There is a reason I have listed the three together. I am being practical here. I cannot expect you to exercise and meditate daily in the morning. So try one of the above.

Regular exercise is good for you. Exercise releases feel-good endorphins and other natural brain chemicals. The morning is the conclusive time to energize your muscles through, weights, stretching, cardio, or walking.

The Mayo Clinic states that meditation gives you a sense of tranquility that is good for your physical, and mental health and emotional well-being.

The John Hopkins Institute states that listening to music exercises the brain and reduces blood pressure, anxiety and pain.

Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory.

The habits of exercising, meditating, and listening to music regularly will empower and transform you and result in better health, sleep, and mental alertness.

Check your emails, Read up on Your Industry

Stop looking at your smartphone first thing in the morning. Get up early, exercise, meditate, have a healthy breakfast and now look at your emails. Read up on what is happening in your industry. Watch a motivational video to prepare you for the day. This will transform and empower you to get ready for the day and give you the power of how you want to feel. Do not focus on social media to validate yourself.

Be around positive people. Remember I did not say, perfect people. It is essential to surround yourself with positive people because this habit will empower and transfer you to lasting success. Positive people are the catalyst to encourage you to become better and to deal with your daily challenges.

Positive people are in touch with reality. Positive people have your best interest at heart and want you to become better daily. This daily encouragement allows you to achieve your goals. You feel better about yourself and are full of energy.

Positive people are like honey. Everyone is drawn to them. Set yourself up for success. Surround yourself with positive people and become empowered and transform yourself to become a successful person.

Self-care is empowering and can transform you

What is self-care? Self-care is the intentional and concerned process of taking care of and improving your mental, emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual health with a balanced lifestyle. Self-care is taking care of yourself and it is very important. Self-care means taking good care of yourself. It is also about being kind to yourself and practicing self-compassion. However, not everything like drugs, alcohol, over-eating, or risk-taking that feels good is self-care. There is a big difference between self-care and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Self-care is good for you and has long-term benefits for the mind and the body.

The moment we align our goals, values, and ethos with our job, friends, charitable giving, and the various organizations that we are part of, cognitive dissonance disappears. We are happy. We live purpose-driven life. Everything makes sense.

Allow time for your body and brain to recharge. Reward yourself by relaxing, going for a massage, visiting a spa, or going for a swim and this will empower and transform you.

Have a few close and trusted friends

The post 11 Habits that will transform and empower you appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Money touches everything. It affects how we sleep, how we eat, how we raise our children, and how we dream about the future. Yet too often, we treat finances like a separate compartment of life, disconnected from faith, family, and well-being.

What if we approached money the way we approach health, looking at the whole picture instead of isolated parts?

In this conversation, Jason Trueman, Portfolio Manager with Cumberland Private Wealth Management, shares why a holistic approach to household finances matters. From buying a quality mattress to investing with discipline, Jason explains how thoughtful spending, long-term vision, and balance can create not just wealth, but freedom and peace of mind.

Welcome to Four Columns, where food, faith, finance, and family are not separate conversations, but part of the same story.

Jason, welcome to Four Columns, a holistic blog on food, faith, finance, and family. Please tell me a little about yourself.

I am a Portfolio Manager with Cumberland Private Wealth Manager. Cumberland is headquartered in Toronto. I work with a talented team in Kingston, Ontario, including a CFP, CA, CPA, and TEP, providing holistic wealth management services for successful Canadian families and business owners.

How did you end up in personal finance?

I graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree. I received my CFA charter in 2001. I started my career as an Underwriter with Chubb Insurance. I was recruited by AIG and worked in Bermuda for 7 years before returning to Kingston to raise our young family in 2010.

Give me three tips on how to have a holistic approach to personal finance?

Control your spending by buying things you need and on an average cost basis (i.e. you will spend one-third of your life on a mattress so buy a good one).

Be disciplined with your investing. Buy dominant companies with great management who care about both their customers and their shareholders (these are rare and require work to find).

There is a balance between disciplined spending and enjoying your life; life is short so if you need a trip or a new car or new shoes to enjoy your life then spend the money.

What happens when we live on credit cards and not on our salary?

Credit cards that you pay off in full on a monthly basis and never pay interest on and accumulate rewards are great. When you overspend and pay exorbitant interest living beyond your means then you will suffer from difficult financial decisions and increasing stress.

How important is it to have a budget as part of a holistic approach to our personal finance?

I find long-term goals are helpful in providing meaning to your actions like why am I going to work and saving for my child’s education or retirement. Budgets help keep your life and spending in order; like a calendar and daily to-do lists.

What are some important tips to start saving?

