They Volunteered and Raised Their Own Rent

© Can Stock Photo

     My wife and I started investing in buy-and-hold rental real estate a few years ago. We are looking to sustain a very comfortable retirement, as well as build a good additional piece to our legacy. Having abundance to us, means we have more to share or give away. We've been able to build a small nest egg, through some traditional employment we've had. And, we were able to leverage some of that to get us started. We're also helping other people create additional income from home. But, for now, I want to relate a story that just happened to us today, about our real estate.

     We've owned this one building for around 2 1/2 years now. We are not slum landlords by any means. Rather than take all possible income out of a building, instead, we treat it as the valuable long-term asset it is. When there are repairs, or upgrades that need to be made, we invest in them. We still take a profit, so we still have to weigh whether an investment is prudent now, or can wait a little bit of time. But, we keep it on the plan, and do what is needed.

     We have also developed a rapport with our tenants. From the moment they apply, we try to connect with who they are, and what they need, for a home. In fact, some form of the word "home" can be found in the name of each building's LLC. We've also shown some pay it forward kind of acts. We have gifted baked pies to all of our tenants on Thanksgiving. It was inspiring to us, when we were buying the pies, and whipped cream to go with them, in the store, a woman asked if we were having a party. Why were we buying so many pies. When we told her that we were buying them for our tenants, she told us to wait. She ran off into the store, and came back with a bottle of sparkling apple cider, for each of the pies, paid for them, and gave them to us to include.

     As great as that is, there's more. Today, as my wife was collecting rent from one of our tenants. The tenant told her that this was the last time she would receive that amount from them for the rent. Curious, my wife asked the tenant what they meant. She was then informed, that starting next month, the tenants were going to pay us an additional $50 a month. They went on to state, that they appreciated the way we treated them, and, the building they consider their home.

     Draw your own conclusions, or, be inspired, and change just one thing you do. Or not. I am again amazed at the blessings received when giving has been for the big picture and providing value for others without expectation of receiving anything in return. I am reminded, again, that giving is far better than receiving. And, it's contagious. Together, let's start our own viral explosion of paying it forward, and paying it back. Any challenge will be overcome, and awesome achievements will be accomplished when more of us share our abundance, lend a hand up, and give in a true positive spirit of love.

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with gratitude and in service,



Tony Koker
A Mentor with a Servant's Heart

Ain't Nothing Like a Hound Dog!

Ain't Nothing Like a Hound Dog!

     
"Ain't nothing like a hound dog, crying all the time." Famous lyrics, but they remind me of a story I've heard told.
     
Picture, if you will, a raw wood house, grayed by the weather. A larger farmer's porch in front, with steps up, small columns, a railing and a roof overhead for rain cover.
     
Found on the porch, away from the stairs in the front and doorway to the house is found a wooden rocking chair. Next to the chair is found a beat up old metal container of some sort. The top is hinged and can be opened when needed. Inside this box can be found all manner of material for idle time busy work. Perhaps a chunk of wood being carved into various shapes will be found.
     
To the side of the chair on the porch, when the owner is in the chair, can be found his faithful companion, his basset hound, or hound dog, for short.
     
While sitting in the chair, rocking slowly forward and back, whittling away on this new sculpture, the occupant of the chair is engaged with a passerby. On the way to or from, they engage in banter about people, events, things and ideas. Whatever seems to be the most pressing topic for discussion of the moment.
     
Invariably the discussion leads to complaints of frustration encountered by either or both of them. Likely the issues are out of the control of either of them. But as misery often enjoys the company of its kin, they both can be found to echo the unpleasantness with eager enthusiasm. An observation might include that one actually seems to try to outdo the misery of the other.
     
It too almost seems as though they moan in sympathy of each other.
     
Each time they relate such a condition, the dog, too, can be heard to howl almost right on queue. First one, then the other, and finally the third, like a symphony of low tone instruments, cascading a symphony of emotional expression.
     
Not as familiar with the animal as the owner, the passerby asks about what the dog has to complain about.
     
Not skipping a beat in his rocking or handiwork the owner presents an explanation thusly. The dog had come to rest upon a nail that is sticking up from the floor of the porch. It is pressing sufficiently against his hyde that discomfort or even pain is being felt. But, it is not significant enough that the animal will gather together the energy necessary to get up and move to another spot. It just chooses to complain to the universe, another note in the chorus of three.
     
