The Friday after Thanksgiving is a time when many get up at the crack of dawn to catch the shopping deals for various “high-demand” items. It’s a crazy adventure for many to find toys and electronics that have often sold out in years gone by. These crazes are similar to the mania and bubbles in the market. The demand for things like Cabbage Patch Dolls, Tickle Me Elmo, Nintendos, Apple products, and the like are super-charged by limited supply. Everyone wants to get these things before they sell out. Prices skyrocket in some cases as some choose to resell these items rather than give them as gifts.
We see this for brands of all kinds at other times of the year. Hard to find bourbons, shoes, handbags, watches, and other luxury goods come to mind. In the pandemic, the craziness even extended to hand sanitizer and toilet paper.
In the markets, we see the same thing when a new trend emerges in a leading country. Many common warning signs are present when these crazes start, bubbles form, and eventually burst. The video above covers these 5 Warning signs present in all of these financial bubbles over the past 400 years and shares how shopping fads and economic manias share many of the same attributes.
Click on the video above to learn about
“The Next Financial Bubble and the 5 Warning Signs”
Give Thanks to Experience His Joy
Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity.
There is an element of mystery in the translation above. You give God thanks (regardless of your feelings), and He gives you Joy (regardless of your circumstances). This is a spiritual act of obedience – at times, blind obedience. To people who do not know Him intimately, it can seem irrational and even impossible to thank Him for heartrending hardships. Nonetheless, those who choose to obey Him in this was are invariably blessed, even though difficulties may remain.
This is my favorite time of year when we spend time fellowshipping with family and friends and can reflect on our blessings. Likewise, our trials can also prove to be a blessing for others when we choose to share our experiences to help others deal with rough periods of their lives. While many Thanksgiving celebrations involve large gatherings of multiple generations, some may not feel as blessed as others. This is a great time to give God thanks so we can experience His Joy.
Feel free to click on the video below to learn more about the Secret Weapon for Holiday Happiness.
Gratitude: The secret weapon in the fight against anxiety.
I’ve written many times about how giving thanks and finding things to be grateful for rewires the brain to think in terms of abundance and helps train us to be filled with happiness and joy. Gratitude allows us to cast our worries to the Heavens and refocus on the good. It allows us to see past obstacles, allows prayers to be answered, and allows others to see our joy and brighten their lives.
Sometimes it is not easy to give thanks, especially when we have recently experienced heartache, anxiety, or loss. It is good to remember that thankfulness does not mean our pain does not matter. Life is hard. However, a lack of gratitude can actually cause our pain to grow more intense and spiral out of control so that we won’t be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
This Holiday Season……. why not try something new?
KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL
Though we may not always recognize it, we are truly blessed. Thankfulness actually trains our minds to see and acknowledge our blessings, and acknowledging our blessings help us to experience them more fully. If you have trouble finding things to be grateful for, I encourage you to keep a gratitude journal through the holidays. Writing down three things to be grateful for each day can help us train to see the good in the little things, expand our happiness, and allow our gratefulness to positively influence others.
Over the last year, I’ve developed a fuller appreciation of the benefits of journaling. Writing down feelings allows us to self-reflect, address inner demons, cast them out, and refocus on the good. Journaling keeps our thoughts organized, helps record ideas, relieves stress, boosts memory, and inspires creativity. When we are journaling, it is also a great time to set, review, and make progress toward the achievement of our goals and dreams.
MEDITATE & EXPERIENCE ABUNDANCE
Many people practice meditation to clear their minds, separate themselves from worries, experience enlightenment, focus on spirituality, and connect with the Divine. Whereas many believe in emptying their mind, some guided meditation techniques choose to focus the mind and spirit on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, and good, helping us to experience abundance.
As a Christian, I feel the best aspect of meditation is the focus on Christ and His boundless Love for all of us. Without knowing Him and experiencing His Peace, life would be dull and colorless in comparison for me.
PERSONALIZED ACTS OF RANDOM KINDNESS
On Wednesdays during our leadership meetings, we like to discuss what we have done to brighten the lives of our clients. We like to continually find ways to get to know our clients better and provide acts of random kindness. Giving someone a coffee cup or sending a card was good, but possibly not to the standard that we should aspire. We noted that an Act of Random Kindness was not quite as meaningful unless it was personalized and meaningful.
EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR OTHERS
If we are truly grateful, share it with others. During this Holiday Season, why not find ways to say thank you at least seven times a day, write seven thank-you letters, or send seven thank-you emails or texts? If everyone practiced giving thanks and spreading thankfulness around, how much stress, anxiety, resentment and hurt feelings would we be able to neutralize? How much better would we all be if we were continually finding things to be grateful for in others.
Expressing thanks, being grateful, and lavishing praise are actions that don’t cost us anything. We all appreciate and enjoy receiving these things. Why not find more ways during this Holiday Season to give to others and give more abundantly?
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
-John F. Kennedy
Click on the Video Link Below to Learn
“The Secret Weapon for Holiday Happiness”
Joe Franklin – CEO and President
Franklin Wealth Management
4700 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN 37343
423-870-2140