Paying off your higher interest-bearing debt is most important. Taking advantage of government savings programs like RESPs, RRSPs and TFSAs is enormously important as well. Again, buying things you need (healthy food, a quality mattress) instead of buying things you want for status and cost a lot on a per-use basis (the tenth pair of shoes, vacation properties) is critically important.

How do you balance faith, food, finance, and family?

I believe in humanity; if we all do our part to contribute, we collectively accomplish amazing things. If you don’t spend money on healthy food then you’ll pay the price with poor health and physical limitations. Finance is about independence; ideally, a career doing something you enjoy while creating financial freedom to do nothing if you so choose. Raising kind, caring and confident children who find something productive they love to do in life are our number one job as parents.

Can you recommend some great restaurants in Kingston?

Kingston has an enormous array of awesome restaurants – having 35,000 students in the city helps. I prefer local family-owned restaurants such as Tango, Woodenheads, and Harpers.

You manage money for the wealthy, what have you learned from the experience? Do they have a holistic approach?

Success usually requires some form of sacrifice at some stage in their life. For many that mean focusing on academic excellence instead of always finding the nearest party. For others, that means pursuing an idea, a vision, and taking on considerable financial risk, and working excessive hours to make their dream a reality.

How important is food to you?

Food has an enormous impact on how you feel and how you look. Humanity would benefit from healthier eating with lower health care costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and an overall more productive society and cleaner earth.

The post Holistic Approach to Household Finances appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

What is the meaning of life?

I have known Mayple Dorrington since I started my career at Scotia Bank. Mayple was Director, Communications and Change Management at Scotia Bank.  Mayple recently wrote a book called Finding: The Oasis in my Soul. It is a journal, an encouraging journey through the spectrum of real-life experiences of trials and triumphs. As you read her book, you can relate to it. You will see a reflection of your own experiences. The book asks some relevant questions about having an empty void within us, do we have doubts about our gifts, weaknesses,  our purpose, and our identity?

I am a big fan of gratitude, and this book challenges my thinking to transform my mind and to get a deeper conviction of love and purpose in my life. If you are struggling with insecurity, fear, uncertainty, or anxiety, get the book, become empowered, lead an authentic life, and transform yourself into what you are intended to be.  This is the first of a two-part interview.

Mayple, a true honor to have you talk to four columns. Tell my audience a little bit about you?

Jerry, firstly I want to thank you for the opportunity to participate in your blog. I’m deeply honored to be having this dialogue with you and your audience.

Born on the beautiful island of Jamaica I grew up in a happy, loving family cushioned in a viable business environment.   The business became a casualty following the aftermath of the 1970s economic downturn in my country and the outcome later triggered my family’s immigration to another beautiful country, Canada. With a business mindset, I later pursued that area of study and embarked on an amazing career in the financial industry that spanned 3 continents with direct access to over 27 countries.  Alongside my banking occupation of choice, I am an author and a motivational speaker.  My professional designations include an economist, chartered banker, high school teacher and a personal financial planner.

I am a devout Christian who anchored my beliefs, decisions, and hope in the power of the risen Jesus Christ.  With my teaching discipline, I constantly volunteer my skills for mentoring and coaching and by my mentees’ own admission, I have the knack to identify, develop and empower countless persons in reaching their personal goals.

Having said that, my passion is primarily centered around the relationships I forged working with people drawn from across the globe and living in the most multicultural city in the world. Through these experiences, I learned how to coexist with people, understand their behaviors, outlook, and preferences, and dispense greater tolerance, acceptance, and compassion in helping others. An area that keeps me growing is to intentionally embrace the power of mindfulness. This awareness constantly provokes and inspires me to challenge my mind, peel away layers of obscurity, to look deeper and wider for insights toward the path in finding truths.

Finding: The oasis in my soul. It is an intense name for a book. How did the book come about? What is the main message? Who is the audience? What is unique and different about the message?  

Jerry, there’s lots to unpack here… yes,  the name is indeed intense. You may notice I deliberately said “Finding” and not “Find” or “Found” because it’s a journey, not a destination. My book chronicles an inspiring journey through the lens of my real-life experiences of trials and triumphs and using what I have been through to come to a place of what I now know for sure.

Strangely the genesis of my book was drawn from my wanderlust nature.  Traveling to many countries, living amongst diverse nationalities, and conversing with numerous people from different walks of life, age, and outlook; hearing their stories, the many dreams realized, the hardships overcame, and bouncing back from mistakes, I realized how much we all have in common.

I wrote the book to expose our human commonality and to express how I cultivate the power to confront and stare down the debilitating state of uncertainty, worry, and fear.  How like myself, we can overcome our shortcomings and elevate our talents and self-worth to be the best.

