The Best Gifts are Free || Port Alberni and West Coast Vancouver Island Investment Advisor

Christmas is a beautiful, colourful and festive time of year.  All over the world there are imaginative and colourful decorations in homes and in stores, and we are bombarded with all sorts of advertisements for and displays of gifts you can purchase. It can be a very expensive time of year!  But when you stop to think of all the gifts you've received over the years, I'm sure you'd agree, that truthfully, the best gifts in life are free.  This Christmas you can give a gift to someone that won’t cost you a penny!  Here are some suggestions:

• The gift of love can be demonstrated with a hug, a kiss and a warm “I Love You”.  Hug your friends, your kids, your loved ones and let them know how much you love them.  This is the greatest gift of all – and it’s free!
• Put a smile on your face and use kind words with everyone you greet, especially people who seem hurried, harried and frazzled.  They probably need it the most!  When someone is having a bad day, there’s nothing better than having someone smile at them to make them feel better. 
• Make time in your busy schedule to spend some quiet, uninterrupted time with someone you care about.  This precious gift of your time will be deeply appreciated by the recipient, making them feel special just knowing that you have set aside some time for them.
• When you see someone sitting all alone and looking lonely, make an effort to talk to them.  Some people are overwhelmed by sad circumstances and feel all alone in the world.  They can gain strength just from having someone listen to them.  When you make an effort to talk to someone, it makes them feel as though you care.
• Volunteer for a local charitable organization.  You will be helping the less fortunate.
• The gift of knowledge is another priceless gift you can share with someone.  It is a gift that will live forever because as you pass on your skill or knowledge to someone else, be assured that they too, will share the knowledge some day with someone else.
• The gift of comfort is one that comes in all sorts of ways.  Hold someone’s hand when they need it, bring a sick neighbour or friend a warm meal, cuddle an unhappy child, buy a cup of coffee for a co-worker, or just tell someone you care.  You will make people feel special and loved.

Christmas is a time for loving, sharing and spreading kindness.  If we all did this, we will know true joy and peace at this beautiful time of year.  Here are some Christmasy photos  to get you into the spirit of loving and giving.

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

The Gift of Kindness || Port Alberni, Tofino & Ucluelet Investment Advisor

As we draw nearer to Christmas Day, let us think about the most precious gift you can give to everyone around you.  This gift is free, but it is one that will bring joy to others.  It is the gift of kindness.  Think about a time when someone was kind to you and how that made you feel.  From the time we are children, we are dependent on the kindness of others – from our parents, our family, friends, teachers, co-workers, employers…the list goes on.  There are people in this world who make it a better place just because they have the gift of kindness to everyone they meet.  The effects of their kindness may not always be seen immediately, but they are there.  Everything we have, and everything we enjoy in life, is usually the result of kindness by others.  Think about that in the course of your day to day routine.  Watch and observe the people around you – the ones that are kind and friendly, and the ones who are not.   Who do you suppose is the happier person? 

There is a fable about a wise woman who was traveling through the country side.  She came upon a precious stone in a stream.  She continued on her travels and soon ran into a traveller who was hungry.  She opened her bag to share her food, but the traveller saw the precious stone and asked to have it.  The woman gave it to him willingly with a smile.  The man quickly left, worried that the woman would change her mind and take it back.  She did not, and he smiled at his good fortune, knowing that the stone was worth a fortune.  But a prickle of doubt worried him and a few days later he went looking for the wise woman, and when he found her, he returned the stone.  The woman thanked him and he told her that he knew how valuable the stone was, but wanted her to give him something even more precious.  She looked at him curiously.  He asked that she could give him what she had within her that enabled her to give him the stone so freely.  It’s merely kindness she replied.

This Christmas, think about all the ways that you can give KINDNESS to everyone you meet.  You will not only bring great happiness to them, but you will enjoy a sense of great peace and joy yourself.  This is the spirit of Christmas, and we should live it every day!

"Kindness is a language we all understand.  Even the blind can see it and the deaf can hear it." - Mother Teresa

Here are some festive photos to help you get into the spirit of Christmas kindness.

