My Annual Lesson in Personal Gratitude from Charles Dickens
Each morning, as a part of my daily routine, I do a gratitude exercise where I call to mind a minimum of 10 things that I am grateful for. It is especially impactful when I write these out in a journal or even note them in the notes section of my phone, allowing me to go back and review them at a later date. I’ve found that this is a great way to start my day on a positive note and keep me mindful of what’s really important. We all spend so much energy dealing with our worries and anxieties. Yes, there are issues to deal with and tough times to navigate but dwelling on negatives only creates more negativity. Likewise, I believe that gratitude creates more gratitude, more positive energy that helps me through my day, and more goodwill to spread to other people.
We manifest what we focus on the most and I would rather manifest the good stuff! Especially as we move into the holiday season and prepare ourselves to start a new year.
"God bless us, every one!"
One holiday tradition I’m looking forward to, is seeing the play “A Christmas Carol” here in Kansas City with my wife. It’s one of those stories that everyone knows by heart, and most of us will catch at least a few minutes of it on TV while we’re wrapping gifts or sitting around the fire. But even knowing the outcome, the message is moving to me every time – especially when you’re sitting in a theatre with other people, totally immersed in the story.
To see someone who is so intensely focused on himself find joy, for the first time, by sharing life with others, fills me with that same gratitude I try to be mindful of when I start every day. What would life be like without sharing it with others? As Scrooge learns, it’s not much of a life at all! No one can be their best self by themselves. We need those family members like Nephew Fred, whose love and kindness are contagious. We need our Bob Cratchit, the reliable coworker who helps us get the job done even when it’s tough. And we need people like Tiny Tim, whose goodness and compassion bring out those same qualities in us.
Thank you, every one!
As I reflect on what I’m the most grateful this year, what stands out to me are my relationships. I’m so grateful that I have so many people in my life who help me keep my “Scrooge” in check and inspire me to be a better husband, father, friend, advisor and co-worker every day.
Bill and Carissa Keen (center) with the Keen Wealth Team
I’m grateful for my family, for the incredible team here at Keen Wealth, all of the wonderful friends and clients of the firm, my mentors whom I continue to learn from, and all of our loyal listeners and readers. And I’m looking forward to seeing many of you very soon at another of my favorite traditions, the Keen Wealth Holiday Breakfast on December 14th.
My gratitude for all of these relationships is one reason why I’m so focused at Keen Wealth on always having an updated plan for the future for our clients. I really do believe that the advisor – client relationship is just that: a relationship that is going to evolve as your personal and financial needs change throughout the course of your life. We want to design an inspiring vision that we can work toward with our financial and life plan. Yes, there are difficult times we all go through, but focusing on our desired outcomes always gives us a path through.
So, on this Thanksgiving Day, I am reminded of and grateful for each relationship in my life, including each person who may be reading this message. And as I say in my recent book - "The Best is Yet to Come"!
About Bill
Bill Keen is a CHARTERED RETIREMENT PLANNING COUNSELOR℠ and independent financial advisor with more than 25 years of industry experience. As the founder and CEO of Keen Wealth Advisors, a registered investment advisory firm, he specializes in providing personalized retirement planning designed to help people thrive before and during their retirement years. With a passion for educating others, Bill regularly blogs about retirement planning, hosts the podcast Keen on Retirement, and has contributed to U.S. News and World Report, Reuters, Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch, Yahoo Finance, and other publications. Based in Overland Park, Kansas, Bill and his team work with clients throughout the greater Kansas City area and across the nation. To learn more, connect with him on LinkedIn or visit www.keenwealthadvisors.com.
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