During my speaking engagements, after sharing my story, which is often intertwined with slices from the lives of many others, seeing the visceral reaction of agreement from my diverse audience, I validated how we all want to feel valued, loved, and accepted. The main point is to have a positive self-image of not who I am, but who God intended me to be.  How I claim truth and confidence from the backdrop of biblical examples of trust, faith, and obedience.  Each chapter illustrates a meaningful life experience, which is brutally frank about what I learned, the impact of the practical application, and my spiritual transformation. Each reader will walk away with valuable nuggets to build their confidence and self-worth.

My core objective and the key message are to challenge the readers’ thinking and arouse a sense of gratitude, wonder, and introspection, allowing us to draw from an ever-renewing Oasis where we can replace worry, fear, and doubt with the joyful assurance of God’s promises and faithfulness.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive that this is exactly the response it evokes. I painted a graphic picture of my experiences, whether illness, a hero to zero career moves, friendship betrayal, family choices, to be transformed, to come to a place of rest, not a place of stop, but resting on the dependence and assurance of God’s love while seeking new adventures to spread my wings.  The overarching message may not be unique or different, but it’s worth reinforcing to keep us building self-awareness on how we can draw inspiration and hope from seemingly common encounters and events in our lives. It about seeing and acknowledging God’s love and handiwork in all aspects of our lives.

Explain to me what does women’s empowerment means to you?    

Empowerment is about acting on my own volition, having options, having the autonomy to make choices.  Really, Jerry, it’s to emancipate me from the sense of powerlessness, to become self-determined, being able to take charge of my life by owning my decisions, circumstances, hopes, and dreams, growing stronger, wiser, and more confident.

Having said that, for me, I do not believe women’s empowerment is independent of the influence of men. I strongly believe men and women were created with different, but complementary traits. When working in unity, we unleash the freedom to both look outward, naturally curious in opening ourselves to the universe, feeling supported to take risks, and to reimagine possibilities based on the imagery of how to think, rather than the limitation of what to think.

I have countless examples of gender neutrality during brainstorming, problem-solving, and trouble-shooting that delivered the optimum results, mainly because women are allowed the latitude, civility, and respect to explore and articulate their thoughts without judgment or fear. This type of liberation allows me to embrace and benefit from a diversity of thoughts; to see ideas from various points of view, despite differences reaching common ground, by filtering everything through what is pleasing to God. Why, because like all good things, true and authentic empowerment comes from honoring the will of God.

I am a big fan of being authentic and leading a transparent life. Help me understand what you mean by living an authentic life?    

Yes, Jerry, authentic and transparent are two buzz words presently tossed around a lot! Irrespective of the scholarly definition, at the core, this is about living one’s truth, what we know for sure, which can be shaped by our many experiences.

For me, it is when my values and beliefs are compatible with the integrity of my doctrine, actions, and words. It’s about self-awareness, knowing myself at a deep level, accepting my multi-faceted traits, my strengths, and imperfections; having the desire to continuously grow as I reconcile my good, bad and ugly qualities, which are common to all of us. I find that oftentimes, with increasing societal pressure, we lean into what the world prescribed as a success.  Whether to gain wealth, fame, alter our appearance or job aspiration, we can compromise who we are created to be which often leads to self-loathing, and unhappiness.

To justify my point, let’s take a look at the billions in revenue generated from cosmetic industries, fake content, scamming, Ponzi schemes, and the like. You see, in our humanness, our hearts are deceitful, full of pride, and can easily trap us in a state of denial and falseness to elevate ourselves. I am not immune to this pretense, but growing in spiritual maturity and wisdom, I try to be deliberate in not allowing this malignant state to frighten or paralyze me, but to be powered by my dependence on the spirit God graciously places within us.  As I summon the courage to live from a place of acceptance, growth, humility, and inner peace, only then, I can be the best expression of myself, which will be evident to impact others as I attract, influence, and sustain meaningful relationships.

The post Mayple Dorrington: Finding the Meaning of Life appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

New Year’s resolution…..

I am sure we will all remember 2020 for the rest of our lives.

The holiday season is over, and 2026 is here. As you indulge in introspection and look at some of your life choices, New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity to start making changes. As human beings, we create habits. Changing those habits is not easy. It becomes even more difficult if we are not motivated or have a circle of friends who are not positive. To become a beautiful butterfly, it has to go through the egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages.

If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living – Gail Sheehy

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future – John F. Kennedy

New year’s resolutions are not an incentive or stimulus to make across the board changes in character. I suggest you reflect on 2020 and make some positive lifestyle changes. If you recognize a change is required, here are some suggestions on sticking to your new year’s resolutions.

Write It Down

By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands – your own – Mark V Hansen

If you write down your New Year’s resolutions and remind yourself daily, you have a better chance of accomplishing them. If you log it in a journal, it helps you keep track of your progress.

