My online course obsession is still going
strong! Right now I’m trying to decide if I’m serious about coding, or if the
course is just another shiny object promising me time freedom.
Last week my burning question was about stocks,
but my topic this week hits closer to home. The question came up in a podcast episode about
real estate investing. The interviewer asked the expert about neighborhood
classes, like Class A, B, C or D. How do you tell what class of neighborhood
you’re in? Part of the answer given was, in Class A you see high-end stores
like Lululemon, while in Class C you put bars over your air conditioner so
people won’t steal the copper out of it.
I guess there’s no diplomatic way to talk
about neighborhood classes, but the description still stung a little. I
realized I spent most of my growing up years in Class C neighborhoods, and most
of my adulthood in Class A or B neighborhoods with a lot of natural beauty like
trees, wildlife, ponds and relaxing scenery.
I don’t take it for granted, but I did
forget the subtle ways my surroundings changed my thinking. For example, for
someone growing up thinking that money is bad, it’s eye-opening to meet a lot
of nice, generous rich people! This brings me back to the journey of Learning Gold Can Stay, and believing I
can succeed. My surroundings make it easier to visualize, wow, if I ask for
something, the answer might be yes! If I dream of something, the answer might
be yes.
Someone coming from a scarcity background
could have feelings of alienation when stepping out of familiar surroundings. This
may sound like impostor syndrome, but it’s different, because it’s based on
inequities instead of insecurities. How to fight those feelings?
There was a mindset intervention at one
university that led to improved graduation rates among first-generation students. The mentors gave students positive messages about
belonging. It was so simple that people couldn’t believe it worked. More
information can be found in this NYTimes.com article, Who Gets to Graduate? (https://nyti.ms/1gjJOoU)
