NORTHERN RIVER Financial

06/05/2023

Clients faced with personal tragedy have to make financial decisions even as they process their grief. Mistakes happen due to one psychological pitfall often on a false timeline. Here's some grounding. https://www.northernriverfinancial.ca/grappling-with-grief/

06/05/2023

05/29/2023

05/23/2023

The economy is shifting as the employment landscape changes. More people are starting their own businesses or finding side hustles. Let’s explore some of the sources of passive income in Canada.

Posted on May 22, 2023 at 09:00 This area of the economy is shifting as the employment landscape changes. More people are starting their own businesses or finding side hustles to increase their income. Some of had to do it out of necessity post pandemic and some are taking bolstering their own earni...

05/20/2023

In the words of Jim Rohn:

“Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people.”

Everyone has their own way of communicating. One of the skills we employ when interacting with clients is hearing what they are saying and watching how their body enhances it. The ability to listen is paramount. What is just as important is how we are communicating with them. Often categorized as a soft skill or an interpersonal skill, communication is the act of sharing information from one person to another person or group of people. There are many different ways to communicate, each of which plays an important role in sharing information. When we reflect on what we say, we realize that we use communication every day in nearly every environment. Whether you give a slight head nod in agreement or present information to a large group, communication is absolutely necessary when building relationships, sharing ideas, delegating responsibilities, managing a team and much more. Learning and developing good communication skills can help you succeed in your career. Rohn reminds us to take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills. While it takes time and practice, communication and interpersonal skills are certainly able to be both increased and refined. There are several different ways we share information with one another. Verbal communication is the use of language to transfer information through speaking or sign language. It is one of the most common types, often used during presentations, video conferences and phone calls, meetings and one-on-one conversations. Verbal communication is important because it is efficient. It can be helpful to support verbal communication with both nonverbal and written communication. Use a strong, confident speaking voice. Be confident when speaking so that your ideas are clear and easy for others to understand. Use active listening. The other side of using verbal communication is intently listening to and hearing others. Avoid filler words. While it might feel natural after completing a sentence or pausing to collect your thoughts, it can also be distracting for your audience. Try to replace them by taking a breath when you are tempted to use them. Nonverbal communication is the use of body language, gestures and facial expressions to convey information to others. It can be used both intentionally and unintentionally. Nonverbal communication is helpful when trying to understand others’ thoughts and feelings. Notice how your emotions feel physically. Try to identify where you feel that emotion within your body. Developing self-awareness around how your emotions affect your body can give you greater mastery over your external presentation. Be intentional about your nonverbal communications. Make an effort to display positive body language when you feel alert, open and positive about your surroundings. Use body language alongside verbal communication such as asking follow-up questions or pulling the presenter aside to give feedback. Mimic nonverbal communications you find effective. If you find certain facial expressions or body language beneficial to a certain setting, use it as a guide when improving your own nonverbal communications. Visual communication is the act of using aids during presentations to provide helpful context alongside written and verbal communication. Because people have different learning styles, visual communication might be more helpful for some to consume ideas and information. Ask others before including visuals. Adding visuals can sometimes make concepts confusing or muddled. Getting a third-party perspective can help you decide whether the visual adds value to your communications. Consider your audience. Be sure to include visuals that are easily understood by your audience. You should never use sensitive, offensive, violent or graphic visuals in any form. Consult with trusted colleagues, managers or mentors to identify which areas would be best to focus on first. Written communication is helpful because it provides a record of information for reference. Writing is commonly used to share information. Emails and chats are common forms of written communication. Strive for simplicity. Written communications should be as simple and clear as possible. Don’t rely on tone. Because you do not have the nuance of verbal and nonverbal communication, be careful when you are trying to communicate a certain tone when writing. Try to keep your writing as simple and plain as possible and follow up with verbal communications where you can add more personality. Take time to review your written communications. Setting time aside to re-read your emails, letters or memos can help you identify mistakes or opportunities to say something differently. Incorporating methods or styles you like can help you to improve over time .

05/13/2023

In the words of Ange Weiland Crosby:

“A dream birthed from soul is sacred and deep.”

