BY SHEENA BLAKE
What are you willing to do for money? How do you connect to earning? Today’s article is about how we earn wages and what we are willing to do to earn them.
In my life, I have worked several different jobs. From high profile to work that others forget. The one consistent theme that I have noted is that the market will ask pretty much anything of us; it is its prerogative. Nonetheless, I cannot help but wonder how many things I have and others have done, to make money, that go against our principles and standards.
This is not an article about illegal activity but one about acknowledging the compromising of values for wages.
In my younger years, I can remember being abused verbally by employers, ever so subtly, of course and being asked to do things that were out of my job description. I can remember being asked to do things that were out of my moral values, never anything illegal, but still outside of my compass.
I’m sure by now you’re hoping for some juicy details, but it wouldn’t be right to share. What I can note, is that I, at certain points in my life, have been of mindsets that allow me to make decisions that are outside of who I am…just for money. In these times that I have been asked to lie, cheat, steal, be unkind or unfair I have sometimes decided to follow through with the “slackness”. Somehow, I have normalized it and made it make sense to put money in my pocket.
Now, you all know that I know that money is extremely important in this life. It makes things easier, it clears up a lot of stress and we get to buy things that we like. All of this is integral to most of our lives. That being said, it is also important to note what we are willing to do to get to that level of ease in our days.
Because I am still alive, I know that I will always be subject to the ways that man deals with money, but to help separate myself from some of the major issues, I have created my own businesses and streams of income. I, by no means, have the formula or know exactly how to be morally just at every given moment, but what I do know now, is that people can no longer expect me to do things for them that will compromise my slumber or my thoughts of myself.
I write this today because I am curious to know how many people out there have had experiences where they are doing things for money that they don’t want to be doing? I want to know what others are willing to do to stop creating relationships with employers that abuse or take more advantage of them more than they ought to.
If you read my articles, you know that I believe that advice is a nonsensical addition to most people’s lives, so I don’t like giving it or receiving it, but what I do enjoy hearing is valuable wisdom from my elders.
So, I close on this note taught to me by one of my mentors. It is a quote by William Blake, “Create your own world, or be a slave to another man’s.” What are you creating?
