A Year-End Note
Raising 3 active boys with my wife is a wonderful gift, and, incredibly demanding! School, homework, sports and social connections. It is a full time job on top of all the other moving parts in life. I’ve heard parents say over the years “I’m not sure how we got through that season of life”.
There is no doubt we all have our challenges in life. Family dynamics, wounds, illness, injury and stress to name a few. For some, it’s a daily grind. “I need strength and courage to get through this day”. “I need to connect with someone as I’m in a bad space”. Others, there are general seasons of life that last a long period of time where there seems to be no end in sight to the struggle or challenge. Eventually, a reprieve comes, even if just for a brief moment of time.
This has been one of the more challenging years of my life for various reasons. I’ve found strength and hope in my faith, and, reaching out to others for connection. Engagement with others, hearing their stories, concerns and own difficulties in life is incredibly encouraging. Staying optimistic and hopeful are 2 ingredients that I find necessary to keep moving forward. With this in mind, the struggle in life is real and being optimistic certainly doesn’t eliminate the realities of life’s hardships. But, it helps.
I recently heard a statistic that caught my attention. For those who suffer from depression and anxiety, 85% of the time people will begin feeling better by doing/activating 3 things. 1). Getting adequate rest, 2) exercising and 3) eating well. Part of the success is simply getting a plan together and begin working at those things. Seems simple, but difficult to do. But, if one knows there is potential for improvement, they might be willing to make some changes.
Why am I sharing these things? Well, financial worry and fear is the real deal. It can be debilitating. After helping people for nearly 20 years, I know this first hand. There are some things I’ve found helpful I will share in a moment.
This has been a challenging year in the markets to say the least. Both stocks and bonds have gotten beat down pretty good. It’s been my attempt throughout the year to give updates via video/newsletter and through dialogue. I know it has not been easy to stomach account declines and processing all of the information we hear and see in the media each day. So here are a few things that I’d like to suggest to help you stay hopeful and optimistic regarding your investments and long-term financial plan.
*Don’t check your account balances each day.
*Control what you can. Do you have enough in your emergency fund at the bank? Are you spending more than you’re making? Are we talking as much as we need to?
*Stay focused on the long-term. Whether you are in your 20’s or retired, investment and financial planning is the long-game. Sure, our portfolios look different, but, the same principles apply. Given your stage of life, what are your goals and objectives and are we working towards meeting those goals and objectives best we can?
*Find activities you enjoy doing. Get some time to enjoy a hobby and have some fun! Money is one of the greatest worries/fears in life. Money issues constantly rank in the top 3 concerns for people every year. Getting some much needed fun/relaxation can help offset some of the worry.
I’d like to reiterate that we are committed to helping you achieve financial peace. Like a chef attempting to put together recipes of the highest quality, so too are we constantly looking for ways to improve portfolios and bring financial planning to life. It’s been a difficult year and frankly the recipes haven’t worked so well, but, I remain optimistic and committed to you in good times and bad! I’m thankful for the blessings and challenges of 2022. Here’s to ringing in 2023 with some hope and optimism!
God bless!
Positive Quote:
"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."
- Henry Ford
I look forward to continuing to guide clients through 2023 and beyond. If you have a friend or family member that you think would benefit from working with me, please don’t hesitate to make the introduction. Thank you for your trust and business.
