The Heavy Purse

A Personal Letter to the Readers of The Heavy Purse

Happy Thanksgiving from The Heavy Purse

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!

Shannon

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.

November 25, 2013  •  49 Comments  •  The Heavy Purse

Leave a Comment

Comments

  1. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    You have a great niche here Shannon! I've enjoyed reading your thoughts over the past year and think you have incredible insights into how parents can best lead their children to make wise financial decisions. Here's to being grateful for The Heavy Purse! :)
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thank you so much, Brian. Your support over the past year has meant so much to me. I am grateful for our friendship and wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!
  2. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Thanks Shannon! I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      You have a wonderful Thanksgiving too, Dee! Glad we connected!
  3. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    You are doing so much for financial literacy and I love stopping by your blog each day and reading what you have to share. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thank you for your kind words and support, DC. It means a lot to me. :) You have a wonderful Thanksgiving too!
  4. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    This is great...it's definitely a good thing to be grateful. Sometimes we do need a reminder though.
    I hope you have a great Thanksgiving Shannon!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      I wish you and Greg and the girls a wonderful Thanksgiving too!
  5. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    What a wonderful post, Shannon - thank you so much for an uplifting message, and I love that quote! Have a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving, my friend.
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      I love the quote too. I use it all the time! But it really does sum up gratitude perfectly. You have a blessed Thanksgiving too, my friend!
  6. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Love the quote and the sentiment Shannon! Like Brian mentioned, you have a great niche here as so many are not concerned about financial literacy or even know what it is. Thank you for taking up that fight and truly caring about it. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving! :)
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thank you, John. Financial literacy is my passion and it's been a real honor to meet so many wonderful people, like you, who care about it as much as I do. I feel so grateful to be a part of this supportive and growing community. We will make a difference! I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving too!
  7. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Great letter Shannon. You have a great blog here and you do great work. Keep it up and I know you will continue to have a flourishing blog. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thanks, Grayson! I appreciate your support. I learn so much from my fellow bloggers. You are all such an inspiration to me. You have a great Thanksgiving too!
  8. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Glad you have this blog Shannon! I think it's really helping a lot of parents out there be able to provide financial guidance to their kids. Keep up the good work, and happy thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thank you, Tonya! Glad we connected! I very much hope that I'm helping parents gain the confidence to talk to their kids about money and shape how they use it. You have a great Thanksgiving too!
  9. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    I love your handwritten notes reflections to your girls - that's something I'm totally copying from when I hopefully have kids! Thank *you*, as well, Shannon, for being such an amazing and encouraging friend - please know that I've learned so much from you through your blog posts and kind comments. I feel like at times people don't know what they don't know, but once they know then it's really empowering. So because of this, I am thankful that you share your wisdom with us, since your knowledge gives us a chance to self-reflect and make all these small changes that add up to a lot in the big picture, financially and with life in general! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. :)
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Anna - thank YOU so much for your kind words. I'm really glad we connected as well and it's been my honor to help you on your journey. You have such a bright future in front of you and I can't wait to see what's next for you. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
  10. Girl Meets Debt
    Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Thank you for such a wonderful letter Shannon! I know your blog is helping many parents, (and non parents like me!) realize that talking about money shouldn't be so taboo. I love your helpful tips Shannon. I also appreciate every single comment you ever leave on my blog posts. Some people just write random things. Yours are always thoughtful and kind like you. :) Happy Thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thank you for your support and kind words, GMD! I love visiting your blog - it's full of great wit, honesty and inspiration. It's real and I love that. :) Plus, I appreciate someone who appreciates nice shoes too. LOL! And you have a great … Thursday, since your Thanksgiving has already come and gone. :)
  11. Romona@monasez
    Monday, November 25th, 2013
    I think you have an awesome blog and it's great that your content is really encouraging parents to talk to kids about money. I really feel that if you start teaching kids good money habits at a young age that when they grow up they'll be financially conscious. So you're doing a wonderful job.
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thank you, Romona! I agree - if you can instill good money habits in kids at a young age, you've really set them up for success. I appreciate your support!
  12. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Hope you and your family have a fabulous time for Thanksgiving Shannon!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thanks, Pauline! And safe travels to you. :)
  13. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Love the idea of your letters to your girls. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thanks, Sicorra. It's something that really means a lot to me. So much happens every year but we forget. This is my way of remembering. :) And well, like GMD, you have a great Thursday. :)
  14. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Such a lovely post, Shannon :) May you and your family have a lovely Thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thanks, Mackenzie! You and your family have a fabulous Thanksgiving too!
  15. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    This is great! I've really enjoyed your posts. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful insights week to week. You're inspiring many parents to educate themselves and the next generation about their finances. You already know where I stand on all of this. :) You have a great thing going here, Shannon. :) Hope you and your family a fantastic Thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      Thanks for your support and kind words, Anthony. I'm really glad we connected this past year. :) And like GMD, Sicorra and all my other Canadian friends, you have a fantastic Thursday. LOL! :)
  16. Monday, November 25th, 2013
    Aw, thanks for the letter Shannon. And thank you for sharing your financial advice that makes it easier to talk to our kids about money.