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

Tea for You & Tea for Me || Port Alberni & West Coast Investment Advisor

As this month of December unfolds, our thoughts begin to turn to the fast approaching holidays.  Christmas is a busy time of year for many people, and we can often feel rushed, anxious and stressed.  It’s important to remember to slow down and look after yourself, because this is the time of year when our bodies get exposed to and invaded by germs and we can find ourselves sneezing, coughing and feeling just plain crummy through the holiday season.  Here’s a helpful tip to help you get through this hectic season.  When you find yourself rushing around and feeling stressed, stop and make yourself a cup of tea.  When it’s ready, sit down, and hold your cup in your hands.  Close your eyes and shut out all thoughts of the past and future.  Think only of the present – the tea in your hands, the warmth of the cup, the steam rising to your face, the fragrant smell, and finally savour the taste in your mouth.  Keep your eyes closed, breathe in, and breathe out in slow breaths.  Feel your body unwind and relax.  In this moment, you are not lost in the past, in your projects or worries. Enjoy only the freedom of this moment in the present. Here’s a poem to share with you and some fun photos to get you to make yourself a cup of tea, sit back, relax and enjoy the moment.

When the world is all at odds
And the mind is all at sea
Then cease the useless tedium
And brew a cup of tea.
There is magic in its' fragrance,
There is solace in its' taste;
And the laden moments vanish
Somehow into space.
And the world becomes a lovely thing!
There's beauty as you'll see;
All because you briefly stopped
To brew a cup of tea.

"If you are cold, tea will warm you;
if you are depressed it will cheer you;
if you are excited it will calm you."
~William Gladstone

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

Christmas is Coming! || Port Alberni Investment Advisor

Despite the recent heavy rains we've had, it still a beautiful time of year in the Alberni Valley.  The snow is low on the mountains, Christmas lights are twinkling and festive decorations are everywhere.  For some, Christmas is a very stressful time of year, and for those who have lost a loved one, it can be a sad time as well.  Holidays can be crazy with the frantic pace and high expectations we set for ourselves.  But if we put a little effort into planning ahead with our preparations and celebrations, it can be less stressful and more enjoyable.  Holidays should be a time where we can rest, relax and enjoy time with family and friends.  Make yourself a “to-do” list, to accomplish all the things you need to do to get ready for Christmas.  It should include presents, food and beverages you need to purchase and have on hand as well as a list of things you need to do in and around the home.  It can also include a calendar of special activities and events noted so that you have your schedule laid out in front of you.  As well as this to-do list, you may want to make yourself a not-to-do-list!  This will help you prioritize what is important and what isn’t.  Set yourself some guidelines about how much money you are going to spend, so you don’t overspend.  You don’t want a huge credit card bill in January!  Don’t overschedule yourself or plan to do things simply because you feel obligated to do them.  Remember the meaning of Christmas – it is a time to spread the message of love, harmony and peace, but it’s interesting that some remember this only at Christmas time.  In the great comedian Bob Hope’s words, his “idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple:  loving others.  Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”  This Christmas, plan ahead, so that you can enjoy a season full of love and generosity, as well as peace and harmony in and around your home.  Here are a few photos to help you start thinking about the Christmas season ahead.

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

West Coast Vacation Getaway || Tofino and Ucluelet Investment Advisor

As an investment advisor living Port Alberni, I appreciate the beauty of our valley, but love having the opportunity to also work with clients in Tofino and Ucluelet. We are fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the world, and the Alberni Valley has truly spectacular scenery.  However, when the rain and fog sets in, it can be days or weeks before we see blue skies again.  It can get depressing and the only remedy is to keep busy indoors, or get away for a weekend or longer if possible.  There are lots of great deals available for flying to warmer climates.  Judy Richmond (Uniglobe Alliance Travel) often tempts me with her amazing travel deals, but if I can’t get away to an exotic clime, the next best thing is a getaway to the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island.  It’s beautiful at any time of the year.  I remember spending a weekend there in early February one year.  It was storm season and it was thrilling to walk along the beach with huge waves crashing on the shore.  I can almost smell the salty spray as I write this, and hear the seagulls’ plaintive cries.  Tofino is a great place to visit, with its quaint shops, galleries and surf stores.  If you’ve never tried a fish taco from Tacofino, be sure to check out this unique dining experience and taste something incredibly delicious!  Ucluelet is a little quieter than Tofino, but it too has spectacular views and interesting artist shops and studios.  The west coast of Vancouver Island is only a two hour drive away.  It makes a great vacation spot and there are numerous hotels, resorts and homes for rent in every price range.  So the next time you need to escape from our valley, head to the west coast.  You’ll come away feeling refreshed and renewed after a visit to this west coast play land.

Here are some photos of the west coast of Vancouver Island when the weather is sunny, and also when the weather is not so nice.  

Photos by Stirling Images Photography