Prompted by the invasion of Ukraine, several western countries have implemented various sanctions against Russia. Some countries, like the United States, have been very severe in these sanctions. Completely banning the import of oil from Russia as well banning several Russian banks from US transactions and from using the USD at large.

This is particularly important as half of all international trade is done in USD and most global loans and bonds are paid in USD. Beyond this Russia has also been removed from SWIFT, the largest international banking cooperative that allows payments across borders. Other countries like the U.K have also vowed to stop importing oil while the U.N at large considers the idea.

This all serves to a projected 15% drop in the Russian economy. This caused Russia to utilize some fairly radical policies, increasing their interest rates by 10.5%, stopping any money from moving abroad, and transferring a wide percentage of USD into rubles. All policies that are likely not sustainable long term.

Notably these sanctions don’t serve to just hurt Russia. The U.S has seen historically high gas increases, extremely low stock market value, and general inflation. Globally gold has been increasing in value, an indication of low investment and trust in the economy at large. 

The war in Ukraine, like any other, is hurting the global economy at large. In response sanctions are the necessary evil a nation can use to show political distaste for a war without entering it themselves. As time passes it’s yet to be seen if the global economy or Russia’s efforts will start to falter first. And unfortunately, there seems to be no end to the conflict in sight.

Every year we seem to read impressive statistics about the number of people taking the leap to become self-employed.

It would be fair to say that these numbers have increased even further over more recent times, with the effects of the pandemic leading many to rethink their careers and go it alone.

However, as you’ll probably already know, it’s anything but easy. There are all sorts of issues to comprehend, and through today’s post, we’ll reveal some top secrets to give you the best chance of making your jump as successful as possible.

Have a financial cushion

Hopefully, you’re already well aware of this. One of the biggest fears that many budding entrepreneurs have is not having enough money to survive. They are saying goodbye to that regular salary, and in its place arrives something that is anything but regular!

As such, you need a financial cushion. Twelve months’ worth of personal expenses is the optimum, but some may do it on half that amount. This won’t just provide you with mental reassurance, but it will also mean that you can make long-term decisions for your business and not just jump on any short-term cashflow solution.

Remember, going it alone is more about simply calculating the cost of your products and services and subtracting them from what you’re charging clients. Whether you’re a tiler or an accountant, you’ll still have to pay various forms of insurance, accreditations and, of course, tax.

Understand the time implications

Self-employment = long hours. At least during the early stages. You’ll likely find yourself working more hours than you ever did in your employed life just to get the business off the ground. Once it’s established, you might be able to take your foot off of the gas a little, but the initial stages will be challenging.

As such, you need to make sure that you have a good work-life balance. This is easier said than done, but it is essential. If you’re not in a good place mentally, you’re not going to be able to perform to the best of your abilities.

Get some structure in place

If you’re used to working within a structured environment, the freedom of self-employment can be pretty daunting. There are no set hours, no one telling you what to do, and no one to hold you accountable.

As such, you must create your own structure. This might mean setting yourself some office hours or designating certain days of the week for specific tasks. Whatever works for you, make sure that you have something in place, or you’ll quickly become overwhelmed.

Build a strong support network

There’s no denying that self-employment can be a lonely road. When you’re used to working within a team, it can be quite isolating to suddenly be working by yourself.

As such, you must build a strong support network. This might mean joining a co-working space, or it might mean joining a relevant professional body. Alternatively, you might want to make sure that you have a group of friends or family members you can rely on for a chat and some moral support. Making sure everyone involved in your immediate circle is on the same page is crucial.

Divorce rates are falling in the United States, but it’s still relatively common for married couples to eventually split up. According to recent data, a marriage now has about a 39 percent chance of ending in divorce – down from 50 percent in the 1980s.
Why is divorce so common? What motivates people to end this supposedly lifelong relationship?

The Value of Divorce

First, we need to acknowledge that divorce isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, in many cases, divorce is a good thing. Divorces tend to be messy, stressful, and expensive, but at the end of this complicated process, both people involved in the marriage have a chance of living a happy, independent life. After several months, or perhaps several years, each individual gets the chance to live the life they’ve always wanted, and they’ll no longer be shackled to someone they don’t love.

For this reason, it’s important to see divorce motivations with the right perspective. These aren’t necessarily massive problems that reflect poorly on the individuals in the marriage; sometimes, they’re an unfortunate byproduct of mismatched personalities or misaligned values.
Along similar lines, it’s important to acknowledge that divorce is nothing to be ashamed of. If you’re not happy in your current marriage, talking to a divorce lawyer may be the most important next step to take.

Common Motivations for Divorce

These are some of the most common reasons for divorce in the United States:

1. Money disagreements. One of the most common reasons for divorce is related to finance. Without a strong financial foundation, it’s very hard to keep a marriage running successfully. If one partner doesn’t make enough money, if one partner accrues significant debt, or if partners can’t agree on how money should be spent, eventually these issues are going to compound and overtake the relationship.
2. Infidelity. Unsurprisingly, infidelity has the potential to destroy a relationship irreparably. If one partner is unfaithful to the other, the other partner has no reason to trust their spouse ever again. It’s true that some marriages can survive infidelity, but in many cases, one incident is all it takes to ruin the marriage.
3. Value incompatibility. “Basic incompatibility” is the most commonly cited reason for divorce, but this is a vague term that could refer to many different things. One of the most common manifestations of basic incompatibility is incompatibility of values. If one person is religious and the other isn’t, if one person wants children while the other doesn’t, or if one person pride some selves on familial relationships while the other wants to remain independent, this could eat away at the foundation of your marriage.
4. Family issues. Speaking of family, family related issues can also cause divorce. Disagreements on raising children, interacting with in-laws, and other family-related disputes can be the root cause of a relationship imploding.
5. General arguing/conflicts. Sometimes, the decay of a relationship can’t be traced to any one incident or any single root cause. Instead, the marriage is gradually warned away through ongoing arguing and conflicts. If you feel like you’re constantly waging war against your partner, or if you know the next argument is never more than a few hours or a few days away, it may be better to end the marriage.
6. Abuse. Some marriages rightfully end because of abuse. Physical and emotional abuse should never be tolerated. If one partner is physically striking or threatening the other, the victim should immediately remove themselves from the situation, seek help, and end the marriage. Emotional abuse comes in many forms, some of which are hard to detect, so it’s slightly harder to identify – but it can be equally destructive.
7. Health issues. Unfortunately, health issues can cause relationship strain as well. If one person falls ill, rendering them unable to work or unable to participate normally in the relationship, the additional stress may cause the marriage to collapse.
8. Addiction/substance abuse. Additionally, some marriages end as a result of addiction or substance use. If one partner drinks heavily or becomes addicted to some other illicit substance, it could create so much tension that the relationship cannot be saved – especially if they refuse to give up the habit.

Choosing Your Path Forward

If any of these common motivations for divorce ring true in your current relationship, you may seriously consider ending that relationship. You’re certainly correct in doing so. However, you should also acknowledge that most marriages and most relationships do have significant issues that require both partners to work them out over time. Acknowledging these issues could be your first step in resolving them and building a better relationship in the future.

That said, if there is no resolution to be found, or if your partner is uncooperative, divorce may be your only realistic option.