While I practice gratitude every day, November is always an extra special month to me. Beyond the joy of celebrating and giving thanks with loved ones, it is also the month I gave birth to my daughter, Lauren. Every year on their birthday, I write my daughters a handwritten note, highlighting favorite memories and my personal reflections. These notes mean so much to me, and I hope someday my girls carry on the tradition with their children. Today, I’d like to write a personal note of thanks to you—the readers of The Heavy Purse.
Financial literacy has long been my passion and I am so incredibly grateful that every day I can work with clients to help them feel more financially prepared. It was through my work with them that I realized how much our parents influence how we handle money as adults. It became clear to me that money hang-ups passed from generation to generation, which needs to stop.
Seeing how financial literacy continued to erode every year, I wanted to make a difference. Thus, The Heavy Purse was born, and I began my mission to help parents teach their children simple, value-based principles that guide their money decisions and support their long-term financial well-being. The truth is these principles are for the young and old, married or single, in debt or financially free.
Whenever you start something new, you wonder if anyone will visit or care about what you write. And you do. Thanks to you and your support through commenting, sharing our posts with your social media circles and buying our books, The Heavy Purse is here to stay. Thank you.
It’s has been incredibly refreshing to see so many parents throw out the long-held belief that money is a taboo topic and actively work with their kids to help them understand how to use their money wisely. And it’s a honor to help those in debt and hurting, realize through this community that there is hope and a better way.
I am so thankful for every single reader. You inspire me every day with your honesty, enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. You give me great hope that we can eventually turn the tide and become a financially literate world. I am so thankful to all the many wonderful people I have met (virtually!) who have become my friends. Your support of me and The Heavy Purse does not go by unnoticed and is deeply appreciated.
I’d like to conclude by sharing with you one of my favorite quotes. It sums up gratitude perfectly:
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, and confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
Gratitude has made such a difference in my life. It may be busy and chaotic at times, but it is a great life, full of many blessings. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my knowledge with you, and it’s my sincerest wish that it helps you live your best life.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Heavy Purse Store is now open! My new downloadable Money Club Workbooks—based on age or level of expertise—are now on sale. Each workbook provides five targeted lessons to help you grow Money Smart Kids. Please check them out in The Heavy Purse Store.
SHANNON RYAN, CFP®
I hope you have a great Thanksgiving Shannon!
I know your girls are going to love reading those letters when they're older.
Wishing you and your family many more blessings! Happy Thanksgiving to you as well :).
I think it's so beautiful that you write your daughters letters on their birthdays. I absolutely love that tradition. Do you keep them save for them right now while their young so they don't get lost?
As you well know, you're one of my idols and I so admire all that you do outside of this blog to make a difference in financial literacy.
I enjoy your posts in relates to dealing with money to children. We don't have kids yet but when we do I'm going to ensure they have the financial education. Happy Thanksgiving
It's my first time here. You came to my blog a couple of weeks ago thanks to Corina featuring my blog on her woman weekly.
So true, good or bad we have a lot of our parents relationship with money and that's not only money, but just about everything. This is due to the fact that our parents are the primary influence on our subconscious mind.
My brother was born in November too, so I'm used to celebrate a birthday that month as well.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Nice being for the first time and see you again soon.