Author: Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

☆°▪︎ THE FALL ▪︎°☆

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

I’m

sorry . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ what

did

.

y

o

u

.

say ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

must

.

h

a

v

e

. 

been

away . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

.

.

.

I

.

f

e

l

l

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

warmth

.

o

f

.

a

.

passing

glance . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I 

.

f

e

l

l

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

warmth . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I 

.

f

e

l

l

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

warmth . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I 

.

f

e

l

l

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

warmth

.

o

f

.

a

.

passing

glance . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

started

dreaming

.

o

f

.

the

dance.

Reflection: This was a short, simple romantic-themed poem that I wrote back in January of 2016 where the romancer gets swept away for a moment by another. I’ve had this kind of experience many times in my life, and I’m sure most everyone has.

2016 Goal of Financial Freedom and Independence

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Happy Holidays everyone! So… In preparation for the coming year… My primary goal for 2016 is to get to the point that I can fully support myself financially via my investments. I’ve had a record year in the stock market this year so I’m getting close. Based on where I presently stand I’d need to earn about 6.5% per year in the stock market to fully support myself without reducing my account balances. This might be sustainable given that the long term average for stock market returns is about 7% per year, but I’d feel much better about things if I could get down to only needing to earn about 5% per year. We’ll see where things stand at the end of 2016, but my goal is to reach this. If I do I’ll be looking to cut back to part time at my job or perhaps to even stop working the job completely. It’s such a wonderful feeling knowing that I’m getting so close to being able to do this! So now you know why I’ve been spending so much of my off time at Starbucks! I’ve been researching stocks, developing and refining my investment strategies and approaches, and writing a series of financial planning, management, and investing books which I also plan to complete by the end of 2016. So soon, all of my investing “secrets” will be revealed!

I’m determined to achieve this financial freedom and independence goal and I can help you with achieving this as well. Please contact me if you need any assistance with any of your financial planning, management, and/or investing needs as this is one of the areas that I actively perform life coaching in. Also feel free to click on “Financial Planning, Management, and Investing Related Posts” on the sidebar to the right or below (depending upon which device you are using) for helpful tips on how to become a solid investor.

You can also follow me on twitter if you like at Joseph M Brennan Jr @ Brighter Days Life Coaching.

#investing #stocks

WHICH LIFE WILL YOU CHOOSE?

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Which life will you choose? A life full of beauty, love, warmth, joy, inspiration, and hope? Or a life filled with pain, loneliness, pessimism, negativity, emptiness, and despair? The choice is always yours. Remembering this is the key to the level of happiness – or unhappiness for that matter – that you will experience throughout the days, weeks, months, and years of your life. It is also the key for how much happiness – or unhappiness for that matter – that you will create within the lives of others who surround you. So, which life will you choose to experience and create? This is probably the most important question you can ask yourself.

Most people who know me well know I am a spiritual person. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, for me, one thing this means is that the spirits of all living and breathing beings never die – they live on after their bodies pass. Another thing it means for me is that connections and communications between individual beings – living or dead, near or far – can continue as if they were within our immediate presence. This offers such warmth, inspiration, and comfort because no matter where I am I never feel distant, disconnected, or alone. I can always summon and experience the joyful presence of others I have loved and appreciated in my life – past or present, living or dead. Sometimes, I will do things and invite them along to experience them with me. Sometimes, I will visit places we enjoyed in the past and beforehand tell them I am going and invite them to join me there. In either case, I feel their joyful presence and it fills me with happiness and makes me smile. I will frequently mentally converse with them and experience their joy at still being a part of my life and my joy at still being a part of theirs.

This is an activity you can perform with all of those that you love and appreciate: people and pets alike. For example, one of my best friends moved clear across the country a couple of years ago with his two dogs who I also adored. Sometimes, I like to go to the areas where he used to live. But before I go, I will generally invite him and his dogs – in spirit – to join me there. I always have such a wonderful, pleasant experience whenever I do this. And who knows? Perhaps, me doing this gave my friend and his dogs happy thoughts in those moments or happy dreams if they were sleeping at the time. For, so much more is possible in the spiritual world than in the physical world.

As another example, my mother died back in 2014, but I still invite her to participate in my life and feel her presence around me. For one thing, she always enjoyed trying new foods and desserts. So, anytime I’m trying something new I invite her to enjoy it with me. And she always does it with such joy! Bringing me great happiness in the process.

