Home got flooded. Found some awesome eats: Fig Tree, Green Acre, Harbor House (more on that in another post). Nate hurt his knee… still don’t get how (yet, another post). Business is REALLY picking up. We lived in hotels for a month. I gained a bunch of weight. Didn’t get to train as much… surfed for the 1st time in forever. AND, realized how much I actually work.
It’s a perfect post for a video entry!
So… here it is.
And, here’s the epic snapchat story on Nate’s birthday 🙂
I had a fun little Twitter convo earlier this week and it hit me (again) that… “this” is “work.”
@therapyinsiders @TJ_Janicky @thinkgeek
Dude…. #StarWarsPT #workattire. pic.twitter.com/N0dYB62bAH
— Ben Fung (@DrBenFung) May 16, 2016
Yes… I work from home! And, I’m kind of ruined for the usual corporate lifestyle… “going in” to work. My office is this packed storage’ish place where a lot of toddler, media, workout, jiu jitsu, and miscellaneous overflow exists in the house. It’s a place I establish some time to every once in a while, do some video blogging or broadcasting via #Periscope or Snapchat… I’ve actually taken a liking to Snapchat.
A photo posted by Ben Fung (aka @DrBenFung) (@daddyintheraw) on
And, then… I’ve been looking back at the big picture. It’s MAY. That means, I’ve been “work at home” for TWO YEARS now. It’s really crazy to think that. Yes… I’ve taken some per diem gigs and some private clients over these past 24 months. However, the bulk of how we’ve been surviving financially has been from me working in this tiny little office, running around after my kid, cooking when I can, or jamming on this laptop at the bar of our kitchen.
It’s really quite crazy, when you stop and think about it. And, it’s awesome, amazing, and a gift of an experience.
What’s really crazy to think about is that… things are actually working out! Yes, it’s still financially a nightmare of sorts. However, it’s the LIFESTYLE I’m after. Of course, should the opportunity come and I get to realize some of my exit strategies that I end up with a big financial bump… yes, that would definitely be appreciated.
Still, I look back and mentally call upon the lovely experiences we’ve had as a family, the closeness I have with my wife, the love, fun, & adoration I have with my boy… how could I give this up?
My hopes and prayers, now, are that this next stage (as it develops) continues to grow this lifestyle along with the finances… that things finally balance out in a direction of growth.
Until Next Time!
-Ben
So… due to life and bills to pay, I found myself away from home and in clinic for an entire week. Now, first things first: I was very thankful to this relationship with this local clinic I per diem at. We have a wonderful working arrangement and it helps that we’re pretty darn close in terms of a drive/walk. #Awesome
Well, what was supposed to be more of a half day all week turned into practically full time work all week. It worked out in most respects in that there are bills to pay and we gotta do the work, sometimes & many times, that we rather not.
I learned a lot about the healthcare consumer, my role as a clinical physical therapist, and even how that despite such a break from clinical care these last (nearly) two years… I’m still spot on with so much of what I do. I guess it really is like what they say about “riding a bike.” Now, while I enjoyed being in the clinic again… what hurt was being away from family.
After all, this was the first time in TWO YEARS I was away from home and family at a full time pace.
Ultimately, being away all day for a full time equivalent work week… I noticed something truly remarkable in parenting. First, my son was in a bad mood most of the day. Even though I took lunch at home, my wife would tell me how grumpy he would be in my absence. Our boy just likes having both parents around. We also, ironically, realized that mommy & daddy represented certain facets of emotions… much like Disney’s Inside Out.
Mommy = Anger, Fear, and Disgust.
Daddy = Joy & Sadness.
How accurate was this? Well… one day, I came home and Nate went from absolute anger-fit to super giggle happy. He got so happy we were running around and he ran into a wall. Immediately… he began to cry in the saddest most pitiful cry ever.
Well… that seemed to be our dynamic for the week. The biggest lesson I learned was this: I belong at home. I am MEANT to be Daddy In The Raw… a work at home dad.
I can’t say it’s been easy. I can’t even say it’s been financially advisable (yet! some big news, hopefully around the corner) or emotionally stable. However, it is something I know is right for my family.
Well, after such a long and hard week, we felt there was no better way than to make a quick impromptu trip to Disneyland 🙂
Here are some highlights:
Crazy swag!
Selfie after front row seating at the Paint The Night Parade.
Entrance into Tomorrowland.
How it started in the front. Now, diamonds in the back.
Ultimately, I learned that no matter where you are on your journey… you must find your home. Your home might be your actual home. It may be your family, your friends, your profession, your passion, your hobby, etc. Whatever that home is, find yourself there and start there. Why? Well… everyone starts somewhere. Even, Walt Disney.
And, the key is: You have to START.
Everyone starts somewhere.#MotivationMonday #WaltDisney pic.twitter.com/M2K1zNS55k
— Ben Fung (@DrBenFung) April 4, 2016
Effective in May’ish of 2014, I stopped working in traditional roles and began a journey toward working at home. In February of 2015, much of a toll had been taken on myself as well as my family — financially, emotionally, mentally, professionally… the direction was missing. In fact, I was a little bit lost. I was finishing up my MBA with confusing job prospects. And, life was seemingly divergent in the paths I was to take. It was during this time that my family was at a critical point; mere moments away from finding out if we were going to move across the country and start over… completely over. Or, to chalk this up to a hard learned life lesson in… failure? Or… was it something more?
It was more 😉
