Most of us grew up with the magic words Please and Thank You. For the most part, using the magic words got better results. Recently, my father-in-law, Ed Healy, who is in the memory care unit at Wellbrooke, needed something. Ed has always been filled with gratitude. This particular day, he was agitated and started telling me to do things. I looked at Ed and said, “what’s the magic word”? He smiled and said “please”. When he got what he wanted, he said “thank you”. It was a funny moment seeing how ingrained those words are in us, and how his disposition changed once he used the magic words.
Attitude of Gratitude
We have so many things in our lives to be thankful for. I know I don’t always take the time to reflect on the many blessing in my life. When I find myself agitated, like my father-in-law was, taking a moment to choose thankfulness changes my disposition from agitation or impatience to gratitude. One of our core values in the Healy Spirit is “Make it a Great Day”. How we view our day is a choice. Amidst the negativity that we frequently get bombarded with, sometimes we need to work hard to get to an attitude of gratitude. Expressing thanks is an active way to move our mental state to one of gratitude. Thanksgiving is one day of the year dedicated to reflecting on our blessings, but wouldn’t it be great if it was the steppingstone to habitually expressing our gratitude to those around us and to God daily.
When we thank God and those around us, we acknowledge our gratitude for their help. Please, on the other hand, involves asking for help. Both these words connect us with each other. Please implies we need each other. Having worked in the world of financial planning for 40 years, there is often a focus on financial independence. It is important not to confuse financial independence with a self sufficiency that inclines us to feel we don’t need other people’s help. We are where we are in life, not just because of our efforts, but because people and God have helped us along the way. Often, we don’t like to ask for help. However, doing so tells someone you need them. It connects you with God or another person.
We Need Others
Once I went to Memphis for a business trip. My friend, Bill, picked me up at the airport and took me to his house where I would be staying. As we drove through his neighborhood, everyone waived to Bill as he drove by. I mentioned this
to him and was impressed by how friendly everyone was. He told me he was friends with everyone in the neighborhood. Amazed, I asked how that happened. He said, “I borrow things from everyone”. Bill was well off and clearly could buy anything he needed. He viewed borrowing things as a way to tell his neighbors he needed them. This approach created wonderful bonds with his neighbors.
May this Thanksgiving be a time for reflecting on the blessings in our lives and thanking God, family, and friends for those blessings. In turn, may we consider how we can bless others.
This year, Healy Group will continue its long-standing tradition of the Healy Hundred. We will give each associate $100 with the charge to go out and somehow bless others with it in preparation for Christmas. Our family will participate in this, too. I invite you to do the same for your employees and families this year. There is nothing better in life than sharing our blessings!
Happy Thanksgiving!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rich Preuss, CLU®, ChFC®, Financial Advisor/Owner
Rich, the President and an Owner of Healy Group, has been a financial advisor for over 37 years. His overarching goal in his work with his clients is to help them connect their money to their values. He believes that his work with his clients isn’t just about rates of return, asset allocation, and maximizing wealth; it is about helping them create a better life for those they love and creating a better world.
Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Securian Financial Services. Member FINRA/SIPC. Healy Financial is independently owned and operated. Healy Financial 17535 Generations Dr. South Bend, IN 46635.
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