Everything we know, believe, and feel is based on our internal thoughts. Positive thinking gives us extraordinary power over our thinking and ourselves (Strycharczyk & Clough, 2015). Some people are exceptional; they always seem to remain positive regardless of what lemons are tossed their way. You know the type, the every-cloud-has-a-silver-lining, glass-half-full, things-will-get-better type ofContinue reading “Finding the healthy positive”
Author Archives: Shan Nissiotis
Ready and Willing
Here’s the thing about financial planning: we don’t plan out of fear; we plan so that we can extend our peace of mind. This is why wills form such a key role in our planning. However, engaging in this process can be clumsy, confusing, and a little hairy, and as Ricky Gervais once said, whereContinue reading “Ready and Willing”
Messy, not perfect
It’s hard not to become fixated on getting things perfect. It may not be in all areas of our lives, but for almost all of us, we have skills, relationships and responsibilities where we want to show up as perfect. As Dave and Hester Vaughan (yourjourneyforlife.com) often say, “Messy, not perfect!” This is a greatContinue reading “Messy, not perfect”
Cruise through a cost-of-living crisis
No one likes to plan for a time when we might not have enough money to make ends meet. Often, when we plan or make financial decisions, we assume that our future self will have enough money to pay for the decisions we make today. Sometimes this turns out to be accurate, but sometimes itContinue reading “Cruise through a cost-of-living crisis”
The importance of boundaries
Every day we make decisions to live a life of our choosing. But yet, when asked about what our ideal life could look like, it’s often quite different from the one we’re living right now. Our decisions link our current life to the life we’d like. With every decision, we’re either establishing a new boundary,Continue reading “The importance of boundaries”
From bags to riches
We often think of things like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities and assets as investments. But, investments are a broad area. According to Investopedia, an investment involves putting capital to use today to increase its value over time. An investment requires putting capital to work, in the form of time, money, effort, etc., in hopesContinue reading “From bags to riches”
Want to avoid a lapsed policy?
When the purse strings are pulled tight, it’s challenging to look at your statement and see monthly amounts deducted for insurance payments. Whether the risk policies are for health care, income protection or the protection of assets, seeing them come off your account can be painful. As a result, many of us cut these policiesContinue reading “Want to avoid a lapsed policy?”
When you think you can’t
Stress can be an incredibly powerful motivator. Most of the time, we see it as a negative, but that’s because our days are generally overwhelmed with stress. And, our coping skills have evolved to help us survive in environments very different (Cosmides & Tooby, 2013). Our mind protects us from harm and further stress byContinue reading “When you think you can’t”
What’s happening in the markets?… is not always the best question
Whilst it’s good to have someone on your team (your financial adviser) who knows what’s happening in the markets, it’s not always helpful to relay all that information to you and have you make decisions about it. We can’t control the markets, but we can control our conversations about money. That’s why it’s not alwaysContinue reading “What’s happening in the markets?… is not always the best question”
It’s okay to listen and learn
Over the last two decades, we’ve been introduced, seduced and held captive by the overwhelming presence of digital communication. From the days when we promised ourselves we would ‘never get emails on our Blackberry’ to an age where we can DM, post, comment, react, share, support, subscribe, pin, tweet, self-publish, sync, stream, webcast, update, uploadContinue reading “It’s okay to listen and learn”
When the markets have you second-guessing
“Genuine travellers travel not to overcome distance but to discover distance.” James P Carse Investing money is always a paradox: it’s simple, complex, straightforward, challenging, mathematical, and unpredictable. It’s because of our emotional influence that plays a significant role in every decision we make. When investing in the markets, many have said it’s all aboutContinue reading “When the markets have you second-guessing”
The Superman Syndrome
Have you ever watched a superhero movie where they show the origin story of the hero? It’s often a journey of going from ordinary and wanting so much more, to being extra-ordinary and not being able to cope with all of the responsibility. A sense of overwhelming obligation can both distract and dilute the heroContinue reading “The Superman Syndrome”
Car insurance and your financial portfolio
When the effects of inflation are being felt more than ever, and global economies are stuck in a state of recovery, it’s common for us to sit down and review our monthly expenses in a fervent drive to reduce our expenses. As we scroll through our bank statements or budgeting apps, we will start toContinue reading “Car insurance and your financial portfolio”
Fight or flight – freeze or appease?
