The Good Life & Relationships || Port Alberni Investment Advisor

Most people today want “the good life”.  What does that mean?  What constitutes a good life?  If you were to go and ask all the people you knew, at home, in your family, at work, everyone would probably have a somewhat different answer.  But there will probably be a common thread amongst most people you know because if they live or work in your circle of friends and acquaintances, many of them will have similar values as you. Some might say that the things that are most important to them include family, relationships, their home, hobbies, money, and even the “stuff” in their lives. However,  it doesn’t really matter what their definition is, because YOU are the one whose definition of the good life is what really matters.  I recently read an article on this subject, which identified seven key areas that are important to most people in order for them to feel they have a good life.  These are – meaningful relationships, meaningful productivity, spiritual awareness, mental health, physical health, keeping money in its place, and cultivating a kind and caring disposition.  For the next few blogs, I am going to touch on each of these a little bit.  For today’s blog, let’s talk about meaningful relationships.  The people in our lives are important to us.  Having good friends is right at the top of list, probably falling second after family relationships. Whether someone has a long list of friends, or a smaller more intimate list, it is the quality of these relationships that’s important.  There are all kinds of relationships in the world, and each is important in unique ways.  There are relationships between family members, between work associates, friends, members on sports teams, and even the relationship one has with pets. It is a basic human need to be able to share our thoughts, feelings, hopes, worries and experiences with the people in our lives.  This helps affirm and define our own existence.  Nurture and care for these relationships, because these can make us truly happy, and contribute greatly to that sense of having a good life.  As an investment advisor, I feel strongly that one very important aspect of my job is developing a good relationship with my clients.  Trust is key!  My relationship with my clients is one where trust and confidence come before anything else.  I value relationships, both  personally and professionally.  Relationships are how we connect with the world and the people around us, every moment of every day.  Here are a few photos that depict different types of relationships.  I hope these get you thinking about the importance of the relationships in your life.


Photos by Stirling Images Photography

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The Carrot, the Egg & the Coffee Bean || Port Alberni Investment Advisor

In recent posts, I have been drawing comparisons between coffee and life and the things that are most important to us.  Before moving on to a new theme later this week, I'd like to share one more story about coffee with you.  I'm hoping that you will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.  Here's the story.

A young woman went to her mother and told her that things had been very hard for her lately.  She confided that she was tired of these struggles and was close to giving up.  It seemed that as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen, where she filled three pots of water and placed them upon the stove to boil.  She placed sliced carrots in the first pot, an egg in the second, and coffee beans in the third.  She let them sit and boil and asked her daughter to wait with her.  After about fifteen minutes, the mother removed the pots from the stove.  She drained the carrots and the egg and put each on a plate.  She poured the water with the coffee beans into a mug.  Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"  "Carrots, an egg and coffee," the daughter replied.

The mother asked the daughter to look more closely and feel the items.  The daughter did, and noted that the carrots were soft.  Then she picked up the egg and broke its shell, revealing a hard boiled egg.  She then smelled the coffee and smiled at its rich aroma.  "What does it mean, mother?" the daughter asked.

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently.  The carrot, which had been strong and firm when it went in the water, came out soft and weak.  The egg had a fragile shell which protected its soft, liquid interior.  When boiled, the liquid became hardened.  The coffee beans, however, were unique.  After sitting in boiling water, they changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter.  "When adversity knocks on your door how do you respond?  Do you become weak like the carrot, hardened like the egg, or do you react like the coffee bean and change the circumstances around you to make things better?"  


This is a fictional story, but it serves to remind us that its our reaction to our world around us that shapes our character.  When the water gets hot, the coffee bean releases its rich fragrance and changes the situation around it.  It handles adversity by changing its circumstances and bringing life and flavour to it.  In life, when the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, think of the coffee bean.  See your surroundings as an opportunity to bring about change.  Just as the coffee bean changes the water, you can make changes to create more flavour and richness in your life.  Which are you?  The carrot, the egg...or the coffee bean? 

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

The Important Things in Life || Port Alberni Investment Advisor

What is really important in life?  If you already know what is important to you, do you make enough room in your daily life for these things?  Have you ever heard the story about a cup of sand, some golf balls and a cup of coffee?  Here's the story......A Professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty glass jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.  He then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

So the Professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly.  The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.  He then asked the students again if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.  The Professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.  Of course, the sand filled up everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was full.  The students responded with an unanimous "Yes."

The Professor then produced a cup of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.  "Now," said the Professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.  The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car.  The sand is everything else - the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first", he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.  Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Play with your children.  Take time to get medical checkups.  Take your partner out to dinner.  Play another 18.  There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal.  Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.  Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

When he had finished, there was a profound silence.  Then one of the students raised her hand and with a puzzled expression, inquired what the coffee represented.  The Professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.  It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a  cup of coffee with your friends."

Here are some photos to get you thinking about about the important "golf balls" in your life and making sure you have room for them!

Photos by Stirling Images Photography