This morning I attended a yoga class. The teacher, who guides our practice, always has an important message for us. Today, she said that you cannot destroy energy, nor can you create it. Energy moves, it shifts. We can move energy in our bodies, our minds, and ultimately in our lives. I had several conversations this week, and they all had a similar thread. Life happens. Relationships come and go, health improves and declines, money is gained and lost, and our mental state, whether that of joy, happiness, sadness, or anxiety, comes and goes as well. It shifts. Experiences and feelings are never destroyed nor created from nothing. They shift around. 

I found this analogous to markets, investments, and the flow of assets. Nothing is linear, and if we try to make it so, we create more stress, worry, and anxiety in our minds and hearts.

In one particular situation, a client struggled because she felt like she had lost a battle. However, through our discussion, we realized that she could turn that loss into a possible gain by shifting perspective. We believe Dollars don’t lie- when they’re gone on paper, it feels like they are gone forever, but money is energy and is also shifting. It is shifting hands, locations, and it’s moving or trending toward or away from certain activities and endeavors all the time. 

In this client’s case, we talked about how long and how many transactions in her line of work it might take would to make up the financial loss. She gave herself a timeline, set a monetary goal, something concrete to work toward rebuilding. We also discussed the other gains that could occur from letting go and moving on -Mental, physical, and spiritual benefits from ceasing the fight and letting go. 

My teachers, friends, family, clients, and our world constantly remind me that nothing is permanent. We don’t have to work so hard to change what is not working. Instead, we could shift our mindset, perspective, participation and our awareness. 

Know what your timeline is, and what your limits are. Allow for flow and change, build resiliency through practice and release that which no longer serves you. These exercises will benefit our physical practices, our lifestyle practices, and our relationships. 

Perhaps we stop fighting and learn to prevail. 

Our losses and or lost battles are our lessons. They do not define us. They make us bolder and wiser.

More now than ever: Be bold and love your life! 

Brandon R. Cabaniss, CFP ®

Financial Advisor