All About Wealth - And Happiness

Neal A. Deutsch, CFP^®

Published in Rivertown Journal, January 2011

A person perceived as "wealthy" is usually a person who has money, toys, a big house and all the things others doesn't, or which they did.

Wealth, as defined by Merriam-Webster's is "an abundance of valuable material possessions or resources." What is your perception of wealth, and how do you become "wealthy?"

From the moment you open your eyes tomorrow morning, you have the ability to mold your day and the rest of your life like a potter holding a lump of clay of the first time. If you were to pick one word to describe youself, what would it be? Successful, beautiful, helpful, smart, cunning, kind, philanthropic…what is your word?

It's not what you do, or how your are- it's about your very essence. What word says it all to describe your very being? Look around you- what do you see that says, "I am a rich person?"

Happiness and balance in life begets wealth. Those that have spent any time with me know that I wake up in the morning smiling and go to sleep with the same demeanor. I am a great believer that the outcome of every day depends on how I look at it- if I see it as a doom and gloom day, it will be so. If I see it as a happy, productive, helping others day, it usually is. The balance between our personal life and business life is a fine tight-rope that we all walk every day.

Did you turn down the chance to see your child in a school play because you had (or chose) to work late, or pass up an opportunity to see friends because you chose chores instead? Where's the fine line between balancing your home and business life? What was really, really more important? Only you can make that choice.

Everyday, we are forced to make decisions that may affect us for a moment, or for a lifetime. Are you living life, or is it living you?

At some point in time, we all tend to look at our life and wonder how we got to the point we are. Running from place to place, short on cash flow at the end of the month, perhaps wanting for something that seems to be just out of reach.

Maybe it's time to put on the brakes and take a long, honest look at your wealth- you may just have a lot more than you think.

As a Certified Financial Planner™ my job is to help our client look further than just how to invest their money. Aims, goals, objectives, future expenses, projections, hypotheticals- it's all about looking at life now and projecting out into the future to see how to create a plan that will outlive you. As we move forward into the next year of these recessionary times (I don't care if the experts called it finished in June of 2009- yeah right) now is the time to do a complete evaluation of your wealth- not just your money.

Start this New Year by evaluating how and where you are spending your money, and get a handle on it. How and where you spend your money is your choice: use it wisely. Extend this philosophy into your personal life. How and with whom you spend your time is also your choice: it's a part of creating wealth.

You (hopefully) meet with your financial advisor once or twice a year…how often do you go for your physical check-ups? A healthy body is a happy body. Check you health insurance plan to see what your coverage is, and use it. If you have dental, go for your 6-month check-ups- a whiter smile is an often-used smile!

So sing at the top of your lungs, and dance like your can. Remember to smile not just with your mouth, but also with your face, your mind and all the organs in your body. Happiness and balance in life brings wealth. Living life, not just surviving brings to you the greatest wealth of all.

If you would like to read more about Neal's outlook on wealth creation and life, go to his blog site at www.chestnutblog.com.

Neal A. Deutsch is a Certified Financial Planner^™  & Registered Securities Principal, offering securities through First Allied Securities, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.  Neal is President of Chestnut Investment Group in Suffern, NY, helping people with financial planning since 1984. Please feel free to call Neal at (845)369-0016 or email him with your questions at neald@chestnutinvestment.com.

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