Make It Small and Realistic

You have to find out what’s right for you, so it’s trial and error. You are going to be all right if you accept realistic goals for yourself – Teri Garr

Lose weight, exercise more, eat healthy, change jobs, earn more, and travel. These are amazing New Year’s resolutions. However, these are huge goals and you are setting yourself up for failure. Focus on only one goal. Make it realistic and go for it. Do you have the discipline, focus, and commitment to achieve the goal? Remember, you are not trying to overhaul your whole life. You will set yourself up for failure and disappointment.

Make It Exact

A goal properly set is halfway reached – Zig Ziglar

A New Year’s resolution needs to be doable, meaningful, and aligned with your goals and values. Research shows that people fail in their resolutions when it is based not on their choice but on the choices of society or their friends and they do not have a plan.

I love SMART goals. It should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Have an Accountability Partner

Most goals people set are not achieved because they are not held accountable for them. When goals are made in private they tend to fall off because people stop being motivated, stop focusing, and stop prioritizing – Bola Onada Sokunbi

You will be more successful in achieving your New Year’s resolution if you share it with someone and be accountable. You have written the resolution on the fridge, it is in your diary, now it is time for someone to know about it and keep you on track.

Reassess Your Goals

Self-awareness requires us to reassess where we came from and where we are going – Kilroy J. Oldster

You have made one or two New Year’s resolutions. As time goes by, re-evaluate the resolution. Is it still unrealistic? Make some changes. Perfection is not the goal. You will stumble along the way. It is normal to have ups and downs in our lives. Always focus on getting back on track.

Enjoy the Accomplishments

Make time to celebrate your achievements no matter how big or small – Unknown

If you set a goal to save 3,000 dollars for the year. After two months, you have only saved $300. You need to celebrate the fact that you are getting better at saving money.

A goal needs to be doable, meaningful, and aligned with your goals and values. Research shows that people fail in their resolutions when it is based not on their choice but on the choices of society or their friends and they do not have a plan.

Find a Support Group

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much – Helen Keller

There are many real-life and online support forums and groups on social media that are aiming for similar goals. When you join a group it is a community, a sense of belonging, a belief in getting things done, and the willingness to change.

Stay Away from Negativity

Don’t walk away from negative people – run! – Mark Twain

There is a chance that the very people you hang out with are stopping you from changing. If you want to quit smoking, drinking, or any other behavior it is important to stop hanging around an environment that encourages that behavior.

Have a Time-Frame

And the reason for focusing on that time frame is that it’s going to take us a considerable period of time to develop the new capabilities – Stephen Cambone

To be and stay motivated, have a time frame. In a diary have a plan of action for the next 12 months and you decide how often you want to evaluate.

Never Ever Give Up

Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine – Jack Ma

No matter what happens, you should never give up. Stay on the course and stick to your New Year’s resolution.

We have been through so much in 2020. The collective pain will last for a while.

I admire you for making a New Year’s resolution. I admire you for reading this post. Now I want you to meet your goal of achieving your New Year’s resolution. Go for it. Finally, here are some New Year’s resolution ideas:

Exercise more and lose weight

Eat Healthier food

Save money

Be Happier

Get out of debt

Volunteer and give to charity

Forgive

Be more responsible

The post 10 Secrets on How to Achieve Your New Year’s Resolution appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

Live a life that is well balanced; don’t do things in excess – Daniel Smith

Balance is a feeling derived from being whole and complete; it’s a sense of harmony. It is essential to maintain quality in life and work – Joshua Osenga

As I read the headlines for the last couple of weeks, it has become depressing. A famous entrepreneur who was famous for focusing on success dies in his early 40’s. The final six months of his life were drugs and alcohol. The entrepreneur was paying people a salary to hang out with him. Another entrepreneur was talking about working 80 hours a week. I looked into his personal life. He has four kids from four different women and was asking the journalist who was interviewing him to find him a date. Another spiritual guru was caught in the act of infidelity and drugs. The song continues.

The pursuit of excess or just focusing on one aspect of your life puts the other essential areas out of balance. Everything in life needs balance.

Feeling lonely by not leading a balanced life

The phone rang. In my 15 years on Bay Street, the phone rang constantly. The reasons are to make or cancel a trade, to get a quote, to inform us about a change, or to invite us for a lunch presentation or news announcement.

There were some calls you just ignored. For instance, a call from a stock promoter. However, this was an important call. He had just retired as the CFO of a major mining company. We talked for a while. After that, I asked him how things were going as it had been six months into his retirement. He was shaking and trembling on the other side. He was lonely and bored to death. The latest surveys from the US, Canada, and the UK all show that the baby boomers are lonely after retirement.

