Embracing the Giving Season

The holidays are the giving season, and it is called the giving season for good reason. You see, it’s estimated that about 30% of annual donations occur between Thanksgiving and the start of the new year, with the majority of those gifts being sent in the final three days of the year.

This year, I’m proud to say that I have donated more to charity than any other year in my life, and part of the reason why I have been able to do so is due to the success of my newsletter advisory services. You see, the more money you make for your subscribers, the more subscriptions you sell and the more renewals you get.

So, by helping you out by providing great investing information, you reward me with more subscription revenue and more personal income. And the more personal income I have, the more I am able to donate to the charities of my choice.

Now, in addition to the increased amount of money I am able to donate to the charities of my choice, more personal income and more investment success also mean more “units of choice.”

I’ve written about the concepts of “units of choice” before in this publication, because it’s a great way to look at the role of money in our lives. You see, the more capital we have, the more things we can do with that capital. More importantly, we can do more with the limited time that we all have.

This year, I spent a lot of my “units of choice” doing things that matter to me and donating to the charities that matter to me. For example, this year, I donated one of my older automobiles to a charity that provides assistance to disabled military veterans.

I also spent some time at charity events for my favorite veteran’s organization, Friends of Freedom.

This group was started by my friend and fellow Renaissance Man David Haddad, who was a guest on my podcast last year. Under David’s expert stewardship, Friends of Freedom has delivered over 750,000 cigars for troops to enjoy in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Your editor playing in the annual Friends of Freedom charity poker event.

Friends of Freedom also helps veterans by assisting them with rent, utilities, car repairs, the transition to civilian life and more.

If you’ve looking for a charity to support with veterans in mind, then choose Friends of Freedom.

Another, more recent, charity event that I attended just this past weekend was sponsored by the iconic heavy metal band “Metallica.” I was there for the band’s epic 40^th anniversary takeover of its home city of San Francisco, where the performers played two incredible sold-out shows at the 18,000-seat Chase Center.

Your editor, alongside Eagle Financial Publisher Roger Michalski, rocking out and doing a charity beach clean up in San Francisco.

I also had the privilege of doing an early morning beach clean-up alongside hundreds of other Metallica fans, including my Eagle Financial Publishing colleague Roger Michalski, who is arguably one of the band’s biggest fans.

This event was sponsored by Metallica’s charity, All Within My Hands, which helps raise money for a cross-section of national and local charities. Importantly, every penny of the donations received by All Within My Hands goes directly to the organization’s charity partners.

I must say that it felt great to be out in the very chilly San Francisco morning air, doing good and helping clean up the city’s beautiful beach. No, I didn’t get anything out of this other than a sense of accomplishment, and the warm and fuzzy feelings one gets knowing one is doing something good for his fellow humans (oh, there was that cool t-shirt they gave us, too, but I digress).

So, this year, if you’ve found yourself doing well, making good investment decisions and/or feeling otherwise healthy and wealthy, why not take some of your units of choice and aim that at the charity of your choice? And whether you choose to donate a little time, a little money or like me, a little time and a little money, I guarantee it will make you feel good.

Finally, remember that we only get so many trips around the Sun before our time here expires. So, within those beautiful trips, why would you want to be anything but kind to your fellow travelers?

Happy holidays, and may we always live our lives in the name of the very best within us!

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Charlie Brown Wisdom

“I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”

–Linus Van Pelt, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

If you’ve seen “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” then you know all about the little tree that wasn’t very attractive, but which Charlie thought needed him. In our own lives, it’s easy to fall into periods where we may not feel very attractive, or very valuable or even very good about ourselves.

Yet, it is during these times that we need to allow ourselves to love the most important person in our lives —  ourselves. So, no matter how bad you’re feeling, probably all you need is a little love — so go ahead and give it to yourself. You, and the world, will be much better off because of it.

Wisdom about money, investing and life can be found anywhere. If you have a good quote that you’d like me to share with your fellow readers, send it to me, along with any comments, questions and suggestions you have about my newsletters, seminars or anything else. Click here to ask Jim.

In the name of the best within us,

Jim Woods