at reducing my recurring expenses. I am also very selective about how I use my discretionary money. In exchange for that, I (usually) have the flexibility to step away from work that does not interest or excite me.

Carolina Crash

By early 2016, I had ironed out a comfortable lifestyle in coastal South Carolina. However, after a traumatic relationship breakup and my general disappointment with politics in America, I returned to a sense of boredom. My WHY had changed, and I had to reconsider what I really wanted from life. I realized that working in a litigious and hierarchical legal culture was inconsistent with my more profound purpose. Though working in the law could provide a more straightforward path to financial independence, I realized I wanted to inspire a sense of global community through meaningful teaching and empowering others abroad.

Blue Ocean Depth

2. Know Yourself

Self-mastery and self-knowledge lie at the heart of any successful endeavor. Financial independence is no different. Therefore, it is essential to realize why you are moving toward financial independence. Specifically, what does freedom mean for you?

The income automation portion is difficult but not impossible. When I owned a real estate portfolio (with a partner), I was well along the way to financial independence. However, I struggled to find meaning in financial comfort without a larger WHY. Retiring early is not necessarily the purpose behind financial independence. My favorite part about time freedom is making space for self-growth. I aim to balance unstructured time with goal-getting and radical personal experimentation.

For a family, financial independence looks different than it does for a single lady. For many people, their day-to-day job is central to their identity. What they do is who they are. If the goal is to get away from salaried work, be firm in who you are outside of your career.

Sometimes people link their identity to what they can buy. Purchases to impress others are a classic rat race trap. Working for prestige over purpose can confuse your direction in life. Paul Graham’s excellent essay on doing what you love is a favorite in the Y-combinator start-up community. You have to look deep into your core in working to know yourself. Is there a higher purpose you are working towards? How will you relate to others who see the world differently?  What are your hobbies or interests that move you to go in that direction? It is essential to understand what you will do with your time.

As I move in that direction, I make very conscious decisions about what I want and how I pursue my goal. Working towards financial independence and turning down the typical 9 to 5 (or 5 to 9, really) is about controlling my own time. By taking charge of my choices, for example, knowing that I do not need a flashy bag to prove myself, I can accomplish the critical first half of the equation. My sense of self-worth is not tied to someone’s judgment. Since I know my WHY, I feel grounded in confidence and believe that I can manifest the right opportunities. I create the mental space for writing and inspire meaningful connections across cultural boundaries by choosing where I place my priorities.

As I return to the US, I have grown to know myself better. Knowing yourself means having faith in your capacity to pull off big goals. With that, I have found a heartfelt WHY. Thanks to my varied travel and life experiences, I have a deep sense of compassion for a global community of immigrants, travelers, and survivors. I wish to inspire others to lead a bold and authentic life through writing, coaching, and consulting.

Global Community Connection

Beyond the Great Resignation: The Wave of Organizing Workers

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I love the headlines I read about The Great Resignation. Leaving your job and sticking it to a bad boss has appeal. I should know; I have quit several jobs. For anyone resigning, though, the individual motivation can vary. Many employees are frustrated by inflexible work policies and mismanagement during the pandemic. On the other hand, the waves of recent resigning staff often have some financial resources, another position lined up, or are boldly taking the plunge to self-employment.

Power to the People

Fight Back

However, the option to resign is not in everyone’s hands. There is new hope for those who have to continue with a less-than-ideal employer! With rising labor shortages, employees have new bargaining power. A silver lining in the post-pandemic world is a slow-growing trend of employees organizing. The effort to improve working conditions is both inspiring and telling. There is no perfect way to go about creating significant changes. For the man in the arena, I have enormous awe and respect.  

In shipping, food and beverage, and even academia, people are working to improve employee rights. An eruption of discontent resulting from a classic imbalance between labor and capital is bubbling underneath the surface. Employees are fed up with picking up the slack for understaffing and inconsistent work schedules. Many feel quite literally like cogs operating under impersonal corporate controls. American wages have been stagnating since the 1970s. Meanwhile, the disparity in compensation between workers and their employers is widening.

The Last Mile

If you have been waiting for the delivery of an online purchase, you probably have looked up issues about the supply chain. A top story there points to delays in delivery. Through the pandemic, it has become commonplace to hear about the conditions for workers at Amazon. For example, it appears that their staff regularly pee in cups. The best news on this front is that groups of Amazon workers are unionizing. Led by Christian Smalls, one group has organized without the help of old school union professionals. Smalls was initially fired for staging a walk-out at Amazon. Instead of accepting this fate, he managed an effective and historic response.

Tip Please!

Underpaid workers roll silverware for less than minimum wage in the restaurant industry. For them, unionization is an essential step in the right direction. Employers, though, are not huge fans. They rely on a culture of tipping which grows from a post-Civil War practice, to avoid paying a living wage. Starbucks is not a safe space for its own workers though many Americans consider it a favorite place to hide between work and home. Starbucks staff are unionizing for better work conditions. Along the way,  union organizers are losing their jobs. Howard Shultz has returned to Starbucks to fight off the moves to unionize; still, workers are staying firm on their demands.

TA for Free?

Well-educated academics are not immune to this trend. In the last few years, Temple University faculty have found support within the student body for better working conditions. Across the country, the standard is rising for universities. Recently,  an unpaid teaching position at UCLA created an uproar. It is a running joke that Ph.Ds are the free labor of academic institutions. A student union at Columbia thinks otherwise.  

In the past, unionizing was most readily associated with manufacturing work. For large multinationals, it was easy to quell unionization efforts. Thanks to globalization, and corporate-friendly tax policies, it was possible to send manufacturing work abroad. With mixed results, our American economy has changed. There is invariably some work that requires location-specific help. For example, staffing a café, physically delivering goods, or teaching in person requires a warm, local body. These are the places where union organizers are needed today.

A Brave New Way

An ideological shift is underway. Through radical imagination, we are beginning to see solutions. In addition to unions, there are other ample opportunities to balance the employee-employer relationship. I see growth in cooperative organizations, the power to technology to support self-governance, and the exercise of courage in imagination. Indeed, shareholder activism, organizing workers, and the rise of B corporations suggest that we all want more from our workplaces and our dollar.