Mr. CFO was 60 years old and for the last, three and a half decades had worked in mining operations in the US, South America, and Southeast Asia. He had a fancy condo in the city, a condo in Florida, millions in the bank account. Above all, he was alone, lonely, bored and scared. In conclusion, he called because he wanted to talk to someone.

What is your purpose in life?

In other words, all his life he had focused so much on his career that he never focused on his wife. The kids were raised by nannies and he never formed a bond with them. The wife had left him. The kids had no time for him.

In addition, he made the mistake of replacing his work identity with his personal identity. Similarly, the identity of a husband, brother, uncle, son, father, and volunteer all took a back seat. Above all, it was always that quarterly report and making the analysts happy. It was about meeting targets and getting compensated for it.

The truth is that the work identity ends at some point. The title, place in the organization chart, the work ethic makes us feel worthy. However, we fail to find a balance.

Therefore, I asked him if he had a purpose for his life now. I honestly believe the question was in another language from his response.

After that, I asked if he was ready to embrace change and how did he prepare himself.

Did he volunteer at all?

Did he ever share his money with charities to make a difference?

Did he have a vision and mission to enrich other people around him?

Life is a circle. We reap what we sow.

A balanced life includes

In conclusion, a balanced life includes having a dynamic faith, a loving family, supportive friends, and eating healthy food as it is important for us emotionally, mentally, psychologically, physically, and financially.

As you go on your daily life today, stay connected, enrich your life by taking a friend out for a meal, give to charity, buy a sandwich for the homeless person sleeping on the street, smile, reach out, give a hug and make a difference.

In a world filled with COVID, we need to make a difference and be game-changers in society.

The post Discover Reasons to Live a Balanced Life appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

No matter how you define success, your mindset is an important factor in achieving it.  Your mindset will determine whether you are successful or not.

A robust and positive mindset is fundamental to establishing flourishing self-esteem. It is a framework that influences our beliefs, feelings, and attitudes. We need to become the sentinel of our minds and make sure we stay positive, inspired, and empowered.

Always remain optimistic no matter what. If you have a positive attitude, you can process information through a clearer lens, have a winning attitude, and achieve success in the long run.

A robust mindset gives you the drive to confront the status quo and go beyond the comfort zone. It allows you not to become a victim, not complain but thrive and improve.

I admire people who overcome adversity, develop a thick skin, and deal with issues head-on. Adversities in our lives challenge us and make us stronger. It is resilience that makes us go through the dark tunnels.

Niloo represents someone who does not takes no for an answer. She deals with challenges in life and comes up with ways on how to overcome them. I am inspired by her attitude to life. Niloo gives us some insight into her approach.

Niloo, I want to know what Getfitscience all about?

Getfitscience is a blog on promoting a science-based approach to fitness and nutrition. I embarked on my health journey a few years back after being diagnosed with scoliosis. It is a condition due to a sideways curvature of the spine.

I resolved to find the best way to train and improve my body to live a life without lower back pain. I started consuming as much information on training, nutrition, and mindset that I possibly could. While I managed to find a wealth of knowledge, I noticed that I had to sift through a sea of opinions and half-truths on these topics.

While it was frustrating that so many “bro-science” sources were purporting the benefits of the latest diet fad or way of training to make a buck, I saw a need to focus on science. I wanted to use my Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry to share an evidence-based approach and encourage others to think critically.

I spend hours reading peer-reviewed research and translate it into an easily digestible format to give readers access to the latest studies and how they can help you optimize their training and nutrition. Since food is a critical component of living a healthy lifestyle, I decided it was necessary to dedicate a section of the blog to nutritious recipes.

What is scoliosis? How did you find the resolve to find the best way to train and live without pain?

Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine. Many times, doctors are unable to determine the root cause of the condition. There are varying degrees of severity, and the disorder can worsen in some cases. In my case, I used to feel chronic back pain and had mobility issues and severe muscular imbalances. I found that strength training with an emphasis on training the back muscles and core helped diminish the imbalances I was feeling and overall pain. I also incorporated a combination of yoga and pilates to help with mobility and strengthening of weak stabilizer muscles.

I want to understand the process of rejecting a victim mindset based on your circumstances?

Often, our mindset concerning training and nutrition is ignored. The average person looks at steps they need to take to see a physical change, like altering food choices and exercise. But your thoughts are paramount in determining what you will achieve in life. Without the right mindset, none of those action steps will stick.

