Happiness

  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Why ‘keeping up’ may be keeping you down
Why ‘keeping up’ may be keeping you down 1180 544 Donna Skeels Cygan
We feel pressure to keep up with the status quo (the proverbial Joneses). If our neighbor buys a new car, our six-year-old car may start to look pretty shabby. We see ads on TV for new cars, we start paying more attention to other cars as we drive around town, and we may start researching [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Happiness is within our reach – and control
Happiness is within our reach – and control 500 722 Donna Skeels Cygan
We’ve all heard people say “money buys happiness.” Others say “money does not buy happiness.” So, which is it? While writing my book, I reviewed research from the fields of psychology, neuroscience and economics to unravel the relationship between money and happiness. My conclusion is that money does not buy happiness. In other words, money [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Experiences, not things, create happy memories
Experiences, not things, create happy memories 644 364 Donna Skeels Cygan
This month I will be posting a series of articles that were published on the Albuquerque Journal. These articles will explore the relationship between money and happiness. This weeks topic covers how spending money (with intention) can make you happier. Psychologist Daniel Gilbert said, “Money itself doesn’t make you happy. What can make you happy [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Nature’s Surprises
Nature’s Surprises 956 850 Donna Skeels Cygan
Nature is full of surprises. Sometimes, Mother Nature reminds us that she has tremendous power, such as when a hurricane, tornado, or earthquake strike. Fortunately, in most cases, the surprises from nature are much more subtle, such as wildflowers blanketing a meadow a few days after a storm in New Mexico. Or, hummingbirds flitting about [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

The Psychology of Vacation Overspending: How to Rein it in This Summer
The Psychology of Vacation Overspending: How to Rein it in This Summer 540 300 Donna Skeels Cygan
It happens every summer. You book a vacation at some pricey locale—depending on your circumstances, “pricey” could mean Europe, Disney World, or perhaps an oceanfront hotel room—and you wait anxiously for your time in Paradise to arrive. Meanwhile, you make your flight reservations and  buy some new clothes. You search the Internet for great restaurants [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Permission to Ponder
Permission to Ponder 1698 1131 Donna Skeels Cygan
I am reaping the rewards of pondering. Similar to daydreaming, pondering can provide clarity for changes we are considering. Research has shown that daydreaming can increase creativity, and anything that slows down our hectic pace can reduce stress. Recently, I have been pondering my goals. Now that I am in my mid-50’s, I realize that [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Six Words
Six Words 600 401 Donna Skeels Cygan
In a New York Times article that appeared 5/29/14, Stuart Elliott wrote about a new marketing campaign for the Ritz-Carlton Hotels (Putting On the Ritz, Six Words at a Time). It is based on a marketing strategy of using only six words to emphasize “experiences and memories rather than the trappings of wealth.” For example, [...]read more
Photo Credit Gretchen Ertl for The New York Times
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

College Essays and Graduation
College Essays and Graduation 2048 1363 Donna Skeels Cygan
Ron Lieber wrote a great article for his Your Money article in the New York Times on 5/10/14 titled Four Stand-Out College Essays about Money. http://ow.ly/wHHze. Four high school seniors are featured, and their essays are thought-provoking. What resonated most with me was the caption for a photo of Andy Duehren and his father, David. [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Bicycles, Descansos, and New Mexico
Bicycles, Descansos, and New Mexico 1632 1224 Donna Skeels Cygan
New Mexico is an incredibly beautiful state with mountains, gorgeous vistas, and plenty of sunshine. No wonder there are lots of bicyclists who want to enjoy the scenery. Albuquerque has built many miles of bike lanes, trying to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Sadly, there are far too many “ghost bikes” throughout the community. These are [...]read more
  • Donna Skeels Cygan

Delia Ephron and Me
Delia Ephron and Me 325 225 Donna Skeels Cygan
While writing my book, The Joy of Financial Security (published November 2013; available on Amazon and in bookstores nationwide), I had to fight to keep personal stories in the book. A few stories were from my childhood and others were from my financial planning clients. Some editors and reviewers envisioned the book as a financial [...]read more

© 2024 Donna Skeels Cygan, CFP®, MBA, Author of The Joy of Financial Security and Sage Choices.

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