‘Action for Happiness’ sounds like some clap-trap David Cameron has invented as part of his Big Society push but in fact it’s a new social movement/organisation that marked its launch this week by giving free hugs.
Look past the free love, hippy connotations and you’ll find that happiness and financial planning are intertwined.
Action for Happiness has set out 10 key steps for achieving contentment in life:
1. Giving; doing something for others
2. Relating; connecting with people
3. Exercising; doing something for your body
4. Appreciating; taking time to look at the world around you
5. Trying out; learning new things
6. Direction; making goals
7. Resilience; learn from defeat
8. Emotion; taking a positive approach
9. Acceptance; be comfortable with who you are
10. Meaning; being part of something bigger
Going by this list, financial planning can be attributable specifically to these points or else is an enabler for them.
Through financial planning you can give (how many advisers are working with philanthropic clients?), you can certainly learn resilience when the stockmarket starts to plummet, and the key part of financial planning is setting goals (direction).
When it comes to goals, financial planning is not their just to make people money, it is there to enable clients to have enough money to allow them to turn their dreams into reality.
Financial planning is an enabler and done right will allow people to take time to relate, exercise, appreciate, try out and find meaning.
I see a new organisation forming; Financial Planning for Happiness for anyone?
Source: Michelle McGagh – Citywire