We all have reactionary instincts, which can be quite different in various situations. We won’t always run from certain challenges (flight) or panic when confronted with a problem (freeze). Sometimes we may stand our ground and represent our deep values (fight), but in other cases, we could simply go with the flow in order toContinue reading “Fight or flight – freeze or appease?”
We can only change what we can observe
One of the frustrations that we often experience is the feeling of being stuck. We repeat the same patterns, day in and day out, forming habits that we seem unable to shake. From unhealthy eating, exercise and money choices to self-sabotaging social media, phone and relationship habits, it’s easy to find ourselves living a lifeContinue reading “We can only change what we can observe”
Doing everything yourself?
There are many reasons why we try to do everything ourselves, from satisfying our need to be in control to trying to save costs, or simply “wanting the job done right”, all of us find ourselves doing too much when we forget, or haven’t learned to delegate. Taxes and financial planning are two areas thatContinue reading “Doing everything yourself?”
A bird’s eye-view of your financial plan
Most people don’t enjoy financial planning. It’s a practice filled with stigmas of confusing concepts, complicated products, and expensive choices. But the fact is that none of us can live without it costing us money. Even if we simply want to go for a walk, we need to buy the time to do that. WeContinue reading “A bird’s eye-view of your financial plan”
Make better powerpoints
Powerpoint presentations have become a vital tool in communication, whether it’s to source funding or support for new business ideas, presenting feedback to management or your team, sharing research findings or creating content for social media, knowing how to make powerpoints that attract, connect and engage with the audience has become a crucial skill forContinue reading “Make better powerpoints”
Don’t under-inflate the effects of inflation
When life gets a little out of hand, we might say that things are blowing up! Sometimes it comes out of the blue, and other times we can see it coming, but generally, when we look back at how events unfolded, there were signs of a crisis looming. Inflation is much the same; it’s happeningContinue reading “Don’t under-inflate the effects of inflation”
Healthier uses for your phone
In recent years our cellphone and mobile device usage has increased significantly. In a recent Irish survey, it was found that the average smartphone user picks up their device more than 50 times per day; a third of people check their phone within five minutes of waking up and 70% within the first 30 minutes.Continue reading “Healthier uses for your phone”
Articulate and action
We need to be strategic about growth and not just hope it will happen organically. Through a recent interaction with business coach Grant Newland, the importance of this was brought to the fore of our conversation. But it is not just about growing businesses; it’s about developing people, families, and communities. It’s easy to thinkContinue reading “Articulate and action”
Do as I say
“Do as I say… not as I do.” This has been a popular phrase for many, many years. In fact, it was first recorded in John Selden’s Table-Talk in the 17th century. Possibly, for as long as we’ve had structured societies, we’ve noticed a disconnect between what we say and what we do. In theContinue reading “Do as I say”
Making better money choices
Many important questions in life involve money, and good choices can put us on the road to financial success. Bad choices, however, can lead to years of financial duress. While the questions we ask ourselves may not involve investing in the latest hot stock, they may likely deal with more basic matters like identifying howContinue reading “Making better money choices”
Are you on the road to burnout?
Are you wondering why some people get burned out while others don’t? What is the difference between stress and burnout? And, what can you do to manage stress and avoid burnout? Without a doubt, we are living in a time of significant stress and burnout and we need practical and self-loving ways to address thisContinue reading “Are you on the road to burnout?”
Diversify. Amplify.
