Knowing Yourself

Someone said at the morning talks "if you don't know yourself, the stock market is an expensive way to find out." True. But even if Wall St. wasn't relevant to me, I still think knowing yourself is important.

I was reading through proverbs earlier this year. I realized certain "characteristics" I possessed. Y por eso, I highlighted a lot in my bible and pretty soon I saw a pattern. That was part of why I started my Rules. Also Bennett was a contributor...reading his books, non-fiction ones, got me to look at philosophy, Marcus Aurelius...etc. Not that I adhered to stoicism but I've learned excess emotions is well...I thought I knew myself a bit then.

Lately however, after a bit of a hiatus, I've come to piece it all together. Not pretty but lying to myself is just stupid. I ordered a workbook to help me deal with the whole saga. I didn't think it would be helpful. I felt I'd gotten things under control reading all the stuff I did. But I've only gone through 5% of the first chapter and I've found it helpful.

I signed up for  HELOC with a bank. Not even sure why I signed up for it because my cash equity in my bank acct was about the amount of the HELOC. I've no mortgage, why get one? I had a reason back then but maybe I should've waited. Thing is opening a checking account with this bank has been the greatest scam ever. I didn't look at my statements till June when I realized I was being charged a fee and I was enrolled in an account I didn't sign up for. Wasn't even in the brochure I had. I asked to be switched and the person I spoke to over the phone agreed to do that and to refund the fees. That was back in june. I looked today and only the fee for june was refunded, the account was not changed to what I had initially asked for as she said over the phone and I've been charged fees since!

I noticed I was starting to get frustrated. Immediately, I started to implement some of the little things I'd learned from that cheap workbook (thank you amazon). As I spoke to the lady, I asked her 4 questions to start, I wasn't irate, I was upset but I listened to her explain the reason why I'm getting the fees is because the checking account was never linked to the credit line. After going back and forth, I thanked her, let her know I understand it is not her doing and my negligence in not reviewing my that account was part to blame. That and violating rule #2. Lady I spoke to in June said she'll refund all fees and changed the account. Ha!

The old me would lay down and sulk and be frustrated. Thank to the little workbook...why waste time. What matters is here and what happens from here. One of Bennett's novels - the old wive's tale shows the most powerful and perhaps chilling villain in the story of life is .....Time.
Oh well, I've got a book to read and more important things to do. I've wasted enough of it already.