When we engage with clients, we are always aking them to consider their goals and objectives as part of developing their financial life plan. Asking them for what they dream to accomplish in their lives. Your dream is the reason for the way you are. Your dream is not a coincidence. Your dream is who you are. You should pursue it. Your dream gives you a sense of meaning and purpose, and drives you on into your chosen future. Your dream is the meaning of your life. Get your dreams off the shelf. Focus. Strive. This is how things were meant to be. Everybody has goals and dreams. These dreams are at the center of who you really are. It is the core essence of who you are as a person, and the very purpose of your being. You were gifted with a set of dreams and talents, in the hope that you would act out these passions, follow your dreams, and thusly move forward in life. It’s really a great pity that we’ve been told already since early childhood that we should stop dreaming and start living. What a mistake. Living is dreaming. This is exactly why we are here. To pursue our dreams. Not for selfish reasons, but for the sake of everybody. When I reflect on my dreams, I am becoming a better person; a happy person. If I decide to forget about my dreams, then I will become like a plant without water or sunlight, leaves hanging down, begging for water and looking rather miserable. Am I of any help to myself or to the world when I abandon my dreams? Your dream is the reason for the way you are. Weiland Crosby tells us that dreams are birthed from our souls. Sacred and deep. Your dream is not a coincidence. You should pursue it. Your dream gives you a sense of meaning and purpose, and drives you on into your chosen future. Your dream is the meaning of your life. Why then does it seem to be so difficult to follow your dream? First, because of the anti-dream program running in your head, a program installed when you were just a kid. Second, because your dream is always outside of your comfort zone. Pursuing your dream requires conscious effort, growth and change; this can feel somewhat uncomfortable in the beginning. You may experience some fears and worries, but this is normal. Don't focus on the fear, but focus on the dream. This way the dream becomes more important to you than the fear. Spending your life in fear and worry surely isn’t the plan. The choice is yours. As long as your dreams appeal more to you than your fears, you will find the energy and courage to move on. Your dream is your calling, something you have to do to fulfil you. Commit yourself to it with your entire being. Have faith, take action, and then watch what happens. Your dream is linked to your mission here on earth. Your unique calling in life. The seeds of your dream have been sown in your heart and mind, and it is your job to help them grow, to develop your talents. Usually your dream will involve being of service to others to make their lives easier, better, and more joyful. The key is making some contribution to the betterment of humanity. Choose to follow your dream. It is your responsibility. You must do it. By following your dream, not only do you please yourself, but you are also uplifting the whole of humanity. The more you pursue your dreams, the more exciting your life becomes. That’s .

05/09/2023

Impulse spending is something a lot of people struggle with. It t is important to understand how impulse spending can get your financial planning off track and what you can do to prevent this.

Posted on May 8, 2023 at 09:00 Impulse spending is something that a lot of people struggle with. You know, the need, versus want, spending syndrome. Try this on for size. If you scan your home, you are bound to find many unnecessary items that you no longer use and had impulsively bought at some poi...

05/07/2023

In the words of Ben Robertson:

“It is a great comfort to a rambling people to know that somewhere there is a permanent home. Perhaps it is the most final of the comforts they ever really know.”

I do it a lot. Going out rambling. A walk with no specific goals or agenda. Let your heart take you where it wants you to go. We live our lives with defined goals and agendas. Let it go. I do. When I reflect on rambling, I have come to realize that this much more formalized then I knew. There are rambling clubs and websites that can teach you all you want to know about rambling. Whether it is wandering or rambling. Call it what you will. Its interchangeable. Consider this How do you like to keep fit? Do you enjoy yoga, swimming, the gym? One of the less talked about but equally impactful forms of exercise seldom talked about is good old-fashioned walking. An ever-increasing number of people in the Canada are realizing the benefits of walking and rambling, as it is also known. Indeed, many clubs are dedicated to rambling and their members who call themselves ramblers enjoy lengthy walks around rural and countryside areas and use it as a means of not only regular exercise but also a handy way to socialize. Robertson reminds us that it is a great comfort to a rambling people to know that it is the most final of the comforts they never really know. Who can do it? From ultra fit to out of shape, rambling is not a discriminatory sport, and anyone can enjoy it. Rambling groups often include people of all genders, ages, fitness levels and backgrounds. A good rambling group should always brief you in advance if the walking route that day might be challenging so that you can prepare in advance or sit that one out. The best thing about rambling is that it is low cost. Unlike many sports and hobbies, there aren’t expensive joining fees or subscriptions and you don’t usually need any specialist equipment other than a mobile phone in case you get lost, some comfortable and safe footwear and a bottle of water. There are things that you can buy to make your walk more pleasurable such as hiking boots, base layers, thermals, waterproofs, gaiters and walking poles but none of them are compulsory. If you want to start rambling, then you aren’t obliged to join a club. In fact, many people enjoy the solace that comes from solo rambling. However, if you’d like to make it a more social occasion, enjoy conversation and share tips and routes then it makes sense to reach out to a club. Most regions have several rambling or walking clubs. So this rambling, why is it getting so popular? Rambling is a great activity for introverts who want to get out and enjoy nature with the pressure of social interactions. I often get the question of what is the difference between hiking and rambling. Rambling is usually aimless, slower walks then hikes that don’t have a specific destination is mind. Rambles are often done a group as a leisurely, social activity and an excuse to chat and enjoy surrounding views all in .

