Favourite Moment of the Day || Port Alberni, Tofino & Ucluelet Investment Advisor

What is your favourite moment of your day?  Do you have one?  Is it those few peaceful moments in the morning when you savour the warmth and flavour of a cup of coffee?  Or perhaps it’s when you spend some time curled up with a good book.  Many parents will say they love those tender moments spent with children at bed time, reading stories, cuddling and sharing the warmth of their love.  While there are those that treasure the quiet and peaceful moments of their day, either alone or with loved ones, some will say the best moments are the ones that are full with activity.  Treasured moments may come with a shared meal with family or friends, with laughter and conversation providing the highlight in their day.  Others may say the best moment of their day was spent high on a mountaintop after an arduous hike to get there.  We are all different, and our treasured moments are defined by what interests us and what gives us joy.  And an activity that gives us joy one day, may be replaced by another activity on another day.  Regardless of the specific activity that becomes your favourite moment of the day,  it is the joy and sense of contentment you acquire as a result of that activity that’s important.  When we are relaxed and enjoying an activity, it is then that we feel at one with ourselves and the world around us.  All is well and good, and it makes us feel content.  There are many times, however, when our daily routine becomes rushed and frantic with work and other obligations.  It is even more important on these types of days to reflect upon the one or two moments where you felt some contentment.  It might even be the moment you lay your head on your pillow at the end of a busy day.  The point is we must be thankful for the few moments that give us that sense of contentment.  Life is fleeting.  If we can get ourselves into the habit of taking a few moments out of each day, to reflect, to savour a quiet moment, and feel at peace with ourselves and our world, it is then that we really begin to feel thankful and blessed for our life and all that we have. 

Here are some photos to help you think about what your favourite moment of the day might be.

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

What is a GOOD Mentor? || Port Alberni, Ucluelet, Tofino Investment Advisor

As an investment advisor working in Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino, it is the relationships I develop with my clients, my family, my friends and people in my community that at the top of the list of important components of my job.  I believe that my role as an investment advisor can be compared to that of a mentor; someone who genuinely cares about guiding and helping others to succeed in some aspect of their life.  Having said that, I’d like touch on what I believe it means to be a good mentor. 
 

Being a mentor doesn’t require any special skills, but a good mentor is a person who provides a good role model.  I’ve made my own list of qualities that I feel are important to be a good mentor, and here is my own personal guide, by which I strive to live up to. 

Mentors are:

• good listeners, maintaining eye contact and giving their mentees their full and undivided attention
• able to guide and help their mentees find their own life direction
• practical and can give insight about setting objectives, goals and priorities
• able to share knowledge and educate about life and their own careers
• insightful, guiding their mentees to make good decisions to help them avoid making mistakes
• accessible to their mentees
• able to offer constructive criticism, focusing on the mentee’s actions, never their character
• empathetic, supportive and encouraging
• specific in their advice
• genuinely concerned and care about their mentee’s progress and personal development
• able to guide their mentee towards their own success
• well respected in their professional and community and demonstrate integrity and honesty with all their relationships

The relationship between a good mentor and mentee is a very rewarding one.  Both parties benefit from a positive interaction that is mutually satisfying and beneficial.  The mentor’s reward is attaining a sense of accomplishment,  knowing that they helped the mentee achieve their reward, the right path to success. 

As you look back upon your life, was there someone who mentored or coached you along the way?  Did they make a huge difference to you and your life?  Our path in life is selected as a result of our actions and decisions, which in turn have been influenced by someone who inspired us, or mentored us, along the way.  Which path did you, or will you, choose and who helped you along the way?

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

What is a Mentor? || Port Alberni Investment Advisor

As a Port Alberni, Tofino & Ucluelet Investment Advisor, I find that my role is often one of a mentor.  So I’d like to spend the next few blog posts talking about mentors, mentees and mentorship.  Let’s look, first of all, at what a mentor is.  Historically, the original “Mentor” is a person from Greek Mythology.  The story behind Mentor lead to the name being adopted as an English term, meaning someone who imparts wisdom to and shares knowledge with a less experienced colleague.  The Merriam-Webster definition of a mentor is someone who serves as a “trusted counselor or guide”, but generally speaking a mentor is an experienced individual who can help and guide another individual’s development.  This guidance is not done for personal gain.  Mentoring is used in many settings, and certainly is a role that I adopt as an advisor.  There are other words that I believe define my role as a mentor – coach, tutor, guide, facilitator, counsellor, and trusted advisor.  I willingly spend my time using my expertise to guide the development of other people.  The term used for a person a mentor guides is “mentee” or “protégé”.  Mentees are people who want to learn and seek out advice to grow personally and professionally.  In order to have a successful mentorship, there are several key objectives that I feel must be accomplished.  These are:

• valuing the mentee as a person
• developing mutual trust and respect
• always maintaining confidentiality
• to really listen to what is being said and how it is being said
• help the mentee problem solve, rather than give specific direction
• focus on the mentee’s development as an individual and provide support that is unique to their specific needs

A mentor must bear in mind that the ultimate goal is for the mentee to learn to do for themselves.  Benjamin Franklin was the originator of this very powerful statement:  “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” 

 

When things in life become confusing, I find that a walk or bike ride helps to clear my head while I reflect on life, relationships and career.  It's important that we all take a few moments out of our day to stop and think about what is important in life.  Try it and see if this works for you and while you're at it, reflect on what it is that you might need help or guidance with.  If there is something that you can not achieve alone, find a mentor to help you.  Head down to the Harbour Quay, sit on a bench, watch the birds, and reflect on what is important to you.  Here's some of the sights you may see while you are there.

Photos by Stirling Images Photography

 

Laughter is the Best Medicine || Port Alberni & West Coast Investment Advisor

According to Psychology Today, the average 4 year old laughs 300 times a day, while the average 40 year old only laughs 4 times a day.  Studies show we need laughter in our daily lives to stay healthy.

The sound of raucous laughter is infectious and when it’s shared it can bind people together and can create a wonderful sense of happiness and intimacy.  But the interesting thing about laughter, from a physiological perspective, is that it triggers healthy physical changes in the body.  Laughter can help strengthen our immune systems, increase our energy levels, help reduce pain, and can protect us from the damage caused by stress.  This medicine is free, fun and easy to implement!

Laughter can help relax the entire body and it triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.  Laughter can also help improve circulation which protects the heart and can protect you from heart attack.

The bottom line is that laughter makes you feel really good, and this good feeling lingers long afterwards the laughter subsides.  Maintaining a sense of humour throughout your day can help you have a positive, optimistic outlook and can keep the blues away.  Laughter is a wonderful antidote for sadness and pain.  It can give you courage and strength.  Laughter goes a long way toward making you feel better and better able to cope with life’s problems.  Just hearing someone else laugh can bring a smile to your face and make you ready to join in the fun.  So go ahead - look for the laughter in your day.  Let it go - a good, gut-busting belly laugh.  It's the best medicine there is!  Here are some friendly, smiling faces to help remind you to put a smile on yours, and make time for laughter.  

Photos by Stirling Images Photography