ADSS Grad 2013 || Port Alberni Investment Advisor

June is a very special time of the year for students graduating from high school.  It is a time of hard work as they finish up all their requirements to graduate, and it is a time of excitement as they celebrate their accomplishments with a variety of special events.  This year's Grads celebrated twice - first on June 8th with a Parade and Prom at the Alberni Athletic Hall, and second with their Graduation Ceremony in cap and gown on June 28th at the Multiplex.  Although this is an exciting time for the graduates, it is also a time for mixed feelings about leaving the school where they have been for the past four years.  This year is particularly poignant because the students graduating are the first grad class in the brand new high school.  As they leave the halls of this beautiful new school forever, many are thinking about their futures.  It isn't easy for graduating students in these difficult economic times to know in which direction to turn.  Many will be leaving for post-secondary education in the fall to further their education in their chosen field.  For now, many will be enjoying their summer, spending time and perhaps even saying goodbye to their friends and family as they move on to new adventures.  Congratulations to all the students at ADSS on your accomplishments.  You've reached a very important milestone in your life and I wish you all the very best for a bright and successful future.  Here are some photos from the Graduation Ceremony at the Multiplex.

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

Spring is Just Around the Corner || Port Alberni Financial Advisor

Spring is just around the corner, and it’s the time of year when we start to open our windows to let the fresh air in.  It’s also the time of year when the sun begins to shine more frequently, and it’s then that we notice the streaks and grime on our window panes, and the accumulated dust and grit in the corners of our home.  With spring, comes spring cleaning!  The notion of cleaning one’s house each spring originated from the philosophy of the Persian New Year, where Persians believed that as nature renewed itself, people should also renew themselves.  Old items not needed anymore were thrown out and the home was cleaned from top to bottom.  Spring was the season to rejoice in new birth and starting life anew.

Some people like to do their spring cleaning because of the good weather after winter.  It’s an opportune time to take advantage of the warmth and sunshine to clean carpets and hang them outside to freshen up.  To some, spring cleaning can be compared to the nesting instinct – we are cleaning and feathering our nest.  It can be both a physical and metal activity.  The dreary months of winter have made us inactive as we bundle up indoors.  Our energy levels are dragged down as a result, and we overindulge in “comfort food”. Spring is the time of year when the better weather and prospect of new life re-energizes us.  We may find ourselves spring cleaning our bodies, our minds and our souls.  A good spring cleanse should jump-start your metabolism and boost our energy levels, whether we are referring to cleaning our bodies or our homes.  Spring is almost here – let’s welcome it with open arms and rejoice in new beginnings!

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

Are You Thankful for What You Have? || Ucluelet, Tofino & Port Alberni Investment Advisor

People who live in Canada are blessed.  We are blessed to live where we do and have what we have, but in reality – we are spoiled.  We have so much, yet we get frustrated and angry when some trivial thing happens to “ruin our day”.  It could be little things such as not being able to get a good signal for our cell phone, or having to sit in traffic for twenty minutes,  or having to wait in line at a coffee shop when we’re in a hurry.  Our impatience with these minor trivialities demonstrates an ungrateful spirit.  We are richer than the majority of the people in the rest of the world, who don’t even own a cell phone or car, or can afford to buy coffee from a barista.  We need to stop being so selfish and be more thankful for what we do have.  In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

Here are some things to be thankful for.  If you're reading this blog, these are very likely things you have.  You must remind yourself to be grateful for having these things, because many people in the world don’t.

• Clean Water
• A bathroom with a toilet that flushes everything away
• Electricity
• A roof over your head
• Food on your table
• A stove to cook your meals
• A regular income
• School
• General good health
• Freedom of choice

In these tough economic times you may be frustrated and feel the need to complain, but remind yourself of all the good things you have in your life and be thankful for them!  Did you know that almost half the world live on less than $2.50 per day?  At least 80% of humanity live on less than $10 per day.   When you are feeling frustrated and disgruntled about your life, stop and think about the rest of the world and how your life compares.  YOU are richer than the majority of people in this world.  Here are some photos for you to think about how many people in the world live.  Compare it to your life - and be thankful!

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

The Mistakes We Make in Life || Port Alberni, Tofino & Ucluelet Investment Advisor

What was the biggest mistake you ever made?  Everyone makes mistakes.  There’s nothing wrong in admitting we’ve made a mistake.  All human beings make mistakes – from the time we are born, through adult hood and even into our senior years.  George Bernard Shaw said that “a life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” 

When we make a mistake is helps us discover who we are.  We learn about ourselves, our strengths, our weaknesses, our capabilities and our limits.  Our mistakes help us to become more compassionate and more tolerant of others.  Making mistakes teaches us valuable lessons in life.  We can learn a lot from the mistakes we’ve made.  When we realize that it is the lesson learned that is important, we begin to lose our fear of making mistakes.

Making mistakes also teaches us how to forgive.  Every time you make a mistake, you learn to forgive yourself and people around you.  It helps you understand that nobody, including yourself, is perfect.

When we embrace our mistakes and learn from them, we let go of our fears and allow ourselves to really experience life to its fullest.  We are less likely to experience regret because we are not afraid to try something new or different.  Our greatest achievements in life come at the result of making mistakes along the way.  Our mistakes have helped us to grow and evolve and develop as a human being.  We begin to gain confidence and courage every time we make a mistake and bounce back with new ideas and new methods for doing things.   Our mistakes can lead us to happiness because when we persevere and continue to try, we can experience success.

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”  Albert Einstein

“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.” Mahatma Gandhi

Some of the greatest inventions in the world came about as the result of mistakes. Thomas Edison failed more than ten thousand times before he developed the light bulb.  Just think what our world would be like if he had given up and never invented the light bulb.  Here are some de-lightful photos of this incredible invention, which has become an important part of our daily lives all over the world.

Photos by Stirling Images Photography