Author Archives: Shan Nissiotis

In a recent blog from Marelisa Fabrega, lawyer and entrepreneur, she spoke of 17 ways to be kinder to yourself! It seems like a lot, but when we think about all the ways and times that we put ourselves down, it’s not that much. There’s a reason why this message of needing to be kinderContinue reading “It’s time to turn up the kindness, to yourself”

Here’s the quick answer: yes! That’s the easy part. The challenge lies in the next question: How do I change how I feel about money? There are plenty of books, blogs, podcasts and short courses on how to change how to manage your money better and change how you budget, spend, save and invest. ButContinue reading “Can you change how you feel about money?”

A curriculum doesn’t drive learning; curiosity drives learning. When we consider the learning pattern of those who are outside of schooling systems, it’s curiosity that drives their learning, not the prescribed milestones of an education system. From Google to TED, from books to stories passed down from our elders, learning is more about readiness thanContinue reading “Learning leverages healthy decisions (1/3)”

Estate planning, wills and final testaments are not easy processes to navigate. Setting up life cover and considering what will happen to your family when you pass away can be deeply emotional and an experience many would rather avoid. But as technology helps us create farewell videos, family portfolio galleries and digital vaults, it hasContinue reading “What happens to our passwords when we pass?”

We can’t change what happens to us, but we can change how we respond to what happens to us, and within us. Everything ages, but not everything ages well. Some things can wither from the inside out if they do not have a well-developed resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back and withstand stressors.Continue reading “Ready to be more resilient?”

Anything in life that is truly worth doing – is not easy. It is easy to forget this when we see others doing really well and making the difficult seem like a cinch. We don’t see all the hard work that goes into the background. But in our own areas of expertise, we have hadContinue reading “Making mindfulness easier”

Following on from the previous blog on considering early retirement, the focus of this conversation sparker is to look at five key things that should be on our to-do list before we make any decisions about our retirement (or any big life decision!). In his article for Glacier, Dinash Pillay, National Business Development Manager atContinue reading “Have you been offered early retirement? (Part 2)”

Our concept of retirement is undergoing a metamorphosis. Demographic, societal, and workplace trends have all converged to offer a stage of life—at mid-life and beyond—that is much more fluid and flexible than we previously thought possible.   When planning for retirement, we are discovering that the “old rules” have been thrown out and that “no rules”Continue reading “Designing Your “No Rules Retirement””

There are few things worse than lying in bed at night, tossing and turning over financial stress. Lack of sleep only adds to our stress and hinders our overall mental, physical and emotional health! Our money choices are linked to our life choices, and our life choices are linked to our money choices. This meansContinue reading “Fortify financial peace of mind”

In 1988, financial planner and best-selling author Venita Van Caspel wrote in her bestselling book Financial Dynamics for the 1990s: “Our educational system continues to send forth our young with so little information about financial matters that they are like time bombs about to destroy their own and their families’ economic futures.  We equip themContinue reading “How to nurture financially savvy kids”

There is a thin veneer over everything. When we are distracted by news streams, overwhelmed by direct messaging and tired from keeping up with the Joneses, it’s easy to create a veneer that allows us to store and process more information without having to delve deeper into what’s actually going on beneath the surface. It’sContinue reading “When the opposite is true”

In every culture and creed, there are traditions and philosophies about how to experience the best that life has in store for us, whilst overcoming trials and tragedies. From mindfulness to healthy eating, from exercise to stress management – we are often reminded that what we put in is what we get out. Somewhere, inContinue reading “The miracle of Meraki”

The sandwich generation refers to working-age individuals who are in the precarious position of looking after their growing children and caring for elderly parents.  They are effectively “sandwiched” between the responsibilities of caring for their children, who require financial, physical, and emotional support, and caring for their ageing parents, who may be unwell, incapable ofContinue reading “Sandwich generation”

A breath of fresh air, the sun on our faces, bare feet in the sand. Spending time outside can provide many small pleasures, which all leave us feeling revitalised. Whether it’s sipping ice-cold lemonade in our backyard or hiking up a mountain, spending time in nature has numerous benefits beyond the obvious.  There have beenContinue reading “The nourishment of nature”

Life is uncharted. Maps can only be made from where we’ve been – not where we have yet to go. The only certainty is uncertainty, and we can experience potentially life-altering choices on a daily basis. Each nebulous choice we make brings with it a unique flood of thoughts and emotions. Yet, we generally adaptContinue reading “Things don’t get easier – we become more resilient”

“But we didn’t need it, and we turned out fine.”  We hear this line more than we should. From tap water to technology, from diets to devices, from gender identification to genetic modification, from schooling to selecting a coach or advisor, our peers and mentors can often throw this line in our face – butContinue reading “How to do it in the 4IR”

Epictetus, the Greek Stoic philosopher, was the first to say it. “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” But listening is not always about what we hear; it’s what we can begin to intuit. When it comes to our feelings, we have to learnContinue reading “If our feelings could talk”

From the stoics to the sentimentalists, most have one question in common: What is the meaning of it all? Searching for purpose and meaning helps us come up with a reason for living. As Aristotle always said, our ability to reason is what makes us different to other animals. This sits at the core ofContinue reading “Me, myself and Ikigai”

It’s nearly impossible to make it through an entire week without glancing at a blog, social media post or newsletter that reminds us about the pervasive and perpetual change in our lives. Hopefully, this blog won’t be one of those to add to the list. Instead, it will help us to identify the benefits ofContinue reading “Discovery and discomfort”

When it’s a question of money – everyone is of the same religion, or so said Voltaire. Like religion, there are many different perspectives on how it helps (or hinders) us. It’s probably one reason why people always say you should never talk about money, religion or politics at the dinner table. There are soContinue reading “Bias and your bank balance”

“Where did our weekend go?” Have you ever found yourself asking this question on a Sunday night or a few minutes after hitting snooze for the third time on a Monday morning? If you do – you’re not alone! Studies show that many people struggle with Weekend Anxiety Syndrome (WAS) or the Sunday Scaries… thereContinue reading “Win back your weekend”

It doesn’t make sense, but we need to have a plan for when things go wrong.  People love to say that Benjamin Franklin once said that if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. It’s not a bad quote, but as the world experiences some of the most significant disruptions in recent history,Continue reading “Plan to fail”

All of us have moments in our life when we realise that we have to make a change. Sometimes change is something we choose, and sometimes it happens to us, forcing us to find a new way to cope. Making a sustainable change is something that we can choose – before life forces something worseContinue reading “How to make a sustainable change”

Hygge (pronounced hue-guh, not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment as cosy, charming or special. This can happen whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary. It’s about how the event makes you feel, not the event itself. From Danish cookies, cheese and pastries toContinue reading “It’s Hue-Guh, not Hoo-Gah”

Everyone knows that building wealth can help to ensure financial security in the future. Yet, it is a small number of the world’s population who have had the opportunity and fortitude to save money consistently. In some cases, this is because putting money away is not the easiest thing to do. It’s a tough habitContinue reading “Stop telling yourself these things”