Job Security.

Is there such a thing as 'job security' any longer as the global economic difficulties grind on ?

If you read the statistics on global debt – the path Greece is on may also be the path for many other economies - as its external debt is considerably less than even the UK‘s - both in total and in proportion to its GDP. 

The issue of job security is something I am familiar with.  I have been made redundant in the 1990's, and in 2004 I had my hours and salary cut by 25%.  Both by the NHS. 
The service I provided was swallowed up by another department.  As a single mother with an Ex-partner renowned for having very short arms and terribly deep pockets throughout our married years - the only person I could turn to was myself. 
This situation was exacerbated a couple of years later. Still employed on reduced hours as a Specialist Health Visitor, with plenty of qualifications and experience I took my appalling manager through a grievance procedure over her uncompromising behaviour and lack of understanding of the needs of families with life-limiting conditions.
I finally bit the bullet and left.  Having worked for the previous 6 years as a specialist health visitor I was too specialised to take up other roles. In truth, I was so jaded by my experience within the NHS - I knew the only possibility of using my experience and skills, for the benefit of people and unconstrained by the limitations of institutional thinking was to become self-employed.  I realised I would have to add to my qualifications and  under took a 6 month life coaching course, and then a further three courses in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).

I set up in business as a Life Coach and Master Practitioner of NLP.  This is a wonderful experience - I always find working with people and finding ways around their blocks thrilling - but in truth it does not provide a regular enough income.  This equates to ‘income insecurity.’  If people shift their sessions it means I’m not paid, if I don’t have enough sessions each week  -  I can’t meet my weekly outgoings. 
So, what next? 

Well, a second stream of income fell into my lap.  I met someone who introduced me to a means of developing a residual income.  Now this is a really good idea.  It means that as this business grows I will have a regular income from the work that I have done right from the beginning.  The NHS has never done that for me, paid by the hour, never a bonus, never any acknowledgement except from my seeing how my clients were functioning, and their pleasure - that was enough in truth.  However now I can offer even more to my coaching clients and others - I can now use my MSc in health education, and my other health qualifications and experience to provide clients with material that actually benefits their health and enables them to take better charge of their lives. 

There is a huge added bonus. My health has benefitted from the same products which I now use as a tax deductable business cost. This is an incentive and can inspire clients even more.   In just three months (it takes six months for every cell in our body to be replaced) - my golf and tennis elbow have both healed. My ripped shoulder is recovering and my damaged knee and spine are vastly more comfortable.  I had spent hundreds of pounds on supplements, osteopathy and acupuncture over the years to try to regain full movement, with no effect (just letting my arms hang down used to be really painful, I had had to stop playing tennis, and climbing, and my knee would hurt when I swam and climbed stairs).  Now, after just three months, I can do all of these things easily and I am getting better and better. But the real thrill comes from seeing my clients benefit within the first week, and watching those benefits increase as the weeks go by.  I have seen marked improvements in mood, energy levels, sleep quality, and a decrease and disappearance of pain.


I monitor every client regularly. - Every one of them has reported benefits- some more than others but everyone, has actually benefitted.   Clients have come to me asking if I can help with a variety of symptoms - the resources I now have to help people to help themselves are fabulous.  This is exciting!  What is even more exciting is that I can help them to help their own and their family’s lives.  To help them build their own residual income whilst improving their own and other’s health too. 

Now, this is my job security!