I knew that I’d never be able to cure my condition without potentially undergoing surgery; this was not an option I wanted to consider. Instead, I reframed the situation and changed my perspective. I focused on how I wanted to feel and live the rest of my life, which was ultimately my “why,” rather than feeling down or ashamed that my scoliosis could show in my physique. Once I found my “why,” I no longer wallowed in this diagnosis and knew that if I do my part, I’ll potentially live a healthy life pain-free through training and eating well.

How are training and nutrition different from a decade and two decades ago?

I think we have more knowledge due to increased studies on methods of training and nutrition. This information has resulted in us placing more emphasis and value on the importance of exercise and eating well. Historically, strength training, for instance, was limited to a particular group of individuals, i.e. bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Nowadays, I see 60-year-old women at the gym, picking up dumbells and training. It’s a positive step in the right direction.

On our health journey, what are the potential and possibilities?

I think many times we place limitations, whether conscious or sub-conscious, on ourselves through what is possible. These limitations often stem from our beliefs.

Most people don’t push themselves past their comfort zones enough and create excuses on why they are where they are. That’s why mindset and determining your reason for your health goals is so important. If you can solidify those reasons and make them your foundation for the decisions you make in your health journey, the possibilities are vast.

Help me understand some myths about fasting?

Fasting is one of the most misunderstood topics in today’s “diet culture” society. There are beneficial aspects to fasting for treating various ailments, and I know it has its purpose in varying religions and spiritual circles. But what bugs me is when people think fasting is a magical formula to losing weight. Instead, what happens is that many will make poor eating choices because they feel deprived in their fasting window and miss out on essential nutrients when they are eating. Another common myth is what they consume during the fasting window that breaks their fast unbeknownst to them.

Are diets fads, or are they here to stay?

I don’t think that diets will ever disappear. Most people will admit that they want to look their best and, unfortunately, many are looking for the next best diet or fad that will help them reach their goals as quickly as possible. It’s often due to a lack of knowledge because perhaps they’ve neglected their body for so long that they are not sure the best course of action to take, and they’ll resort to quick-fix diets. I always say that the best type of “diet” is one that makes you feel your best from the inside out and one that you can stick to.

Should all our meals be about protein?

Protein is an essential nutrient for optimal health. Proteins are building blocks of muscles, tendons, ligaments, hair, hormones, antibodies, organs, and neurotransmitters in your body. The role of protein is even more critical as we age.

It can help regulate hunger levels and reduce insulin spikes that can lead to insulin-sensitivity or being overweight or obese from a satiety standpoint. I think it’s good practice to incorporate an adequate amount of protein in each meal alongside a healthy fat and carb source. It’s all about balance.

What does women empowerment mean to you?

We need to continue working in our society to equalize men and women. Women have been under-valued throughout history and given less or no chance, in some cases, to make valuable contributions in their respective fields. I don’t think that it’s something that needs to happen where only women support other women. Instead, both men and women need to provide support so that women have a seat at the table and make important decisions alongside men.

How do you define beauty?

Beauty, for me, comes from a place of confidence. From an aesthetic standpoint, it’s highly subjective, but it always attracts my attention when a person owns whatever they’re putting out into the world. We are constantly bombarded with marketing and narratives in social media, influencing what we should perceive as beautiful. I’m always drawn to those that transmit positive energy that breaks the mold.

The post Niloo: A Winners Mindset appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

A household budget is a financial plan that allocates future personal income towards expenses, savings, and debt repayment.

Welcome to my series, How To Use Money To Make You Happier.  In the introduction section, I gave some stats and mentioned a few reasons for starting this series. I am going to break this series into a couple of steps:

Introduction

Make SMART financial goals

Create a budget

Income

Expenses

Needs and wants

Debts

Difference between good and bad debt

Pay off debt

Use the credit to your advantage

Give to charity

Introduction

Budgeting has only one rule: Do not go over budget – Leslie Tayne

A debt problem is, at its core, a budgeting problem – Natalie Pace

When it comes to money and so many other things in life, understanding your weaknesses and strengths can help you with your future plans – Tagene Brown-Mcbean

If there is one thing, I have learned being in the wealth management business, teaching financial planning, and counseling people over the last two decades is that Americans do not like to create a budget. As a result,  I have heard it all. Jerry, you are taking away all the fun from life. You mean I cannot take three vacations a year. I cannot buy a new pair of shoes every month. I cannot buy expensive makeup. I cannot eat out all the time. No! I am not saying that. In conclusion, I am empowering you to live within your means by creating a household budget.

The main goal of a household budget is to show how much money you are making a month and how it is spent. It is the foundation to build your financial future. Above all, a budget helps you to use your money efficiently.

A household budget gives you control. It allows you to balance your income with your expenses.

If you do not balance your budget and spend more than you bring in then you end up in debt.

Income

The first step in creating your household budget is to look at your monthly net income. If you get paid on the 15^th and the 30^th of the month and you get $2,000 every payday then your monthly income is $4,000.

