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Do you listen to all the experts on podcasts and think no wonder they're experts? They're awesome. They're smart. They're -- stop right there. You're awesome. You have a story to tell, and there really is no one like you. Fellow normal humans Dalia Ramahi and Jordan Drayer share what they've learned in hopes of inspiring you to find your unique voice. This is the Blooming Voices podcast. Go to bloomingvoices.com for more information. Now let's get to it.
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Hi, everyone. Welcome to the Blooming Voices podcast. I'm Jordan Drayer.
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And I'm Dalia Ramahi and we are so excited to have you with us for another episode.
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Have you ever fallen into that cycle of, oh, I really, really want this car and I need this car and then you have to spend like the next several years paying it off or any large ticket item <laugh>.
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Yes. And it doesn't feel good sometimes. Um, oh, when you want things that you can't afford in this moment of time, but we can have an abundance mindset. Right. But we'll get into that in a little bit later. Yeah. We're talking today about our dreams, our desires and debt and Jordan and I were just having a conversation offline about, you know, things we wanna do as voiceover artists. Right. Mm-hmm <affirmative> um, you know, assuming money was no factor.
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Like it wasn't a thing, you know, I would book a demo in every genre after I've gotten coaching, all the coaching that I needed to, you know what I mean? Yeah.
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Well.
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All but all the best stuff, but you know, we're limited with our resources.
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Oh yeah. Because like, if you don't know voiceover demos, if they're done right. Can be pretty expensive. Like at least over a thousand dollars, if not like 3000 plus.
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The coaching, I will just say that there are some demos that can be done right. For a lot less, but that's another topic.
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Yeah. But I mean, it's still, it's still money. Like you're not, it is money. Don't expect to pay only $50. And I mean, like I know normal, like in person, actor demos, like or whatever, like the, the reels that they make, like, if you wanna do it right. And you wanna do the head shots, right. You're gonna spend money.
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And you gotta pay someone to do it. Right. Yeah, exactly.
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So anyway, like all these things that even all the equipment, like the high end microphones, stuff like that, like you could want all this stuff right now. And if you do get it on credit card, you're gonna be paying it off for a while. Unless of course you get like some really huge job. But like,.
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But even if you do when, like here's the cycle in America and you said it best right before we started recording it's capitalism at work. Yeah. We are, we are actively taught to live beyond our means. So with higher paying job means higher spending and higher and more costs and more things that you wanna buy because you can. Right.
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So,.
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Oh, also where's the line.
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Yeah. There's also this conspiracy where cuz in, in like my parents' generation, they had those kinds of home economics classes where they actually learned how to use a credit card. Mm-hmm <affirmative> people like learned that in high school apparently, but then they took those classes away. And so that people get stuck in the cycle, they don't know what they're doing and that that's the conspiracy is they, they took these classes away on purpose. Exactly. And who knows? Maybe it's true. But like they want you to be paying stuff.
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And not only be paying for stuff, be paying for paying stuff. Mm-hmm <affirmative> does that make sense? I'm talking about like the interest <laugh>.
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That's what I'm talking.
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About. Oh yeah. So like you're paying for the privilege of paying for stuff that.
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You.
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Really can't afford. So it's costing you even more. And um, you know, I was a person who cycled through debt and no debt debt and no debt. And I think it was twice in my adult life. I got, I got to the, and I'm when I say adult life, I'm talking about like, uh, working, not like adult adult, but like working life. Right? Like I got to a point of absolutely no debt other than student loans twice in my life.
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That's so cool for the most of my adulthood, I spent it in debt, you know? Uh, I, I talk about it in the past tense because I believe that at, I know that I'm at I'm, I'm living a future that it's coming to me where I am debt free, financially independent and thriving. So when I talk about it in the past tense, I'm talking about my present situation too.
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<Laugh> oh. But the point is like, you know, we were talk, I was talking with Jordan, she was telling me how she just did a political demo and you know, she has voiceover costs and things that she needs to do. She puts on her credit card and I was telling her that I don't have any credit cards at this point in my life because I keep maxing them out, paying them off and then maxing them out again. And I'm so sick of this vicious cycle. So I have to make really hard choices about what I can and can't do. And sometimes I wanna feel sorry for myself, I'll admit it.
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And I'm like, oh, I'm not further along in my career because I can't spend X, Y, and Z on it. Right. Yeah. But those are all, those are all limits that we place on ourselves because if there's a will, there's a way. And you'll always find a way for something that, that, you know, it's, there's so much abundance out there, but we just gotta be open to whatever opportunities there.