    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 :).
    • Shannon
      Monday, November 25th, 2013
      You're welcome, Corina. I truly hope that I have made a difference and helped make it easier for parents to starting talking to their kids about money. I hope my daughters enjoy reading them as much as I love writing them. I wish you and your family a very blessed Thanksgiving too!
  17. Tuesday, November 26th, 2013
    What a cool idea to write a note to your daughters every year! I might be stealing that one. Hope you guys have a great Thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Friday, November 29th, 2013
      Go for it, Matt! So much happens in a year and it's hard to remember, but this is my way of recording it for myself and for my girls. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family too. :)
  18. Tuesday, November 26th, 2013
    I'm with Matt...sounds like a great idea to write a handwritten note highlighting favorite memories and personal reflections. I'm sure it is something your daughters cherish now and in the future.
    • Shannon
      Friday, November 29th, 2013
      Thanks, Andrew! I certainly hope they will cherish those letters when they are older. I know they mean the world to me. :)
  19. Tuesday, November 26th, 2013
    Great minds, Shannon!

    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.
    • Shannon
      Friday, November 29th, 2013
      Thanks, Erin! Yes, I store the letters for the girls. Otherwise I'm sure they would get misplaced or smudged with dirty fingers. :) You are so kind and your support means so much to me. You're doing great work too and I love how you're affecting other millennials!
  20. Tuesday, November 26th, 2013
    Thank you for sharing your strategies with us. I love the idea of the letter to your daughters. I think I'll have to do that one day when I have children.
    • Shannon
      Friday, November 29th, 2013
      Please do , Stefanie. So much happens in a year and I know without these letters that I would certainly forget some special moments.
  21. Tuesday, November 26th, 2013
    Wow, thats really nice that you write your daughters a note every year. I am sure they appreciate it. I think little things like that is what makes this holiday special. Happy thanksgiving!
    • Shannon
      Friday, November 29th, 2013
      Thanks! I agree we often think big gestures are the things we remember and sometimes they are, but often it is the ordinary things that mean the most. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving too!
  22. Tuesday, November 26th, 2013
    Hi Shannon,
    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
    • Shannon
      Friday, November 29th, 2013
      Thanks Charles, I appreciate your kind words. I have no doubt that when you have children you'll teach them how to handle money wisely. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!
  23. Wednesday, November 27th, 2013
    Hi Shannon,

    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.
    • Shannon
      Friday, November 29th, 2013
      Thanks for stopping by Sylviane! Yes, our parents hold a lot of influence over lives in many different aspects. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving too and thanks for commenting!
  24. Wednesday, November 27th, 2013
    So glad I found your blog Shannon - you offer such words of wisdom. Thank you for this beautiful letter. I also love your tradition of writing letters to your girls on their birthdays. So special!
    • Shannon
      Friday, November 29th, 2013
      I'm so glad we connected too, Leah! I look forward to writing those letters every year and looking back at all the wonderful memories and the girls' accomplishments. :)
  25. Wednesday, December 4th, 2013
    Happy belated birthday to your daughter. We have so much to be thankful for.
Shannon Ryan SHANNON RYAN, CFP®
  • Meet Shannon

    "As a Certified Financial Planner, it is my passion to help individuals and families build a healthy relationship with money. I look forward to helping you raise financially confident kids.” - Shannon Ryan