Here is your Seven-Bullet Monday
1. A quote I am pondering:
"I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened." ― Mark Twain
This quote is one of my all-time favourites. Unnecessarily worrying often robs us of simply enjoying the present moment and experiencing all that "the now" has to offer us. As Roy T. Bennet said, "If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present."
2. A question I am asking myself:
How do I better see the world through someone else's eyes?
Being able to see and feel what another person sees and feels is a beautiful gift that some naturally have, and others, like me, have to work at it continually. When another person sees something very different from how I see it, instead of judging them or trying to persuade them, I would do much better to understand their viewpoint and consider that fully before giving my opinion.
3. A book I am reading:
Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ – Daniel Goleman
I heard somewhere that CEOs frequently get hired for their high IQ and then frequently get fired for the lack of emotional intelligence. This book explains why. It tells us that people with high emotional intelligence tend to be more successful in life than people with only a high IQ. Goleman explains why self-awareness, self-discipline, and empathy add up to a different way of being smart—and they aren't fixed at birth.
4. My favourite podcast this week:
Intellectual Investor – War in Ukraine (4-part series)
In this series of four short podcasts, Vitaliy Katsenelson, a Russian Jew, now living in the US, provides some fascinating insights into the Russian Ukrainian invasion. He illustrates how his relatives living in Russia have a polar opposite view of the invasion because of what the state-owned media feeds them. He also provides a fascinating explanation of how the Russian propaganda about so-called Ukrainian Nazism was formulated.
5. Hugh-Tips
Use a checklist to consider when to sell individual equities
As much as we want to invest in great companies for the long run, it is essential to periodically check in on our investments to ensure they still rank as a 'hold'. Here are a couple of red flag checklist items that might tell you it is time to exit or at least reduce your holding in that specific equity: 1) the debt-to-equity ratio is increasing; 2) its market position is weakening; 3) the company is reducing or cancelling its dividends; 4) earnings have gone negative; 5) the company's net cash is declining, and; 6) the business is stagnating. One of these items might not be a trigger, but a couple, and you should be taking notice and the appropriate action.
6. My highlight this last week
Going away to the Sunshine Coast for the weekend
As much as Spring warmth is still to hit BC, a weekend away to the Sunshine Coast, my first visit to this jewel on the shores of Vancouver was lovely all the same. Driving, hiking, exploring, wining, and dining were all very pleasurable. In the middle of a hot tub session, I braved the lovely warm 8°C sea 😉 for a 'little' splash. I managed to hobble across the pebble-strewn beach, doing my best not to look like Gollum😊.
7. My challenge to you for this week
Keep your mouth shut ………….. and breathe through your nose
Most of us know why it is better to breathe through our noses; like the air gets warmed, moistened, filtered before it enters our lungs. However, we probably don't do it enough, nor do we breathe deeply enough to ensure we are getting lots of fresh air circulating throughout our lungs. The benefits of consistent deep nose-breathing (i.e., down to your stomach) are pretty astounding. It is probably the best free medicine we can give ourselves, together with good sleep. Two little tips I heard on breathing were 1) imagine you are trying to breathe through your bottom – as weird as it sounds, it does make you breathe deeply, and 2) try box breathing – four seconds in, hold for four seconds, four seconds exhale, four seconds hold, and repeat.
Have a fantastic short week