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So okay. There, if you ever go to Orlando, there is this one building that's like sticks out, like none other, cuz there's no other tall buildings around it. And it is like the strangest shape of building. And everybody makes fun of it because their whole thing was that they were gonna build this building on donations alone and like church money alone and no, no building, no bank loans. And that when it was finished, it would be completely paid off. And now it's been like almost 20 something years and it's still not finished you.
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They still can't do the offices. But one day that building will be like no other, even more because it'll be paid off. And so that's I think, think like it is, I mean, it is a cool dream and stuff, but so like, cuz I used a lot of the debt that I have today and I put into a personal loan instead, um, to get it off the credit cards was.
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Yeah.
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For travel and things that I did in my twenties or like paying for this stupid, like this car that I had at the time that was like everything possible that could go wrong with a car, like went wrong with it. And I learned so many car parts from working on that car, having it worked on, but like for the travel and stuff, like, I don't know. It, it is really hard to say I shouldn't have done it because like, I don't know how else I would've done it. Like, except for like, I, I mean back then GoFundMe, it was new Kickstarter was new and I like, I could have waited to travel I guess, and not have done it in my twenties.
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No.
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See I completely believe you do things in the time that you're meant to. Right. And you know what God, the universe, whatever you believe I believe in God. So I'm gonna say, God, God always has a way of providing if you are open and receptive to it. And sometimes the quickest way to getting to where you need to be is through a loan is through using that credit card. Mm-hmm <affirmative> as long as you know that, you know, you're not trapped in that cycle. So when I began to feel trapped, I began to attract more lack in my life.
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Do you know what I'm saying? Yeah. So when I started feeling trapped by my debt, I started feeling suffocated by it. And the more suffocated I felt, the more trapped I felt it was like an unending cycle and the more debt I kept attracting.
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So when I decided to do something extreme, by cutting off my cards and learning to live within my means, I did that to teach myself the value of money. Yeah. Because I was never really taught that. Not in school or growing up. Do you know what I'm saying? Mm-hmm <affirmative> so, um, it's not that you should regret traveling because I'm sure you don't regret those experiences that came from traveling. Right. And you will pay off those debts and you'll get it done and hopefully soon, but the point is looking backwards and kicking yourself in the butt.
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Doesn't help your situation now. So just enjoy it. Uh it's so it's just so hard because debt can feel so suffocating. It, it can feel like such a burden, especially in a society where we need it. I mean like you can work within this system and take on debt to try to get to where you wanna go faster or like this building in Orlando, you try to do it outside of the system and it takes longer. But either way, if you believe it, it will happen.
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Yeah. I know like today, I don't know. It's like a third of my income is spent on paying the loan, the credit, the student loan, like, like the personal loan, the student loan and then, um, other credit card debt that I have. And so I, yeah, I do feel trapped some days worse than others. Other days I'm like, I'm doing fine and I'm paying them off. And slowly more voiceover jobs will come. That'll like be higher paying and pay them off faster. And now I have a car loan too, that I like so many things I just forward, but you know what?
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Steps it's steps. Right? You took on the debt so you can travel and gain the experiences that you need to become a more well-rounded person to have the perspective that you have today. Right? Yeah. You took on the life experiences. Those experiences were shape are shaping. You actively, you took on debt to advance your career. Those, um, moves advanced you as well. So everything happens in step soon. All of that is gonna pay itself off. If you keep doing what is right.
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Instead of just, uh, spending for the sake of spending to keep up with the Jones or to get the next best thing or to be like everybody else at that's, what can drown you and make you feel like suffocating? You know what I mean? When you keep, and I'm not trying to lecture anybody on debt, I have no right to lecture, but I'm just talking from my own perspective. If we look at debt as something that can advance us, then uh, we can live a limitless, abundant life. Yeah. But if we look at debt as something that is suffocating and trapping, and I feel like I've used that word so many times in this episode, but it, because that's how it feels like you're drowning.
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Yeah. It's the best word. Um, yeah. Like you're drowning in debt. It can feel so limiting and you start to contract and feel small in your life and then start to regret all the things. So, and.
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I like, I like what you said about keeping up with the Joneses, because like, again, part of the system, like, you know, every new iPhone you have to get this new iPhone. Yeah. And, and like, I don't know this better car, like society. I mean, I think people are waking up more unless I just happen to have the right friends. And like the people around me don't care about stuff. Absolutely. But I know that there are still people that care about stuff because otherwise we wouldn't have the commercials we have and stuff like that. And so that is,.
