Blog Dis
When the Universe creates an opening...
2026-04-14
I like change. I hate change. I like change when it's an easy, gentle transition, and I'm able to roll along with the punches, feeling quite peachy with myself that I'm adapting without hiccups. I hate change when it's a laborious process, and I'm expected to digest a 26-page PDF document to explain how to operate within the newly proposed changes that've been qualified as easy. Then I've got to process a learning curve in order to welcome this so-called easy change. My ass!
Change also comes in the form of loose coins though I don't often see the exchange of coins these days, and I sure as heck feel this loss for those panhandling on the streets. Just how do they manage to make ends meet with this level of societal change? The pandemic stripped people of their habit of paying for goods and services using bills and coins, leaving many unable to cope. Apparently, cash is still king, for now, at least where criminality is concerned, that nefarious underworld where they'd prefer not to leave a paper trail. But to a large degree, this has been circumvented with Bitcoin, which to my mind probably explains why it came into being.
Then we have those persons, of which I am one, who chooses to look upon dramatic change in their life as a potential opportunity to rid yourself of that monkey on your back, hanging on for dear life, screeching in your ear non-stop. It's a more positive view, rather than to wallow in self-pity.
It was most recently cited on my local news station that the Federal Government in Ottawa has begun the process of slashing upwards of 40,000 full-time positions, each individual to be given a severance package and a bit, to send them on their merry way. In discussion with a family member, and out of curiosity, I pulled up the net worth of Canada's Superannuation Fund, which represents the total pension fund for all Federal Government employees, across the country, and its value exceeds $780 Billion. Those who'll remain as employees will continue with their payroll deductions, some are automatically deposited into their superannuation fund, for that eventual period in everyone's life when its time to step away. Or, in this case, when you've been ushered out the door before your time.
Here's the thing with Canada's superannuation fund. The Government guarantees a set level of annual accrued interest (3.2%), despite these monies being pooled together, your money, to make one walloping ton of capital that is nestled together. The Government is then able to leverage this massive fund to invest in other securities. For those who invest, and have built an investment portfolio, we all know that the larger the portfolio the greater the profits. But only being given 3.2% interest would be considered low, and regarded as a below-conservative investment strategy. You won't get to the point of feeling like your rich when your investments are barely earning under 4% per year, yet this is precisely how your fund will be viewed in the Civil Service. Yes, yes, I know. Being employed by the Government has its benefits, such as a regular paycheck, paid sick leave, being paid for taking earned vacation time off, as well as access to dental and vision care benefits, at a minimum.
I'm left wondering how much does the Government make on the side, using your money, and whenever they use this immense pool of money to invest in foreign markets, only to pocket the lion's share of profits into their coffers, not yours. To live on a fixed income means your pension, what you'll draw from, when you finally give up the onerous full-time job, will still be subject to taxes, and over and above the fact that most company pensions are not indexed to keep in step with inflation rates.
There was a furor years back over Veterans Affairs and their pension fund, how it was de-indexed (meaning that it wasn't adjusted annually to remain in step with inflation), until the power of the people lobbied the Government to index their pensions, and this includes members of the Canadian Armed Forces, which also comprises Air Force and Navy, given that they're all lumped together. However, this indexing rate is set to 2.0%, whereas Canada's inflation rate fluctuates anywhere from 1.8% to 3% but this doesn't cover the continual rising grocery prices, gasoline, and housing prices. It truly takes a financier with a pedigree in economics to help explain how our rates are applied in Canada, such as in the case of the Canada Pension Plan (paid out monthly), which in 2026, was increased by 4.6% — a number that is used to calculate how much you'll receive based on your pensionable earnings. So for example, in 2026, the pensionable earnings (what is allowable to base your CPP payments) have increased from $71,300 to $74,600. Seems like a lot to you? No. Not when you consider these pensionable earnings have been taxed at nearly a minimum rate of 30%, which leaves you with much less. Every time too you make a purchase anywhere you'll pay out surcharges or a combined tax on goods and services.
When you're in your 20s and 30s, the idea of planning for your retirement is a buzz-kill. Why worry about such things that are decades away from the reality of your current life, which is focused on having a good time (the 20s) and in your 30s, when you might be planning to start a family, at which point a down payment on a house takes top priority. But this is the point at which financial advisors state the importance of socking away a portion of the very first pay check you receive when you enter the workforce. Money is really all about discipline; how you earn it, how you spend it, and what you spend it on. I'm no angel, that's for sure. In my 20s I'd think nothing of spending like a drunken sailor, to borrow money to take lavish month-long trips. I knew from the outset that I never wanted children, nor was I interested in buying a house. As I've evolved, as I like to throw out this term, rather than to use the outdated qualifier of old, I realized before the end of my 20s that if I didn't manage my money better and more closely, I'd be living on swamp-grass and turnips for the rest of my life. You may come to a similar realization, at some point in your life.
