Category: Mental Health

6 Reasons Spending Time With Family is Important

It is all too easy to get caught up in the pursuit of career, work, hobbies, even obsessive about cleaning or just ‘stuff’ in general.  The downside of all of this, is that we miss those who are really the most important to us, those who we can be pretty confident will be there as we take our last breath. Continue reading “6 Reasons Spending Time With Family is Important” →

What is a financial life plan ?

Here is a questions often asked – what is a financial life plan, and why would I need that as opposed to a financial plan?  

More and more consumers are understanding that there is a difference between the old way of financial advice (selling as many products as possible) and financial planning (where recommendations are able to demonstrate that they are relevant and appropriate for the long term).

So where is Financial Life Planning different? Continue reading “What is a financial life plan ?” →

Is the financial advice experience negative or positive?

A question I have been mulling over – ‘is financial advice negative or positive’ – or is it aimed to create negative feelings, then solve them with overly positive predictions or scenarios, or actually, should it be to create positive feelings, then stay sensibly grounded, aware of what could happen (negative scenarios)? Continue reading “Is the financial advice experience negative or positive?” →

Can you recognise the vicious cycle of money worries?

There is a vicious cycle combining money and mental health  – quite simply, worrying (about money in this case) makes mental health worse, and poor mental health, makes managing (money in this instance) harder.

Although we are taking money as the example here, the example can be extended to many areas – just substitute money for ‘work’, ‘relationships’, ‘health’  and many more.  In particular though, the money cycle is one which can have a self-destructive path which is far more challenging to escape from. Continue reading “Can you recognise the vicious cycle of money worries?” →

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” →

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!” →

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” →