The end of a year is often a time for reflection. What are we thankful for? What challenges did we face last year? What do we want from the coming year for ourselves, our family and our community? Often the short answer is that we want to be happy. We want those we love to be happy. A simple, common word that can be hard to explain, because while Webster’s dictionary may define it as ‘having, displaying, or marked by pleasure or joy,” ultimately we must each define how we achieve happiness for ourselves.

When we founded the Women’s Financial Learning Centre (WFLC) and Money Coaches Canada (MCC), our vision was, and still is, to help Canadians do much more than pay down debt and plan for retirement. We want our clients to achieve a level of financial well-being and contentment they never thought possible.

We recently held our annual Associate conference in Palm Springs, California. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring all our money coaches together from across the country, to spend 3 days learning new skills, sharing ideas and reflecting on the founding principles of WFLC and MCC. Transforming lives, not just financial portfolios, is important to each of the coaches who have joined our team and we are grateful for the insight, expertise and passion they bring to our mission.

At our conference we had the pleasure of listening to clips from the recent CBC Massey Lecture by Adrienne Clarkson. The fifth lecture of her talk on Belonging, mentions Bhutan and the idea of Gross National Happiness.

The small kingdom of Bhutan, known for the idea that a country’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) is as important a measure of national prosperity as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), was an inspiration to us when we started our companies. We were drawn to the principles of ethics, generosity, patience and perseverance that the GNH is based on. We measure our success as a company on our financial success and on the basis of the contribution we make to the well-being of our clients, associates and community.

We agree with Adrienne that the Bhutanese “goal of Gross National Happiness is a deeply intriguing concept in today’s world,” and that an expanded measurement of success and well-being is necessary for countries, companies and individuals to truly thrive.

So how can our money serve our happiness in a more sustaining way than the buyer’s high we may feel after purchasing a new car, iphone or Coach purse? This short video from asapSCIENCE  shares suggestions that are a good start.

As 2014 comes to an end we are very pleased with how our companies have grown over the last 4 years and with the contribution we have made to the happiness of our associates, our clients and our own lives. Continuing to help Canadians pursue financial well-being, in a way that makes money a tool instead of a goal, is at the centre of our vision for 2015.

From everyone at the Women’s Financial Learning Centre and Money Coaches Canada, we wish you the all the best for the holidays and a very Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Karin Mizgala (CEO) and Sheila Walkington (CFO)