Then, out of the blue, the Universe will remove an element of your life, in order to create an opening for something new. These opportunities may not beat a path to your door initially. It might just be a question of you reflecting on your life; how the years have sped by your nose. But you'll surely have time on your hands to reflect, if you find yourself considering how to create opportunities, or how differently you may need to promote yourself, to pound the pavement again, if you choose to do so at all. I've many friends who dabble in side-hustles. This is the modern way, more so in the 21st Century, that we work full-time in order to be able to put our heart and soul into something else that resonates with us. There are many artists in Canada who work full-time to pursue their art. There are barely a handful of artists who are supported full-time by their craft and of those that are, they've devoted most of their free time to pursuing this dream or have worked most of their life, until such time as they're able to move to the country, to work full-time on their craft.
What about the monkey?
The monkey is that script in your head, telling you and reminding you that you need to succeed, to build a nest-egg as high as a mountain. This isn't a bad thing because no one is coming to rescue you. If you're one of the lucky ones who inherits a boatload of cash, half the battle has been fought for you, by your parents or extended family. Know, however, that the Universe will still take something away from you regardless. Maybe it might be your health or your sanity or it'll put up roadblocks that will impede you from enjoying your cozy life. There is simply no escaping the reality that what you've worked hard for your entire life, or what your parents bequeathed to you, doesn't necessarily mean this state of being will remain static throughout your life. It won't. Take my word for it.
If the Universe removes your employment situation, you've got the choice of hunting for a new one. If the Universe removes your way of life entirely, you'll have two simple choices: fight it and try to regain it or re-invent it.
I don't know many persons who've re-invented their lives, save one. I won't give specifics, suffice it to say that this determined young lady had found her niche as a paramedic, and she was good at it too, until a genetic defect meant she needed open-heart surgery, in her mid 30s, after which she discovered that she no longer had the same lift-power in her upper torso when it came to hoisting patients onto a stretcher. So, she re-invented her life and is now a smashing success as a real estate agent, hustling from one deal to another. The opportunity didn't present itself to her. Her life first had to change, until she dug deep to find a new avenue. She wouldn't have elected to change to this new profession too, were she not forced to do so.
I'm not above taking a meandering route to get to my point... obviously. 😅Bear with me!
Incidentally, and if you haven't figured it out yet, the monkey on your back is the Universe. You may want to roll your eyes now, thinking this lady who pens these long-winded blogs is a flake (tho' I admit to being one on some levels). Know that I speak metaphorically, my friends. The monkey never leaves your back. We just develop better coping mechanisms to manage the monkey, as we make our way in the world. Sometimes the Universe presents change in your life in the form of a monkey, whose needs are simple: eat, shit, sleep and fornicate vs our human idea of living life, to build something meaningful, truthful, righteous, wanting it to remain perfectly in balance with every element of our life. However, never forget that every single person you encounter is also dealing with their very own monkey on their back too.
Question is which monkey will make you jump, yours or theirs?
Change also comes in the form of loose coins though I don't often see the exchange of coins these days, and I sure as heck feel this loss for those panhandling on the streets. Just how do they manage to make ends meet with this level of societal change? The pandemic stripped people of their habit of paying for goods and services using bills and coins, leaving many unable to cope. Apparently, cash is still king, for now, at least where criminality is concerned, that nefarious underworld where they'd prefer not to leave a paper trail. But to a large degree, this has been circumvented with Bitcoin, which to my mind probably explains why it came into being.
Then we have those persons, of which I am one, who chooses to look upon dramatic change in their life as a potential opportunity to rid yourself of that monkey on your back, hanging on for dear life, screeching in your ear non-stop. It's a more positive view, rather than to wallow in self-pity.
It was most recently cited on my local news station that the Federal Government in Ottawa has begun the process of slashing upwards of 40,000 full-time positions, each individual to be given a severance package and a bit, to send them on their merry way. In discussion with a family member, and out of curiosity, I pulled up the net worth of Canada's Superannuation Fund, which represents the total pension fund for all Federal Government employees, across the country, and its value exceeds $780 Billion. Those who'll remain as employees will continue with their payroll deductions, some are automatically deposited into their superannuation fund, for that eventual period in everyone's life when its time to step away. Or, in this case, when you've been ushered out the door before your time.
Here's the thing with Canada's superannuation fund. The Government guarantees a set level of annual accrued interest (3.2%), despite these monies being pooled together, your money, to make one walloping ton of capital that is nestled together. The Government is then able to leverage this massive fund to invest in other securities. For those who invest, and have built an investment portfolio, we all know that the larger the portfolio the greater the profits. But only being given 3.2% interest would be considered low, and regarded as a below-conservative investment strategy. You won't get to the point of feeling like your rich when your investments are barely earning under 4% per year, yet this is precisely how your fund will be viewed in the Civil Service. Yes, yes, I know. Being employed by the Government has its benefits, such as a regular paycheck, paid sick leave, being paid for taking earned vacation time off, as well as access to dental and vision care benefits, at a minimum.
I'm left wondering how much does the Government make on the side, using your money, and whenever they use this immense pool of money to invest in foreign markets, only to pocket the lion's share of profits into their coffers, not yours. To live on a fixed income means your pension, what you'll draw from, when you finally give up the onerous full-time job, will still be subject to taxes, and over and above the fact that most company pensions are not indexed to keep in step with inflation rates.