04/29/2023

In the words of Myles Munroe:

“The greatest discovery in life is self-discovery. Until you find yourself you will always be someone else. Become yourself.”

I’m always on the look out finding ways I can improve myself and learn from my mistakes. I am open to self-discovery and I think this is genuine to most people. Munroe said that the greatest discovery in life is self-discovery; telling us to become ourselves. The only relationship that is guaranteed to last a lifetime is the one you build with yourself. Just like in any relationship, you need to get to know who you are and understand yourself. The process of self-discovery is not really something you get done once, but rather an on-going commitment. However, it is a commitment you definitely want to make. Here is why. You will build a connection with yourself. When I reflect on my own road to self-discovery, I found that the more we get to know someone, the closer we become. When we see the good and the bad, the emotions and the experiences of another person, we can form a truly strong connection with them. The same is true of ourselves. The better we know who we are and what we want, the stronger is our connection. How can we do this? Spend time on our own. Take a trip to a museum or a walk in the park and see what you think, feel, and experience. Pay attention to what goes on inside you in different situations. Stay in touch with your inner self. You will understand your needs better. The second benefit is that you will better feel what you truly need. We often let ourselves be led astray by what others say about our wants and the necessities in life. Commercials, celebrities, our friends and family can push us in certain directions. When we know ourselves, we are less likely to be tricked into pursuing something we don’t actually need and instead will focus on our genuine needs. To make this clearer, ask yourself what truly makes you proud and happy. Don’t follow goals that don’t suit you and listen to yourself first. Understand what you want and why you want it. Going beyond your needs, you also might want to see why you want certain things and what are your goals, truly. For example, many think they want a fancy car or a new shiny watch. But if they go deeper, they will see that what they truly want is a higher social status or a sense of financial security or something quite different. We need to learn to ask ourselves why we want something and what is it exactly that we want. When we find ourselves desiring a new purchase or an object another person has, it’s time to ask why. Reduce negative influences. Knowing ourselves better can help us resist and reduce negative influences from within and from our environment as well. When we know ourselves, we are less likely to sabotage our work, abandon a project, or do something we are going to regret. Self-discovery helps us recognize who we are and what truly matters, so we are not as likely to fall for a passing mood or a bit of news. For example, if you see a depressing news story about a financial crisis for your generation, you can still find strength within to keep the hope and not get discouraged or give up on your plans. It’s like a compass that will steadily lead you to your very own true north. Reduce stress. Throughout the day, we might get very stressed over a lot of small and ultimately inconsequential details like traffic, a slow line, bad coffee, and so on. Understanding ourselves better can help us reduce this stress in two ways. First, it helps us pay less attention to the irritating elements around us. When we have a deep connection with ourselves, it’s much easier to focus our attention inwards. It’s also easier to tell apart what truly is disruptive from a minor irritation. The second way is that it helps us control our anger. If we overreact, we make the situation worse. If we become less prone to angry outbursts, our stress levels will also go down. We can promote this aspect of self-discovery through practices like meditation, mindfulness, and contemplation of the world around us. Committing to a process of self-discovery is a great choice, no matter who you are. It will make your relationship with yourself stronger and much more fulfilling. See what you can learn about yourself today on the road to .