When you look at the ocean, you know the hard work and sacrifice it took. Smile inside and be thankful and enjoy it!!

Health is an interesting topic in the light of hard work, good decisions and luck. I have actually been quite ill for the last two years. An unexpected medical condition resulted in two emergency room visits, surgery, and years of recovery that is still ongoing.

A few years prior to this event I had interviewed elsewhere but decided to stay at my current job because of the employee benefits. Although I had no idea that I would become ill that decision was the wisest I ever could have made.

My health care benefits enabled me to see the best surgeon in the country and my short term disability policy provided paychecks after recovery.

The right decision at the right time enabled me to survive what could have been a financial disaster. In this case it was lucky that I interviewed with my employer, preparation that I landed the job, hard work that I stayed with the company, and a smart decision to stay on board despite being bored with my work. I am so grateful that I didn’t have to suffer financial crisis while undergoing a medical one.

As one who is still recovering I feel for you and wish you all the best in your recovery.

Suppose you didn’t have the good luck to have good health, for example. You would have much less than you do had you or your spouse been ill, unable to work, and buried in medical bills at a younger age, before you could amass a good amount of money (insurance and dis. benefits only do so much). Many who are not wealthy work just as hard as those who are.

I don’t say all this to dismiss your accomplishments, but to encourage people to not downplay their good luck. I too have good college degrees, had a great GPA, good job, cheap rent,worked very hard, all of it. But my health (and other issues to an extent) has changed my finances (not for the good) possibly forever.

There are things we can control and those we can’t–both play a significant role in how our lives turn out (in fact I’ve been working on a post about this very topic that I’ll hopefully post soon).

To address the point you brought up, if your family is discounting your contribution to your financial status, I think it is important to stand up for yourself and let them know that you would like them to respect your hard work and good decisions by not attributing all you’ve achieved to luck.

You’re a major source of inspiration for those of us still struggling to get there.

=^..^=