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Or all the influencers peddling, all the stuff that they pedal so that you can go by the next thing that is cool or that everybody has or whatever it is,.
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You know? Yeah. So like, I think that, I mean, yeah, like, I don't know, you have to really love the thing. Don't just get it because everybody else has it, like, do you really want this new phone or are you happy with your new, your old phone? Yeah. And that's where good and bad debt I believe can come in. Like, like people, I remember one of the college professors talking about cuz we were still in college and he was like, it took me 10 years to pay off my loans, but they were worth it. And like I got the best trumpet education and all these different things and, and like same thing with a car.
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Like you need a car. I mean maybe like don't buy, if you, if it's really above your means, don't go for something that's $50,000 go for $10,000 a used car. Exactly. Until you do have the income to be paying for a $50,000 car.
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Yeah. You know what like, and you know, one of the best, most awesome things that I learned from Tasha, you know, the money coach, money, mindset coach. She said that like what I said at the beginning, when you have a healthy mindset about money, that there's plenty of it. And you are in the creator mode to attract more of it into your life based on how you think about it and what your money beliefs are. You can literally bring in a limitless amount, but we all get in our own way.
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And for example, look at everything as a blessing, as evidence of what's to come mm-hmm <affirmative> so like, for example, if you want $10,000, you need $10,000, you wanna manifest $10,000 and then you get an offer in the mail and it's for a credit card with a limit of $10,000, Hey, you just got what you asked for. And that was the quickest way to get it to you because maybe going through a loan would take too long and you don't have someone that you can borrow it from. So here you are.
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I'm just saying, so if you look at things that way you can get excited about what's coming your way. And so even if you have to take on debt it's to satisfy a purpose, you know what I.
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Mean? Yeah. Yeah. I like that. Like looking for the evidence or like it's coming, my $50,000 is coming and like, oh, I got $1 today. Oh, it's coming.
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Yes, absolutely. I'm I, I know that I'm manifesting $1.2 billion exactly. Or more so, uh, I don't know why that number, that number just keeps ringing in my head. So why not go for it? Right. Yeah. Shoot for the stars. Like literally you are your own limit. So I know this is turned into from debt to what's possible, but seriously, like I have fun every day when I find a penny, when someone gives me like a credit for a dollar because of some utility or whatever, I'm like, <laugh> my 1.2 billion is on its way.
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You know what I mean? So just it's fun. It's money can be fun. And, and when you think about debt, you can just get excited.
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<Laugh> yeah. But so I guess I don't know what the moral of this episode is, but I, I would say that my takeaway is just like, why are you buying it? Do you really need this? Yeah. Can you wait, can you get the, the cheaper option for now or cuz sometimes it's more worth it to get the, the more expensive option. Like if, if it's a nice table made of Oak or, or whatever, like why absolutely. Why get the Ikea furniture when that's gonna break?
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Are you basically, are you spending from fear of lack or from abundance and expansion? Mm-hmm <affirmative> because like Jordan said, if you want that Oak table, because it's better quality and it brings you joy to have, and you know, it's gonna last you a long time, get it instead of spending over and over again on a cheaper option, right? Yeah. Just.
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Only just the same with tattoo artists too. Like do not go to a cheap artist.
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Yeah. Because you could be paying for that for a.
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Very long time to a different way. Yeah.
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But that's a, that's a very good, you know what, that's a good cap for it. Think about your spending, like going to see a tattoo artist, right? Yeah. But, but at the same time, my takeaway is that that can be good, but it's only how we it's based on how we choose to see it and how we manage and how we use that debt. Like how we leverage that debt. You know? So if you're spending like to keep up with the Joneses or you're doing it to really improve your life and advance those around you and make yourself better, you feel differently about debt either way.
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Mm-Hmm <affirmative> so that's my takeaway.
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Yes. So if you have any thoughts about this or like, I don't know, getting out of debt stories or how you've gotten into debt, stories, believe.
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Us. We wanna know cuz we need to learn.
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<Laugh> yeah. Like, I mean we all, this is the point we're all here to encourage each other and use our voices as they bloom. Yeah. So.
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Absolutely I.
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That email it is bloomingvoicespodcast@gmail.com, where you can talk to us or Twitter and Instagram at @bloomingvoices.
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Feel free to DM us as well too guys. So.
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Yeah. Thank you so much for listening.
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All right guys, take care. Enjoy your day. See you next week.
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Bye.
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That's our show. Didn't get enough of the twins? Go to bloomingvoices.com for more information and let us know what you thought of the episode. Twitter, Instagram, email, we've got the works. We'll see you next Wednesday.