Diversification is not just an approach to adopt during market volatility; it’s generally good practice. And, if you want to create a portfolio that mitigates risk and beats inflation, diversification offers one of the best ways to increase your portfolio growth and amplify your savings. There’s no single “correct” way to diversify your investment portfolio.Continue reading “Diversify. Amplify.”
Crush it, and rest; says Carl
Carl Richards, the Sketch Guy columnist from The New York Times, recently shared an enlightening view on our hustle culture. Online engagement has increased our stress levels by making work, social pressures and media agenda more invasive than ever. We can easily believe that if we’re not “on top”, we’re not working hard enough. WeContinue reading “Crush it, and rest; says Carl”
When the goalposts keep moving
“The only way to find permanent joy is by embracing the fact that nothing is permanent.” – Martha Beck. Over the last few decades, investment strategies have developed and evolved to move away from market-related benchmarks toward personal goals and outcomes. Modern investors are now creating plans that are more personalised and unique than everContinue reading “When the goalposts keep moving”
What’s costing you more?
“As soon as we become aware of money, we develop beliefs about it, beliefs we cling to, sometimes for the rest of our lives, often at the cost of our souls.” – George Kinder What’s costing you more: what you do with your money or what you believe about your money? For many people, theContinue reading “What’s costing you more?”
Dollar-cost-averaging
People often joke about the weather in Cape Town, saying that you can experience all four seasons in one day. And, if you speak to a local, you’ll know that regardless of how warm it is, they’ll always pack a sweater in case the weather turns. Still, as a top tourist destination, the weather doesn’tContinue reading “Dollar-cost-averaging”
Protection from too much advice
Bruce Lee once said: Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own. It’s an exceptional quote that is profoundly helpful when working with a financial plan. However, the difference between our current situation and Lee’s is that in the 60s, it was much harder to access information. Now,Continue reading “Protection from too much advice”
Saving vs investing
Financial planning is a complex and integrated activity that is often simplified in an attempt to make it more accessible. When we look at it as a lifestyle rather than an annual exercise, it’s easier to begin to engage with our financial plan in a more meaningful level. Saving and investing are two disciplines thatContinue reading “Saving vs investing”
How mindfulness helps our money
How much time do you waste trying to solve problems that haven’t happened yet? Many of us fixate on problems that might happen tomorrow, next week or several years in the future, and this is not what life and financial planning are about. Getting stuck in the future at the cost of living life toContinue reading “How mindfulness helps our money”
Need a little grounding?
Have you ever gone for a walk in the garden without shoes on? Remember what it felt like, as a kid, to come home from school – slip out of tight school shoes and walk barefoot? Whether it was on comfy rugs, soft sea-sand or lush grass, the sensation often felt so good because weContinue reading “Need a little grounding?”
Become a better networker
As our world becomes increasingly digitised, personal skills will become more valuable. Many salespeople call these the soft-skills and realise that the old-school hard-sell-skills are no longer as effective. People are less likely to be blown away by some widget and far more likely to remember the way that you’ve made them feel. It doesn’tContinue reading “Become a better networker”
Building wealth, one brick at a time
The root of our wealth is not in our income or our spending; it’s in our behaviour. Our habits make us wealthy, not the markets. Some have said that sound financial management comes down to spending less than we earn – but whilst this adage holds merit, it’s a lot more complicated in practice. It’sContinue reading “Building wealth, one brick at a time”
Planning vs Coaching
Regardless of what words we want to put to our journey with our money, there are a few realities that we need to face. First – everything we do is linked to money, whether we pay for it ourselves or rely on a benefactor. Second – some of our wealth-generation depends on luck and circumstance,Continue reading “Planning vs Coaching”
What a better financial plan could look like
It’s easy to think about a financial plan and consider the elements that typically go into it. For instance, we could picture a plan that consists of a retirement savings product, life and health insurance, investment portfolios, and maybe a few things like trusts, wills and estate plans. Or, we could think about what aContinue reading “What a better financial plan could look like”
What’s changed in your life?