So, just because those that you love and appreciate are no longer in your life – either because they have moved away or have passed on – this does not mean you cannot continue to experience the warmth and the joy and the inspiration of their presence. Connect and communicate with them spiritually. Do it now. Do it tomorrow. And do it anytime you desire to experience the warmth, joy, and inspiration of their presence. You are not alone. You never have been. The spiritual world is always there for you.

Now, of course, there are naysayers who do not or will not embrace – and in fact reject – what I have proposed above. However, I would ask you to consider this: Imagine someone who lived his or her life experiencing the love, warmth, and joy of living in this fashion. Now, imagine someone else who lived life rejecting all of these notions and believing that life was a painful, lonely, dismal, and spiritless place. If both of these individuals died tomorrow, who do you suppose lived the happier life? The way you choose to live your life is always your choice. Always remember that. Because we truly do not know how the spiritual world works or what happens after we pass. Although, there have been accounts of near death experiences where beauty and reunions with loved ones of the past have been repeatedly described in detail.

I have made my choice. Which life will you choose? A life full of beauty, love, warmth, joy, inspiration, and hope? Or a life filled with pain, loneliness, pessimism, negativity, emptiness, and despair? Because it truly does not matter. Things will happen the way they do no matter how you choose to live your life. It does not matter. Or perhaps, more importantly, it does.

I hope this article will inspire some of you to live a happier life. I do not care which specific path or journey you choose so long as it does not create negativity towards yourself or towards others. Just choose a happy one. Not only for the benefit of yourself, but for the benefit of those who surround you.

This and other happiness and self-improvement related tips are provided throughout my self-help oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/ 

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #relationships

☆°▪︎ YOU ▪︎°☆

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

just

what

.

i

s

.

the

color

.

o

f

.

my

mood ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

although

.

i

t

.

seems

.

t

o

.

move

.

s

o

.

soon . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

my

only

thought . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

my

only

joy . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

my

only

want . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

s

–

–

–

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

When

first

.

i

t

.

happened,

.

.

I

.

.

cannot

.

b

e

.

sure . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

I

cannot

discern . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

cannot

discern . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

whether

.

t

h

e

.

trace

.

o

f

.

words,

.

.

I

.

.

thought

.

I

.

heard

before,

.

.

w

a

s

.

.

the

turning

.

o

f

.

the

blur . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

o

r

–

–

–

the

blurring

.

o

f

.

the

turn . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

the

valleys

.

w

h

e

r

e

.

curiosity

stirs . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

the

valleys

.

w

h

e

r

e

.

uncertainty

burns . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

in 

quiet

passings

.

w

e

. 

suddenly

–

–

MERGED

MERGED

MERGED

–

–

into

the

–

–

BLUR

BLURR

BLURRR

–

–

of

the

–

–

URGE

URGE

URGE

–

–

of

.

t

h

e

.

deep,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

wild,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

winding 

turn . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ the

deep,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

wild,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

winding 

turn . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

merging 

into

.

t

h

e

.

blur . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ merging 

into

.

t

h

e

.

blur

.

o

f

.

the

urge . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ merging 

into

.

t

h

e

.

blur

.

o

f

.

the

unsure

.

a

n

d

.

insecure . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ of

.

t

h

e

.

words

.

I

.

thought

. 

I

.

heard

before . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

So

.

y

o

u

.

ask,

–

–

what

is

.

t

h

e

.

color

.

o

f

.

my

mood ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ well,

.

.

a

t

.

.

times

. 

i

t

.

blooms

.

i

n

t

o

. 

soothing,

–

–

romantic

moons,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

at

others,

.

.

a

.

.

dark,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

deep,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

brooding

blue . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

because

now . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

because

now . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

because

now . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

my

only

thought . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

my

only

joy . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

my

only

want

.

i

s

.

you.

Reflection: This was a romantic-themed poem that I wrote back in September of 2015 where the affected party meets someone he/she is highly attracted to who ends up absorbing and consuming much of his/her life throughout the days, weeks, and/or months of attraction. I’ve had a few experiences like this in my life as I’m sure most people have from time to time.

