Changing My Life

At the beginning of 1999 I was working for a clothing retail chain – part time for just above minimum wage. I was thirty-four years old and having to board with my parents because I wasn’t making enough money.  I hated my job, my life and didn’t see much hope for the future.

 

One day I listened to a song that I had always loved – ‘Raise a Little Hell’ by Trooper – and a stanza caught my attention. I copied the words out into a notebook I carried with me and whenever I started to get depressed, I would read this words:

 

‘If you don’t like what you’ve got

Why don’t you change it?

If your world is all screwed up

Rearrange it.”

 

Believe it or not those words empowered me. I would repeat them over and over to myself then find myself doing things that could improve my life. Like finding a better job. Within five and a half months I had landed a job with the Canadian government with a starting wage that was well above minimum wage and benefits. Unfortunately a little over a year later I had to go onto disability but I once again have those words posted where I can read them when I need the focus to make changes.