Expenses

It is important to keep track of all your monthly expenses.

I like to break down expenses into fixed, variable, and discretionary.

The first thing to look at is your fixed expenses. The fixed expenses could be your student loan payments, car payments, rent, or mortgage. These payments are fixed and you cannot decrease them.

The second thing to look at is your variable expenses. These expenses can change from month to month and would include gas and groceries.

Discretionary expenses would include shopping, entertainment, travel, and recreation.

The bank or the credit card will provide you with a proper breakdown of your expenses.

You have now documented your net monthly income and your fixed and variable expenses. You can see where your money is going and you can make changes. If you make $4,000 a month and you are spending $3,600 and saving $400 a month, give yourself an A+. If you are spending more than $4,000 a month, then you need to look at your discretionary expenses and changes need to be made.

Create a System

I will let you decide if you want to use a pen and paper, Excel budget template, money management apps, budget calculator, financial software, or a system designed by the financial gurus. At the end of this article, I will give you a simple example of a budget worksheet.

Advantages of having a budget

It empowers you and gives you control

It keeps you focused

It shows waste

Reveals your spending habits

Reduces stress

Helps in becoming more disciplined

Helps you focus on your goals

Motivates you to save for vacations and unexpected bills

Needs and Wants

You cannot always have what you want. Sometimes you get what you need. – Linda Berdoll

Supply the needs first and the wants later, for one can only obtain true peace, love, and joy when one supplies the needs first and not the wants. – David Benedict Zumbo

A need is something you have to have in order to survive. Food, clothing, shelter, and health care are examples of a need. A BMW, Nike shoes, Polo T-shirts, eating out, going to the movies are wants. Try to spend 80% of your income on needs, 10% on wants, and save 10%.

Example of a Household Budget

Monthly Income                   _____           Insurance                   _____

Net Income     4,000                                            Car

Dividends                                                               Health

Interest                                                                   Life

Benefits                                                                   Home

Charity                                   _____             Personal                     _____ 

Savings                                   _____            Groceries

Vacation                                                                Personal

Retirement                                                           Other

Wants                                                                    Miscellaneous

Credit Card Debts                _____          Entertainment           ______

Visa                                                                        Meals

MasterCard                                                          Movies

Amex                                                                     Gym

Loans                                      _____

Student

Car

Home                                      _____                                

Mortgage/Rent

Taxes

Heat

Water

TV/Cell/Internet

Monthly Income minus all your expenses let you know if you are over or under budget

Finally, it is important to review your budget, every quarter. A budget is a piece of art and not an exact science. Look at some of the areas you need to get better. If you are getting better reward yourself.

There will be times when you have an unexpected expense. That is when your savings come in handy.

Email me back as to how this has helped me and any other questions you may have.

The post How to create a household budget appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

How to make SMART financial goals.

Welcome to my series, How To Use Money To Make You Happier.

In the introduction section, I gave some stats and mentioned a few reasons for starting this series.

I am going to break this series into a couple of steps:

Introduction

Make SMART financial goals

Create a budget

Income

Expenses

Needs and wants

Debts

The difference between good and bad debt

Pay off debt

Use credit to your advantage

Give to charity

SMART Goals

It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach – Benjamin Mays

I am a big fan of having goals that are SMART. Your financial goals need to be specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic, and time-based.

Your financial goals must be defined and clear to you. It should be obtainable and you need to know and find out when it has been achieved. It needs to be agreed either by you, by everyone in the family or household, within the time frame to achieve the goals.

Three Kinds of Financial Goals

I want you to take a piece of paper and a pen and write down your goals.

Divide your goals into three parts.

The short-term goals are those that you want to achieve between 1 and 3 years.

Car repairs, home repairs, home improvements, vacation, personal items, credit card payment, student loan payments, insurance, rent or mortgage payment, emergency fund, and any other day to day expenses come under short term goals.

Medium-term goals are those that you want to achieve between 4 and 10 years.

Saving for a down payment on a house, debt payments, saving to buy a car, are examples of medium-term goals.

Long terms goals are those that you want to achieve after 10 years from now.

Saving for retirement, paying off your mortgage, saving for your children’s education are examples of a long-term goal.

When you set goals, you are setting a foundation upon which to build your future.

The goal of this series is for you to use your money to make you happier. As a result, you need to focus on the fact that your goals are there, so you do not worry, have shelter, food, enjoy your hobbies, have a car, go on vacations and save for your children.

Specific

A specific goal needs to answer which, why, where, who and what you want to achieve.

The what goal could be to save, so you can tour Europe.

