xoSelf (short for Love Yourself)) is a weekly advice series where women can anonymously seek advice on topics about relationships, work, finding themselves or life challenges. xoSelf is responded to by educator & life coach Dr. Walter Hidalgo.
Dear xoSelf:
I love my husband, but he is draining me. I spend a lot of hours during the day working on his business and he never pays me. I know I’m his wife and supposed to support him and help him when I can. But I feel like he is taking advantage of me. He doesn’t pay me or take me out. And lately I have been neglecting my own business affairs. Help, what do I do?
Answer:
As the old saying goes – “One should not mix business with pleasure.” We must understand that marriage is a business and what you put into it is what you get out of it. Ergo, there needs to be a way to distinguish business hours from married life. When starting a business, you need to develop a business plan and that should be applied to your married life. In other words, write down your expectations and his and from there consolidate your needs based on your individual goals and team goals. Good luck!
Related article: How I Run a Six-Figure Business and a Family of Five
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Dr. Walter Hidalgo is an educator and coach. He has a master’s of arts in Church History and Sociology from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University and a doctorate from New York Theological Seminary where his focus was on the intersectionality between Hip-hop culture and socio-spiritual movements. He has taught in universities, high schools, prisons, not-for-profit organizations, and faith-based institutions from all over the world. And finally, he is the author of the critically acclaimed book, “Beyond the Four Walls: The Rising Ministry and Spirituality of Hip-hop” where he has worked with numerous Hip-hop artists, educators, and youth from all over the world to create spaces of fun and empowerment.