Give yourself the ultimate gift for 2022

Just as we were saying farewell to 2021 and easing into the holiday season for a well-deserved break, the Omicron variant made its appearance, and we were tested once again.  To make matters worse, South Africa was branded by the world as the naughty child instead of being praised for the exemplary work our scientists have done in sequencing and identifying the new variant. Travel restrictions to almost all countries are now the new norm and people are scrambling to change or postpone their holiday plans. It has been rather difficult to stay positive amidst current circumstances.

To keep my own spirits high, I have been reading the Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, a former Roman emperor. He reigned from 161 to 180 and was best known as the last of the Five Good Emperors of Rome. Imagine for a moment being a Roman emperor, constantly at war, confronted with death, uncertainty and misery. Marcus Aurelius had to motivate his army every day to fight another battle and his recitals were documented in the Meditations. One of his life lessons was that you always have control over your mind regardless of what may be going on around you. You choose what to tell yourself about what is happening and how you will feel about it. The life lesson most profound for me was: ‘It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live’.

As the sun is setting on 2021, why not give yourself the ultimate gift for 2022? Begin to live instead of just surviving. You can start by dusting off that personal financial file where you have been hoarding all your financial documents. Many financial dilemmas start with uninformed decisions. Detailed knowledge about your assets and your budget will focus your thoughts and actions on a common goal: financial freedom for you and your loved ones.

You cannot change the world, but you can change your thinking. You also have the power to change what is within your control. Liberate your life and your thoughts by taking control of your finances. A skilled financial adviser can assist you on this journey into 2022 to start the year off with specialised planning aligned to your goals. Happy holidays from our team to your family, have a blessed festive season.