Written by: Mary Smith It has long been known that colors can assist in provoking various feelings and emotions. This is why when we paint the inside of our homes, we choose colors that invite the emotions we want ourselves and our guests to feel in our house. Even without knowing that colors can produce certain feelings, we do this because it is how our brains are wired. Our emotions are sparked by color in nature, and we might be able to distinguish these feelings if we pay close enough...

Written by: Brian Smith “When do you visit the doctor?” is the question that was shot across the table from a friend and client of mine. We were discussing his financials as he just returned from a trip across the country and about two weeks off. I must have had a quizzical look on my face, because he asked me again. “Matt, when do you visit the doctor?” After the second time, I started to think about how long it has been since the last time I saw the doctor,...

Written by: Brian Smith We have all heard the advice about planning for the future. Without a plan, how do you know where you will be going or how you will get there?  I subscribe to planning, but I’m going to outline why planning should be done with the present in mind. Yesterday and every other day that preceded it are a brick in your personal foundation.  You can call on that experience and weigh it against all other experiences to guide you. I also subscribe to structure.  I believe that structure...

Written by: Matt Wilhelmi In college, I read Susan Cain’s non-fiction book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. An introvert myself, I was intrigued by the subject matter because, as Cain puts it, Western culture fails to understand the abilities of introverted people, leading to a waste of talent and happiness. We claim to value individuality, but all too often we admire one type of individual – the archetype extrovert. Extroversion is an appealing trait, but it has become a standard to which we...