Chapter 2
An
Awakening
As a result of the incident with the Monaro
I was now juggling 3 bank loans in total. I could no longer continue
to do this and so I approached the banks about renegotiating them
or I was facing bankruptcy. With a tax return and some money I finally
received from a compensation battle that had been going on since the
car accident in 86 I managed to negotiate with 2 of the banks to accept
a lump payment which would write the remaining debt completely off
it wasn’t the full amount owed but could end the cycle I was
in. This of course gave me a huge boost of renewed energy. I started
reading books and took on a renewed interest in my health, I saw a
future again and began exercising and living again. I started taking
guitar lessons and I joined a martial art called Ninjukai with my
mate Gary and we went 2-3 times a week for training. I developed a
new found interest in life and wanted to free myself from debt and
poverty and build a real future. I needed to make changes occur and
Started to take charge of my life and make positive changes happen
in my lifestyle. I gave up smoking and developed an insatiable desire
to learn. I had a thirst for knowledge that saw me explore and read
everything I could find about nutrition, exercise, and spirituality.
I sought out anything that could help explain who I was and help me
to discover what my role was in the world. I talked to religious door
knockers when they called with a genuine interest in their views,
I went to see Buddhist monks at the local monastery and searched within
myself for a higher power such as God.
My health got better and better as I started
eating nutritious foods and really took an interest in what I did
to my body and mind I started going out with friends and company.
I watched what I ate and only ate for nutrition not pleasure. I kicked
bad habits and regulated my sleeping patterns. I read, read, read
and soon realised I was becoming somewhat of an expert in the field
of nutritional supplements and self help technologies. I began listening
to meditation tapes and going to classes. I read books on yoga and
healing. I learned of mind brain technologies and could see the benefits
right before my eyes. My whole outlook on myself and the world began
to change. I bought tapes that produce certain brainwave frequency
that train your brain to take you into deep meditative states . I
began to see life as something you create yourself instead of a series
of events outside of your control that happen to you. I felt like
I had been reborn, I had regained control of my life and did have
a say in my future. I felt like I had been part of a grand learning
experience of which it was now ending and it was time to move beyond
into the next chapter of my life.
I saw that these technologies and concepts
could improve any-ones life. I understood that awareness was the key
to happiness and that by striving to improve our levels of understanding
about ourselves and others we could all raise the quality of our lives
and I wanted to share this knowledge.
I believed that it was everyone's responsibility
to take control of their own health and lifestyles and that if we
all fed ourselves with knowledge and information keeping up with the
latest findings of truth about age related degenerative diseases and
links between environments, diet,habits and situations that occur
and our reactions to them. We could all live long healthy lives.
If we all shared and used our knowledge to
help ourselves and others around us then it was simple we would all
be better off.
By improving all aspects of lifestyle including
diet, exercise and the way we think, making it a part of our daily
routines to learn new things and to follow scientific, medical and
spiritual breakthrus as they happen then we could all benefit together.
I decided then that I wanted to be a positive
influence on people. I was going to find a way of having my own business
that would help me to bring information and knowledge to people and
when I was doing what my heart and spirit felt was right I would no
longer be unhappy and the debts would disappear. I believed the age
old saying do what you love and the money will follow!
I started purchasing books, tapes and magazines
on business, money making and of course the technologies I was interested
in. I purchased computer magazines and sent away for a manual on mail
order and direct marketing as I thought that the best way of taking
control was to work from home in a home based mail order business
which I could build over time into a great success. I decided I had
to get with the times and rid myself of my Amiga 500 and get a real
computer.
In order to get this thing going I realised
that I would have to get some assistance from somewhere so I started
studying books on various entrepreneurs and successful businesses
and listening to motivation tapes and videos. I purchased more business
and money making magazines. I researched products that I would use
and sent for information on them. It looked like a long road with
allot of hard work was ahead of me but at least I would feel that
I was listening to my inner self and fulfilling a need to do what
I was put here for in the first place.
I arranged a PO box and decided that I required
a computer now whether I could afford it or not.
I decided I would seek out all assistance available
to me and go on any course that would help me.
I enrolled in a government program called the
New Enterprises Incentive Scheme (NEIS) which gave promise of helping
the unemployed to start their own business. The Idea was that they
assisted you by guiding you to develop a business plan and then assisting
you with finance and help in managing your business for the first
year. It sounded to be exactly what I needed but to good to be true.
I signed up for the course and after completing the 6 week intensive
business skills course I had written up a business plan relating to
a home based mail order and direct marketing business revolving around
information, computer and health products.
I started attending Skillshare courses and
was gaining skills in typing, word processing and spreadsheets and
had many office skills modules left to go on. Then Just when I started
learning how to really use a computer the government announced cut
backs and they closed the courses.
I still had the NEIS and I believed I was on
my way to a better world so I arranged a rental computer from Rentlo
to help me get started.
Then came another big blow, the Howard government
was voted into power and the funding for courses and projects such
as The NEIS was removed and I was left in limbo. I decided to send
letters out to the premier and others and got busy preparing a better
business plan.
I received replies back from the premiers office
which directed me from one office to the next and eventually back
to the CES where I was given a new suggestion Why don’t you go
on the NEIS scheme which I could now not get any financial assistance
from anyway.
I realized I really was on my own but that
I may still have a chance of getting help from an Investor or partner
or maybe a financial institution if I could get them to look at my
vision . I thought that I could find someone with similar interest
and dreams that would join me in creating the beginnings of Western
Australia's first computer magazine then computer club and help center.
I needed help still and went back to the C.E.S (commonwealth Employment
Service) to explain my circumstances and see what they could do. I
asked about any training or courses that might be available and expressed
desire for help that allows me continue tio develop my business plan
and find any other assistance that may be available to me without
having them try and send me out to dead end jobs that would only put
me back into the position I was in when I was painting or laboring.
They then put me on a benefit that allows me to continue to develop
the business plan and not need o look for a job while I do so.