WHERE TRUE FINANCIAL PLANNING STARTS One of the best ways to make any constructive change or difference in the direction of our lives is to take a moment to observe what’s currently going on. Life whizzes by so quickly that if we don’t check in with ourselves, we will find it hard to observe andContinue reading “What’s changed in your life?”
Thank you, money
Some people say that magic isn’t real, but what about the first magic words we’re all taught to say? No – not “abracadabra” or “zimzalabim”, although those are great words. Abracadabra is thought to come from the Aramaic phrase “avra kehdabra”, meaning “I will create as I speak”, and zimzalabim comes from the mythological tricksters,Continue reading “Thank you, money”
Building your Money IQ… and EQ!
Would you consider yourself to be financially intelligent? Depending on how you answer that, here’s another tough question: how much do you trust yourself to manage your own finances? Often we find that after answering the second question, clients want to go back and reanswer the first! And, that’s okay. As Ken Honda suggests, there’sContinue reading “Building your Money IQ… and EQ!”
Marketing yourself beyond 2022
In the next few years, we are likely to see a significant increase in small businesses, from home enterprises to startups. Many people have had to create sideline income or recover from losing their jobs in a shrinking job market. Jobs seeing the fastest decline are in production or administration support, primarily due to automationContinue reading “Marketing yourself beyond 2022”
Just one more
They say that getting old happens slowly, and then all at once. Most of the change around us occurs so gradually that we barely notice it; ageing, losing or gaining our fitness, losing or gaining weight, intimacy in relationships, and debt and investing. These are some of the areas of incrementally-unnoticeable change with which we’reContinue reading “Just one more”
Re-train your brain for healthier relationships
At the heart of everything, we find relationships. Most of these are unintentional relationships that happen situationally, but some are relationships that stem from our choices. From the moment we enter the world, we will have a relationship with everyone and everything: from the space around us to the people who are present and howContinue reading “Re-train your brain for healthier relationships”
Feelings – thoughts – actions
‘Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought,’ Marcus Aurelius. How we engage with our money reflects what’s going on inside our heads, which is an extension of what’s going on inside our hearts. They’re all connected. Our feelings affect our thoughts, which in turn direct our actions – butContinue reading “Feelings – thoughts – actions”
Don’t let tax get you down
We all know that the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. Even after we’ve gone, taxes are still levied against our estate. The more money we make, the more money the taxman looks to take. Tax can be a serious stumbling block in our financial mindset, especially when we think about allContinue reading “Don’t let tax get you down”
The importance of being intentional
If we don’t stand for something, we will fall for anything. Essentially, our actions will either result from what we choose, or what is chosen for us. Our days are packed full of communication and actions. From the moment we engage with our mobile device or open our emails, messages begin to stream in andContinue reading “The importance of being intentional”
Four ways to measure your fortune
We often don’t worry about something until we realise that it’s limited. If we have lots of something, it’s a fortune. If we don’t, it can become a focus of concern and anxiety. Young children generally don’t worry about much if their needs are met. With access to their parents’ love, attention and confidence, childrenContinue reading “Four ways to measure your fortune”
The best time to live
“Remember the past, plan for the future, but live for today, because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.” The best time to live is in the present. It’s easy to get lost in a daydream of how life could have been different or how good life used to be. It’s equally easy toContinue reading “The best time to live”
Catastrophising and how to manage it
Have you ever gone down a rabbit hole on social media? You know, that moment when you see something triggering and you click on it, and then scroll down through the comments, becoming wholly engrossed in a conversation that turns out to be a waste of time and emotional energy. While we’re in that moment,Continue reading “Catastrophising and how to manage it”
Ask yourself these questions BEFORE switching funds
As financial planning conversations deepen and explore more value, we find ourselves moving from the empirical to the emotional, from processes to perceptions and from products to people. It’s an enlightening journey that takes us away from numbers and allows us to reflect and reconstruct our future planning approach. But, it’s also extremely challenging asContinue reading “Ask yourself these questions BEFORE switching funds”
Shan Nissiotis 