☆°▪︎ THE SOOTHING SEA OF MEMORY ▪︎°☆

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Please

take

.

a

.

seat

.

r

i

g

h

t

.

here

.

w

i

t

h

.

me,

–

–

overlooking

.

t

h

e

.

sea . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ the

sea

.

o

f

.

memory . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

where

only

–

–

soothing

silence,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

silent

soothing

–

–

speaks . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ where

only

–

–

soothing

silence,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

silent

soothing

–

–

speaks . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

although

.

w

e

.

cannot

.

q

u

i

t

e

.

perceive

.

t

h

e

.

whispered

words

.

o

f

.

peaceful

ease . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

e

–

–

–

can

.

a

t

.

least 

–

–

hear,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

feel,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

breathe

.

t

h

e

.

hint

.

o

f

.

what

.

s

h

e

.

means . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ a

hint

.

o

f

.

what

.

s

h

e

.

means . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Please

take

.

a

.

seat

.

r

i

g

h

t

.

here

.

w

i

t

h

.

me,

–

–

overlooking

.

t

h

e

.

sea . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ the

sea

.

o

f

.

memory . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Take

.

a

.

sip

.

o

f

.

the

.

warming

.

ease,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

simply

smile,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

be,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

drift,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

dream . . .

–

–

–

.

.

. 

right

.

here

.

i

n

.

peace

.

w

i

t

h

.

me.

Reflection: This was an inspiration/hope-themed poem that I wrote back in August of 2015 in reflection of the simple, soothing, peaceful ease quiet moments can bring.

Start Again

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a wonderful quote, from 60 years ago, that some of you might gain inspiration from – and which can be applied at so many levels… even in today’s world: “I was surprised, as always, by how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world was suddenly rich with possibility.”
― Jack Kerouac, On the Road

So… If what you’re doing, who you’re with, or where you are in your life does not inspire and bring you happiness… Leave. Start again. Start again and again and again and again until you find that which does. This is your life… Your journey… Your happiness… Your adventure… Approach it that way.

This and other happiness and self-improvement related tips are provided throughout my self-help oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/ 

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness

☆°▪︎ WE ▪︎°☆

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

It

.

i

s

.

not

.

what

.

w

e

.

believe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

.

i

s

.

not

.

what

.

w

e

.

believe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

.

i

s

.

not

.

what

.

w

e

.

believe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t 

–

–

–

what

.

believes

.

i

n

.

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

what

.

believes

.

i

n

.

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

what

.

believes

.

i

n

.

everything

.

beyond

.

a

n

d

.

between . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ what

.

believes

.

i

n

.

everything

.

beyond

.

a

n

d

.

between . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

o

–

–

–

include

.

every

.

piece

. 

a

n

d

.

part

.

o

f

.

we . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

it

.

i

s

.

not

.

what

.

w

e

.

believe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

.

i

s

.

not

.

what

.

w

e

.

believe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

.

i

s

.

not

.

what

.

w

e

.

believe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

.

i

s

.

not

.

what

.

w

e

.

believe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

what

.

believes

.

i

n

.

we.

Reflection: This was an inspiration/hope-themed poem that I wrote back in April of 2015 to inspire a sense of hope, harmony, optimism, and belonging by shifting the focus from what we personally believe to what believes in us. So many hold so firmly to their individual beliefs which can be very divisive in nature and create a life of isolation, loneliness, and pessimism.

Happiness Is Easy: A Simple Guide For Creating Greater Joy, Inspiration, and Positivity In Life

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

This article presents a wonderful way in which to create greater joy, inspiration, and positivity in life by regularly performing assessments, reflecting on these, and making adjustments accordingly such that you begin to fill more of your time with that which promotes a sense of joy, inspiration, and positivity in your life and less with that which does not. This includes the tasks, chores, and work that you perform, the people that you spend your time with, and the activities that you engage in. By mindfully evaluating and reflecting upon these areas of your life, on a regular basis, you will be able to readily determine which of these aspects promote a sense of joy, inspiration, and positivity in your life and which do not. For those aspects that do you will want to mindfully and intentionally fill more of your time with these. For those aspects which do not you will want to either find creative ways in which to make these aspects more positive in nature or seek to remove yourself from or minimize your participation in these.

Concerning ways in which to modify aspects such that they become more positive in nature, one example might be related to work. For example, if the work that you regularly perform tends to be somewhat boring in nature then you might seek ways in which to make the work more interesting. One way to do this might be to seek to gain knowledge or develop skills which might serve to benefit you both at work and outside of work or provide transferrable knowledge and skills to other types of work that you might have greater interest in. Concerning aspects which you cannot modify or moderate in some fashion then you might seek to distance yourself from or minimize your participation in these. For example, if select individuals that you regularly spend your time with tend to create drama and negativity in your life, then you might want to mindfully and intentionally create distance, or remove yourself completely, at least until that point in time where you can be in the presence of these individuals and remain unaffected. Frequently, people will continue to maintain relationships with others even when they are negative, hurtful, unhealthy, or detrimental in nature. Don’t do this to yourself. It can sap your energy and fill you with negative thoughts and feelings. A better way to proceed is to mindfully evaluate your relationships, from time to time, and participate more in those that tend to be positive in nature and less in those which are not. This goes for all types of relationships to include romantic partners, friendships, family members, co-workers, and acquaintances.