Are you stuck in the chorus, too? Have you examined why you remain, yet are not happy nor fulfilled? Discover how to break free together, with us here.
Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com

Organizing and Planning - The Steps and Challenges

Organized Planning in Action

      It can be easy to build a high-level plan, but the devil is in the details. I ask myself if the things that I value most, my desires, are being advanced with every step. Then I have to break down the big pieces of the plan, each in turn, into the smallest piece necessary, or possible. My thoughts tell me this is all I need to do; Make the list, then Work the list.

      The day-to-day experience is not always simple, however. I couldn't sleep, two nights ago, and tossed and turned all night as my mind raced with excitement. I did finally manage to fall asleep, but the rude, body-quaking shock of the alarm clock came much too soon. I am not normally a morning person, but having a restless night's sleep only makes it worse. I have to really, really focus. I have to summon all of my energy to get my song bouncing off the inner walls, and every nook and cranny of my internal head. My self-talk, or auto-suggestion, is this song and the key for this challenge too. A few hundred times, while I mindlessly and quickly go through my routine wake-up tasks, should do it. OK, now, where is that written down organized plan I have?

      The minute-to-minute events. Things don't always just have a priority of importance, when ranked against each other and my desires, but they also may have a timing component. There is a time and a place when something must happen. My plan has to have these targets built into it too. Then I can work backwards from the target, and fill in the prerequisite steps needed along the way. Once I think I've established my day into a heads-down, concentrating mode, taking action on the current task, this is when decision comes into play. We have to decide how to react to the phone ringing. Or, an unexpected visitor may arrive.

      What opportunities for turning from our progress towards something else totally unrelated, and, disconnecting from our plan present themselves? Are we disciplined enough to decide if we can afford this distraction now, postpone it to later, or simply decline to participate altogether. How do we find our place again, when we return to continue from where we were? These, often split-second decisions, can put us way off course, if we make a mistake. We have to be comfortable, and positive about even this, though. We are human, after all. We need to know that we are back on track quickly.

      I often find myself far off course, and don't recall even having made a decision to do it. It's as though I suddenly realize I'm not focused on that task, anymore, and I doing something else. Like waking up, or snapping out of a daydream. How did I get here? What triggered this diversion? Was it something I saw, heard, smelled, tasted, touched or felt? My mind just seems to automatically drift into thought upon various stimuli shortly after they are experienced without raising any flag or warning. This must be some kind of rest, or subconscious processing time. It seems to be like a roller-coaster, a repeating cycle of periods of high vibration focus followed by periods of low vibration coasting. The less sleep or feeling of wellbeing and energy I have, the more often it seems my mind cycles. As long as I can keep myself thoughtfully stimulated and focused enough, when my mind coasts, at least I will be pointed in the right direction and either remain on course, or find myself not too far astray.

      Then I make myself, periodically step back and review, again, at a high-level. A balance has to be found between managing the details, and simply working the plan. Each one of us has a different, base realm, where we are comfortable. We need to be able to push ourselves out of our easy, areas of comfort, and just focus on the next, important task, with as much positivity as we can. At least I have to remain neutral and avoid distraction or other negativity.

      Organized Planning has to account for my desires, goals, tasks, processes, timing and interruptions or delays. In the end, I have to be able to review my processes from a thoughtfull perspective, but I have to be sure that I'm taking into account the emotional perspectives as well. How did I manage interruptions? Was I able to successfully overcome the impulse to get irritated, confused, frustrated or even angry? Could I hear the music in my head? Was the rhythm, melody and lyrics of my auto-suggestion, or self-talk able to withstand these challenges? When it isn't, I'll have to re-visit it's formulation, perhaps, a small tweak to that, so my armor will be thicker for the next time. While it remains strong and allows me to keep focused on my desires as I work my organized plan, I am able to process the interruptions and other distractions and accomplish giant leaps towards my heart's desires.

      Thank you to everyone in the MFF Mastermind for helping me obtain focus, remain focused and for the encouragement and support to initiate and continue to take action.

with gratitude and in service,

Tony, Lisa, Michael and Amanda Koker

Image credit: CanStockPhoto.com