Category: Happiness

How to fix a terrible money habit in one month

At our ‘Serenity On Tour’ seminars (which spanned  the UK covering Cornwall, London, Lincoln and North Wales), one of the presenters asked these questions …

  1. How much money do you have on you right now?
  2. How much money did you spend last month?
  3. How much money will you spend next month?

Not many attendees knew the answer to the first question, less to the second, and less again to the third. The point behind the exercise, was that if you do not know what you are going to spend next month, then how on earth will you know what you will spend in retirement? Continue reading “How to fix a terrible money habit in one month” →

The last taboo – talking about money…

What is the one thing you feel MOST uncomfortable talking about?

Have a think a moment, then write down a few ideas.

What did you come up with?

Perhaps you had some of these :  politics? religion? death? mental health? regrets? sexual orientation?

How about money? How comfortable would you really feel about talking to others openly about your finances – how much you earn, how much you owe, or how much is in your bank account? Continue reading “The last taboo – talking about money…” →

What your emotions and the financial markets have in common

Your emotions and the financial markets may have more in common that you first think.

Over the long term, the general trend of financial markets is upwards. Like it or loathe it, the concept of financial growth (some may call it capitalism) seems to work.  Of course, from time to time, there are little wobbles along the way, sometimes (2001 and 2008 spring to mind) there is a calamitous drop in value. Given time however, and avoiding panic, generally, things recover, and after a while, are back to where they were, and improving again (unless of course you had all your assets in one company which went bust) .  This is the message we convey to our investment clients at Serenity – trust in the plan, and despite the short term wobbles, in the end, the plan will see you through.

Using happiness as the global currency instead of money, generally, society can hope to work towards greater joy, feeling better about the things around us and ourselves.  Trust that generally, life will be ok, and we find that the investment in ourselves will pay dividends, be it health or mental functions.  Continue reading “What your emotions and the financial markets have in common” →

Overthinking – the art of creating problems that weren’t there!

Are you one of the very fortunate 27% of 25-35 year olds who do not overthink?  Yes, a staggering 73% of that age bracket have been identified as over-thinkers according to research conducted by Michigan University.

There are many great quotes about overthinking, but what is it and why does it occur? Continue reading “Overthinking – the art of creating problems that weren’t there!” →

It’s only a drop of ink!

How easily are you derailed by the smallest of things?  One negative comment amongst all the good ones can often overshadow all the good stuff can’t it?

Using the drop of ink, imagine that you are now going to add that to a bath-tub of water.  Just one small drop of ink (one negative comment) and the whole colour of the water changes (just like how you feel). Continue reading “It’s only a drop of ink!” →

6 Words to stop saying to your children

Anyone who works in their own business (and many other people as well) will be more than aware that there is always something more to do.  More articles to write, more books to read, more work to do, more social media to absorb, more ways to evolve the area you work in.  The list is endless – just try mind-mapping it and you’ll soon see how much there is to do..

The other night, it dawned on me, that as I was finishing off the bedtime stories for my daughters, evening after evening, I would say, “that’s enough, I have got loads to do“. Continue reading “6 Words to stop saying to your children” →

Are you a traveller or a tourist through life?

 

Very soon, your thoughts may well start to turn towards their holidays. Are you though a traveller or a tourist?

Travellers tend to enjoy everything, embrace the moment, experience, wonder, not over prepare or over complicate, and focus on enjoying the here and now.

Tourists however, tend to want to tick things off their lists, have to be over prepared, everything planned to perfection, collecting photos for Facebragging and deeply concerned with telling everyone else what a great time they are having – sometimes, to the detriment of their own real enjoyment. Continue reading “Are you a traveller or a tourist through life?” →

Leave the smoke and run to the sun

Are you one of those people who commutes around 90 minutes a day to get to work and again the same in evening as the return journey?

If you are – this true story of someone I was working with will resonate with you… Continue reading “Leave the smoke and run to the sun” →