You might want to pay off your mortgage in the next fifteen years. A goal could also be that you want to retire by 55. Another example would be, you want to go to the gym four times a week.

The why goal is there for a reason. Why do you want to tour Europe? Do you want to see different countries? Do you want to experience different foods and cultures? Why do you want to pay off your mortgage in the next fifteen years?

The why has to be aligned with your goals, values, vision, and mission about your life. There needs to be a link here. Once that link is there, you will be happier.

The where goal looks at what gym you want to join to go four times a week?

The who looks at everyone else involved in your life. If you are single then that is good also. If you are married or living with someone, then the who looks at all the other people involved in your life who might be impacted by this goal.

The which factor looks at the exercises you will do to stay in shape. The other factor is which countries do you want to visit in Europe?

Measurable

The measurable aspect will look at how much. How much looks at the amount of money you have to save to go to Europe. How much do you need to save to retire at 55? How much is the mortgage and what will it take to get it accomplished? You need to measure; how much you are saving monthly or quarterly for that vacation.

Achievable

The financial goal needs to be achievable. As you get closer to your goal, you will feel good and motivated. Do not create some pie in the sky.

Realistic

Keep in mind all those around you. If you have a mortgage, two car payments, and a couple of kids, then making a goal to save $40,000 in a year is not a realistic goal.

Time-Based

Your goals need to be based on a time limit.

I want to show you, how you can do a SMART goal to pay off your mortgage or student loan in 20 years.

‘I want to pay off my student loan in 20 years’. ‘We want to pay off our mortgage in 20 years’. This is an example of a specific goal.

‘The balance of my student loan is $ 20,000, I want to bring it to zero by 2039’.

‘We want to pay off our mortgage of $250,000 by 2039 is another example of a measurable goal’.

If you are a single professional and making decent money, then maybe paying off $ 20,000 in student loans over a 20-year period is attainable. The same is possible for the mortgage.

In order for the goal to be realistic then your income and lifestyle need to match the goal.

The 20 years is the time-based goal.

Take some time and complete this assignment.

Thanks for reading and do write back to me as to how you are coming along with this and if you have any challenges.

Photo Credits: bongkarn thanyakij Andrea Piacquadio 

The post How To Make Smart Financial Goals appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.

In this post, I will show you how to use money to make you happier.

In the 21^st century, money is critical, essential, influential, significant, vital, fundamental, and important.

We go to school, college, and then university to become capable of earning it. After graduation, we spend the next four decades, making it. We think about it, how to make more, how to spend it, we worry about it and finally dream about winning the lottery.

Is money the root of all evil or can it be used to make a difference in society? In a divorce, arguing over money is one of the reasons given for separating. Our emotions ride high and low with how the stock market behaves or the value of the real estate. Some want the easy way out and resort to crime to achieve it. The world is judged by being first, third, and developing based on how much they have in terms of money.

In 2010, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett started the Giving Pledge. The top 1% is being asked to give more than half their net worth to sustain the environment, reform criminal justice, culture, arts, medical research, empowering girls and women, to get rid of poverty and other causes. 154 billionaires have signed the pledge. They do not want to leave the money for the next generation.

I found myself having to deal with money when I was in grade 8. I was in boarding school and a bank account had been opened for me. I was allowed a set amount of pocket money a month. At Bishop Cotton, the bank was on campus. However, all withdrawals had to be signed by the housemaster.

At college and university, I had to budget and make sure I never spent more than I had in my bank account. I did a co-op (internship) at Hotel De La Paix in Geneva. The crème de la crème of Geneva had their meals at the hotel. The tips were great.

I worked at a bank for a decade of lending money and then managing money for individuals. After that, I spent more than 15 years on Bay Street. Every couple of years, we had to update the client information. When I called clients for information on money, it was a tough fight. I soon learned that people are willing to talk about everything but money. It is an emotional thing. Our ego, identity, and everything else is attached to that paycheck.

Money is essential so we can have food, clothes, and shelter. Money can give us many options. However, do we use the money to have more free time or more things?

Does money make us happier? From the 1940s to the 90s, the purchasing power of Americans increased by 150%. Here is an interesting stat. The stats reveal that depression among people during that period went up by more than 10 times.

Tibor Scitovsky in 1976 wrote The Joyless Economy about human satisfaction. The author comes to an amazing conclusion. The best things in life cannot be bought with money. All research has shown that purpose, meaning, relationships, and connecting with nature bring people satisfaction.

Join me on the money series as I write on how to create a household budget, save for emergencies, retirement, and vacations, how to pay off debts, give to charity, and use credit to your advantage. I promise you this series will transform how you look at money and your life. You will learn how to use the money to make you happier.

The post How To Use Money To Make You Happier appeared first on Four Columns of a Balanced Life.