Growing up, I witnessed hardworking people around me work tireless hours, sacrificing their time to earn money. Yet somehow, a lot of them still do not have enough to retire comfortably or are forced to retire early due to illness or disability. Sure, there are a lot of uncertainties in life but I thought to myself, there has to be a way to mitigate the loss from these circumstances. It has always bothered me that someday, I will be in the same situation and my children will have to suffer the same thing.

Right after my graduation as a Physical Therapist in the Philippines, my family was privileged enough to immigrate to Canada. Economically, it was more beneficial for me to immediately start working in a totally different field. I thought, “Maybe, if I work hard enough, I will be able to climb the ladder all the way to the top and my retirement will be secured.” – a common belief young people have when they have all the strength and time to work, earn money, and pay the bills. Eventually, I felt exhausted sacrificing my time to earn nowhere near an amount that will allow me to save for the rainy days, let alone the retirement that I so feared. I was only getting paid enough to pay the bills, sometimes even less when I had to miss a day or two to take care of my children.

I was looking for ways to be able to be present for my growing family but at the same time, earn a living. I didn’t know what exactly I was looking for until I met the people that taught me that it is possible to have a life of meaningful work while having the time for yourself and family. With the encouragement of my supportive husband and the opportunities that Greatway Financial Inc. provides, I was able to pursue becoming a Financial Security Advisor full time. Now, I do not have to choose between sacrificing my time for work or taking care of my family. I have the freedom to work when I want and my time is now dedicated to the things that matter most to me. 

Being equipped with the knowledge that I now have and continue to improve, I am now able to shape the future retirement I was so scared of before. I am now aware of what steps to take in order to protect my income from the possible circumstances that may prevent me from taking care of my family financially. I am no longer afraid of the future ahead of me.

I truly believe that financial education is essential for everyone, no matter if you are young or old. Being in a field that helps change the lives of the people around me for the better makes this job even more meaningful to me.