My story - from once an undefined character

Feeling Like Not Worth it to My Happy Family

I was raised in a family that was not functioning well from the psychological aspect. My father and my mother didn't live harmoniously, and it did take it's toll.

Dad was a good father to us children, though. E.g. I've enjoyed playing many table tennis games with him. But because he has often disrespect my mother, my father grew up as a bad guy in my eyes.

Later in my life, when I was forming more serious relationships, I was always afraid of becoming like him. This negative image of the dysfunctional family has followed me like a shadow. I thought if my father was acting not fair to my mother that it must be, I would do the same. 

I was always acting nice to my girlfriends and didn't have any fear of a relationship with them. My connections with them were long term, and I never was a "one night and run" type of the guy. But marriage and commitment to start a family was a different story. The thought of me possibly becoming a bad husband was always present in the background.

I am happily married now for more than I decade and a father of two. My wife and I are raising emotionally healthy children. So how did I prevail the doubts about myself and found a family?

First of all, I knew I want it. Not having my own family was not negotiable. What helped me triumph over my insecurity were long term relationships. By lasting for extended periods with another person showed me that I can be right to someone despite differences and occasional misunderstandings.

But the key was my decision to trust myself. Encouraged with the experience from my previous relationships, I figured that everything must be all right with me. After that, I've got married pretty quick since I met my future wife. And I've dived into it knowing that I'll fit in.

It's a bumpy road, and it's a source of indescribable happiness, all in one. One saying says that you will know someone only after spending a hundred years with her on the same pillow. But everything is as it should be. I feel good in it, and I'm not wrong.

Trying to Escape From My Work and Back to Fit In

I worked hard to get my title and keen to start working. Employment in the corporation excited me. I've traveled a lot and have had many customer meetings around the world. It was also an excellent opportunity to see different countries and learn about their cultures.

After a couple of years, I've been promoted. Ten years in a row, and it started to be predictable. It's not that I was ungrateful for the opportunity that I've got. I was very well aware of the good fortune by ending up in a good company like that. I didn't want to change something in my career, like getting an even more significant opportunity in another related company. No, I prefer stability over change.

I felt something higher is dragging me to the other side. To try something completely different, not having anything in common with what I was doing so far.

That was the period of swinging back and forth in doubt if I belong to this job or not. Is it meant to be for me?

In the meantime, the idea of starting my own thing has araised. A blog that will serve people widely. I suddenly got a vision of fulfilling my purpose and continuing to contribute to my work simultaneously. The ClickIntoLife was born.

Now I get it, and I'm in peace with it. I remain devoted to my work in the company. It is a place where I'm in direct touch with people. Helping my coworkers, and they help me. And there is my blog where I can share my knowledge and wisdom and thus influence a broader level. This is a sweet spot of mixed contribution mutually complementing each other where I perfectly fit in.

Stable Growth Over Messing With Investments

Looking for a way to get rich overnight was one of the painful periods of my life. What it was is primitive thinking of money as the resolution for all doubts about my purpose.

I was literally gambling with all my extra earnings on the stock market. As it usually happens, I've had some beginners luck. But this was just an illusion as markets were growing at that time and you couldn't miss it. As I just earned confidence in this game, the big economic crisis hit the world.

All my earnings were melting down in front of my eyes. I was paralyzed and didn't do anything about it as I was used to seeing only growth. I thought that it must be just temporarily. How naive I was.

It got even more demanding as I was weighted with a mortgage, which started to be more expensive because of higher interest rates. In the end, I had to sell all stocks. Of course, for the lower price compared to buying levels.

What a bitter experience. I slowly have realized that I'm not born for this game. It was a long, sobering period in front of me, though.

After I was infected with these plays, it was hard to quit at once. There have been a few more attempts from my side to invest later on. But all of them were failures. I'm giving the credits to my wife here, who helped in drag me back to the light side. She is my accountant now instead of the brokers.

My fit is stable financial growth earned with my bare hands. I invest in my family, traveling, and savings rather than in imaginary wealth. And I'm not overwhelmed with the thoughts of getting rich. I understand I'm rich already.

How it All Fits In

All these accomplishments, my personal victories in the areas of relationships, career, and investments, give me stability now. I'm grateful for the experiences I went through. Those were a part of my change process. From once an undefined character to confident in who I am, fitting into life.

The experience of the journey I've traveled so far and that is still ahead of me, I share here. If you are uncertain about your life and how you fit in, on ClickIntoLife, you'll find the genuine and honest material to help you out on your path.

A couple of facts about me

I was born in 1972 in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. As a child, I used to read a lot. My favorite activity was going to the library and borrow a good book. I was a passionate reader, reading even when eating with a book in front of me.

The reading habit eventually complemented by passionate basketball games with my friends. We could play at any time during any weather conditions.

My most recent history is connected to nature as an essential component of my living. It energizes my body and mind. I like hiking, biking, and skiing.

Different times are around now, and I prefer to read on my smartphone or listen to an audiobook. It gives me the freedom to have my "book" anywhere and read it at any time.

As a child, I read the adventures of fiction heroes, wild west stories, or mysterious crime novels. Today I'm reading and listening to personal development subjects, health improvement books, or fascinating discoveries material.