There was a furor years back over Veterans Affairs and their pension fund, how it was de-indexed (meaning that it wasn't adjusted annually to remain in step with inflation), until the power of the people lobbied the Government to index their pensions, and this includes members of the Canadian Armed Forces, which also comprises Air Force and Navy, given that they're all lumped together. However, this indexing rate is set to 2.0%, whereas Canada's inflation rate fluctuates anywhere from 1.8% to 3% but this doesn't cover the continual rising grocery prices, gasoline, and housing prices. It truly takes a financier with a pedigree in economics to help explain how our rates are applied in Canada, such as in the case of the Canada Pension Plan (paid out monthly), which in 2026, was increased by 4.6% — a number that is used to calculate how much you'll receive based on your pensionable earnings. So for example, in 2026, the pensionable earnings (what is allowable to base your CPP payments) have increased from $71,300 to $74,600. Seems like a lot to you? No. Not when you consider these pensionable earnings have been taxed at nearly a minimum rate of 30%, which leaves you with much less. Every time too you make a purchase anywhere you'll pay out surcharges or a combined tax on goods and services.
When you're in your 20s and 30s, the idea of planning for your retirement is a buzz-kill. Why worry about such things that are decades away from the reality of your current life, which is focused on having a good time (the 20s) and in your 30s, when you might be planning to start a family, at which point a down payment on a house takes top priority. But this is the point at which financial advisors state the importance of socking away a portion of the very first pay check you receive when you enter the workforce. Money is really all about discipline; how you earn it, how you spend it, and what you spend it on. I'm no angel, that's for sure. In my 20s I'd think nothing of spending like a drunken sailor, to borrow money to take lavish month-long trips. I knew from the outset that I never wanted children, nor was I interested in buying a house. As I've evolved, as I like to throw out this term, rather than to use the outdated qualifier of old, I realized before the end of my 20s that if I didn't manage my money better and more closely, I'd be living on swamp-grass and turnips for the rest of my life. You may come to a similar realization, at some point in your life.
Then, out of the blue, the Universe will remove an element of your life, in order to create an opening for something new. These opportunities may not beat a path to your door initially. It might just be a question of you reflecting on your life; how the years have sped by your nose. But you'll surely have time on your hands to reflect, if you find yourself considering how to create opportunities, or how differently you may need to promote yourself, to pound the pavement again, if you choose to do so at all. I've many friends who dabble in side-hustles. This is the modern way, more so in the 21st Century, that we work full-time in order to be able to put our heart and soul into something else that resonates with us. There are many artists in Canada who work full-time to pursue their art. There are barely a handful of artists who are supported full-time by their craft and of those that are, they've devoted most of their free time to pursuing this dream or have worked most of their life, until such time as they're able to move to the country, to work full-time on their craft.
What about the monkey?
The monkey is that script in your head, telling you and reminding you that you need to succeed, to build a nest-egg as high as a mountain. This isn't a bad thing because no one is coming to rescue you. If you're one of the lucky ones who inherits a boatload of cash, half the battle has been fought for you, by your parents or extended family. Know, however, that the Universe will still take something away from you regardless. Maybe it might be your health or your sanity or it'll put up roadblocks that will impede you from enjoying your cozy life. There is simply no escaping the reality that what you've worked hard for your entire life, or what your parents bequeathed to you, doesn't necessarily mean this state of being will remain static throughout your life. It won't. Take my word for it.
If the Universe removes your employment situation, you've got the choice of hunting for a new one. If the Universe removes your way of life entirely, you'll have two simple choices: fight it and try to regain it or re-invent it.
I don't know many persons who've re-invented their lives, save one. I won't give specifics, suffice it to say that this determined young lady had found her niche as a paramedic, and she was good at it too, until a genetic defect meant she needed open-heart surgery, in her mid 30s, after which she discovered that she no longer had the same lift-power in her upper torso when it came to hoisting patients onto a stretcher. So, she re-invented her life and is now a smashing success as a real estate agent, hustling from one deal to another. The opportunity didn't present itself to her. Her life first had to change, until she dug deep to find a new avenue. She wouldn't have elected to change to this new profession too, were she not forced to do so.
I'm not above taking a meandering route to get to my point... obviously. 😅Bear with me!
Incidentally, and if you haven't figured it out yet, the monkey on your back is the Universe. You may want to roll your eyes now, thinking this lady who pens these long-winded blogs is a flake (tho' I admit to being one on some levels). Know that I speak metaphorically, my friends. The monkey never leaves your back. We just develop better coping mechanisms to manage the monkey, as we make our way in the world. Sometimes the Universe presents change in your life in the form of a monkey, whose needs are simple: eat, shit, sleep and fornicate vs our human idea of living life, to build something meaningful, truthful, righteous, wanting it to remain perfectly in balance with every element of our life. However, never forget that every single person you encounter is also dealing with their very own monkey on their back too.
Question is which monkey will make you jump, yours or theirs?
