Whereas we could also be drawn to the clairvoyants and the algorithms, let’s not overlook that the long run isn’t a riddle to resolve
Critiques and suggestions are unbiased and merchandise are independently chosen. Postmedia could earn an affiliate fee from purchases made via hyperlinks on this web page.
Article content material
Because the calendar flips to a contemporary web page, we discover ourselves awash in predictions.
Article content material
Article content material
This isn’t new; it’s virtually a convention. In my line of labor as a wealth adviser, it’s an annual ritual. My inbox fills with questions: Will rates of interest lastly stabilize? Are the markets poised to soar or sink? What’s the ripple impact of recent tariffs on our Canadian financial system? How about change charges?
Commercial 2
Article content material
The questions are limitless, starting from the pragmatic to the speculative, and infrequently requested in hushed tones as if I might need a secret hotline to the long run. (Spoiler alert: I don’t.)
Everybody, from economists to stargazers, appears keen to color an image of what’s forward and we lap it up, hoping for reassurance, hoping it’s all sunshine and rainbows.
Article content material
Fact be informed, we’re hooked on predictions. Why? As a result of they provide the phantasm of management in a world that’s inherently unpredictable.
However right here’s the factor about predictions: they’re simply educated guesses, if not outright conjectures, dressed up in a pleasant outfit — swimsuit or gown, take your choose. With that in thoughts, listed below are a number of common truths to assist us navigate the noise.
There might be excellent news, and there might be unhealthy information
Life has a knack for stability, doesn’t it? The inventory market will rise; it should additionally fall. Politicians will make choices, some that work and a few that don’t. Infants might be born and, sadly, a few of us will lose family members. That is the ebb and move of existence.
Cash might be spent, correctly or frivolously
We’ll shell out for wants, needs and every little thing in between. Whether or not it’s for groceries or a last-minute splurge on that shiny gadget, our spending displays not simply economics however our feelings.
Commercial 3
Article content material
Taxes might be paid, and occasional might be brewed
Some issues in life are non-negotiable. For instance, taxes are a certainty that rivals even dying. However let’s not overlook life’s less complicated joys, akin to an ideal cup of espresso savoured on a frosty morning.
The solar will rise and set
A cliché, maybe, however one which serves as a reminder of life’s rhythms. The world retains turning even when predictions miss their mark. There’s an odd consolation in that, don’t you suppose?
Whereas we could also be drawn to the clairvoyants and the algorithms, let’s not overlook that the long run isn’t a riddle to resolve. It’s an unfolding story, one we co-write with the choices we make immediately.
As a substitute of fretting over what would possibly occur, let’s concentrate on what we are able to management. Set targets, save for wet days and cherish the moments that make up this unpredictable, stunning journey known as life.
Beneficial from Editorial
And should you’re actually itching for a forecast, right here’s mine: 2025 might be a yr of surprises, each nice and difficult. What issues most will not be what occurs, however how we reply. In any case, one of the best ways to foretell the long run is to form it ourselves.
Colleen O’Connell-Campbell is a wealth adviser at RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and creator of the Money-Wealthy Exit Podcast.
Bookmark our web site and assist our journalism: Don’t miss the enterprise information you could know — add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and join our newsletters right here.
Article content material
