Greetings! I trust that this finds you well and in good spirits.
All year week after week we look at business related topics and issues that pertain to retirement. I want to change the theme to a more personal one and close the year out with some thoughts for you from some of the greatest thinkers of our age that can add value as you reflect on the year past and look to the New Year.
“The most important decision we must make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile environment.” (Albert Einstein) What he is saying is regardless of what is happening to us at any given time, we humans have on important choice, to live in fear or with confidence. I think it’s important in light of recent acts and threats of terrorism that we examine how we feel about this.
“Life is the sum of all your choices” (Albert Camus) At the end of the day our lives are simply a reflection of the things that happened to us and how we reacted to them. We all fall into the trap of thinking we have no choice but to do something, or presume we have a binary choice with extreme consequences. For example if I don’t work 60 hours a week I will be poor! The world is far more nuanced and our choices are not limited to binary outcomes.
“It is difficult to find happiness with oneself but impossible to find it elsewhere.” (Arthur Schoepenhaur) We are all looking for happiness but looking in the wrong places, is one that we producing and performing beings should remember. We are prone to credit external factors for our happiness or misery. For example if only I had more money, if my family only appreciated me more or if I only produced more. We all like to assume that something external will make us feel better about ourselves, but it seldom does in any lasting way.
I hope you have a meaningful and Merry Christmas and that next year will be your best one ever!
Best regards,
Jeff Christian CFP, CRPC