Each of these are examples of ways in which to progress towards living a happier life: filling more of your life with the positive and removing or distancing yourself from that which tends to be negative in nature. By mindfully, intentionally, and incrementally progressing towards the positive and away from the negative you will develop a greater sense of joy, inspiration, and positivity in your life. And this will feel wonderful. And this will energize and motivate you. And this will benefit not only yourself, but also others who surround you. How much joy, inspiration, and positivity can you stand? Well, you will soon find out as soon as you begin to live your life in this fashion. Yes, happiness is easy. You just have to mindfully, intentionally, and incrementally take the steps to get you there. Make it your lifelong goal to regularly fill more of your time doing that which brings you happiness and less doing that which does not. Remain ever mindful of this over the days, weeks, months, and years of your life. In doing so, you will create and experience a wonderful life filled with all of the joy, inspiration, and positivity you can possibly imagine. You can start creating this life today. So, do this for yourself if you can. And if you need any help with this you know who to ask.

This article describes one way in which to create greater joy, inspiration, and positivity in life by putting more time and energy towards the positive aspects and less time and energy towards the negative aspects. I hope that some of you will find this article to be informative, helpful, and inspirational. To date I’ve written several articles related to creating and living a happier life. Click on “Personal Improvement, Development, and Growth Related Posts” on the sidebar to the right or below (depending upon which device you are using) if you would like to read some of these other articles for helpful tips on how to create greater peace, happiness, and progress in life if you think they might be helpful to you or to others in your life.

This and other happiness and self-improvement related tips are provided throughout my self-help oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/ 

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness

For those that do not know, I perform life coaching and training services in two primary areas: 1) Personal and Professional Improvement, Development, and Growth, and 2) Financial Planning, Management, and Investing. As such, I generally alternate the articles that I write via my blogs between these two topic areas. This particular article is associated with the first area that I life coach in. So if you don’t have much interest in personal and professional improvement, development, and growth, rest assured that soon I will write an article which will be in the area that you might have greater interest in; the financial planning, management, and investing area. You can also follow me on Twitter if you like at: Joseph M Brennan Jr @ BrighterDaysLC

Please contact me if you, or someone else in your life, could use some assistance with either of the two primary areas that I actively perform life coaching in. You can learn more about each of these areas by clicking on the menu, footer, and sidebar items.

Joseph M. Brennan Jr.
CEO/Life Coach – Brighter Days Life Coaching
“Your Brighter Days Life Coach for Life”

6-27-2013BrennanPhotos-Main1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make a Bad Day Better
Make a Good Day Better
Create a Brighter Life

☆°▪︎ THE PAGE OF FUTURE DAYS ▪︎°☆

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Today

.

I

.

.

f

e

l

l

.

.

into

.

t

h

e

. 

dreaming

rays

.

o

f

.

a

warming,

.

romantic

haze . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ of

.

a

.

passing

moment

.

I

.

hope

.

a

n

d

.

pray,

.

w

i

l

l

.

never

.

fade . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Were

.

y

o

u

.

able

.

t

o

.

feel

.

t

h

e

.

subtle

.

embrace . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ the

timid

touch

.

o

f

.

the

loving

gaze . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

although

.

n

o

.

words

.

w

e

r

e

.

exchanged,

.

.

they

.

w

e

r

e

.

gently

etched

.

upon

.

m

y

.

face . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

within

.

t

h

e

.

eyes

.

t

h

a

t

.

tentatively

. 

glanced

.

y

o

u

r

.

way,

.

.

b

u

t

.

.

could

.

n

o

t

.

say . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ no,

.

t

h

e

y

.

could

.

n

o

t

.

say . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

the

memory

.

f

o

r

.

now,

.

.

remains

.

upon

.

t

h

e

.

page

.

o

f

.

future

days,

–

–

where

.

i

t

.

will

.

sing,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

play,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

dance,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

sway . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

all

.

t

h

e

.

time

.

which

.

y

e

t

.

remains . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

like

.

s

a

n

d

.

castles

.

scattered

.

a

l

l

.

along

.

t

h

e

.

bay,

–

–

where

.

t

i

m

e

.

brings

forth

. 

opportunity

.

o

r

.

renewed

faith . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

builds

upon

.

t

h

e

.

charm,

–

– 

beauty,

–

–

magic,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

grace,

.

.

o

r

.

.

simply

washes

.

t

h

e

m

.

all

.

a

w

a

y

.

forever

.

t

o

.

join

.

t

h

e

.

torn,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

crumpled,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

tossed

.

a

w

a

y

. 

pages . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

o

f

–

–

–

far

.

off

.

a

n

d

.

fading

.

yesterdays.

Reflection: This was a romantic-themed poem that I wrote back in February of 2015 where a brief, subtle, but powerful romantic experience is encountered but only weakly secured – leaving the reader to wonder whether such experience might lead to something more powerful and substantial in the future. I’ve had several experiences like this in my life as I’m sure many others have.

Powerful Risk Management Strategies For Dividend Stocks

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

This article informs how to effectively manage risk for stocks to include those which regularly pay dividends. For those of you who have been following my stock market investing activities you know that I have been recently buying dividend stocks to include Schnitzer Steel (SCHN) and AGL Resources (GAS). Dividend stocks offer unique opportunities to realize gains due to quarterly, or sometimes even monthly, dividend payments as well as the potential appreciation in the stock prices. This combination can allow you to patiently execute your disciplined strategies and improve your chances of realizing significant gains over timte. This can happen even when the stocks you are initially holding significantly decline. In fact, I often earn greater gains overall when the stocks that I initially buy decline, because I tend to grow my position over time through price averaging such that when the stocks I’m holding stage a rally a larger profit is earned across my overall investment accounts.

Here’s an example of some of the strategies that I employ which work fairly well; especially for stocks which pay a dividend. Imagine that you initially buy 200 shares of XYZ stock at a notional price of $10.00 which pays an annual dividend of 5%. The very next step that I now take for all stocks that I initially buy is to decide “up front” what I reasonably consider to be a substantial gain in the stock price. This can vary depending on the nature of the stock, but I usually target a 5%-10% gain as a reasonable substantial gain for many of the stocks that I’ve held although for those which tend to be highly volatile in nature I might try to get 15% or 20%. Let’s assume that we consider a 10% gain to be a reasonable expectation for a substantial gain in the XYZ stock. I next proceed with immediately putting in a sell order for the shares I initially bought at a sale price of $11.00 (10% gain from the $10.00 price that I initially bought them at). If the price ever touches $11.00 the shares would then be immediately sold for this “substantial” gain. This “up front” strategy is something that I use for all stocks that I buy, not just dividend stocks. However, here is a demonstration of an additional strategy that I now employ for dividend stocks: If the XYZ stock price declines by twice as much as the annual dividend (a 10% decline in this example since the notional XYZ stock paid a 5% dividend) then I price average into it by doubling down on the stock at that point in time. Thus, the initial 10% loss would be immediately transformed into a 5% loss. A loss which could notionally be completely erased in a year’s time by the dividend payouts alone even if the stock does not appreciate in value within that timeframe. In addition, for the new set of shares I purchased, I would again decide “up front” what I considered to be a substantial gain (e.g., 10% gain) and proceed with immediately putting in a sell order for this set of shares at the 10% gain price to immediately cash in on this should the stock ever touch this price. If the XYZ stock declines another 5% (10% loss total overall) then I would again double down on the stock to transform that 10% loss into a 5% loss which could again potentially be completely mitigated solely by the dividend payouts in a years time and once again decide “up front” what I considered to be a substantial gain for these new shares (e.g., 10% gain) and proceed with putting in a sell order for these shares at the 10% gain price. Even if the XYZ stock experiences a series of back-to-back significant declines you can grow your position and posture yourself for potential future gains, because declining stocks generally do not go down in a straight line. They tend to rise and fall over time. So chances are that if you are patient, and stick with your strategy, you will realize substantial gains due to the combined effect of the dividend payments and the stock price appreciation. This combined effect can significantly reduce your risk and increase your chances of success. Typically, when employing these strategies, I target stocks which pay between 3% and 5% in annual dividends. Anything less does not buy you much in terms of managing risk via these strategies and anything above is typically unsustainable and likely to result in future dividend cuts or suspensions unless the investments you are targeting historically have paid higher dividends such as some Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and high yield bond funds.

The above strategies do not consider the tax implications of the dividends or capital gains which might be earned so you might want to make adjustments if you would like to factor these in. In addition, there is always the chance that dividend payouts could be reduced or suspended, however, frequently dividends are increased over time. In either case, the above strategies work fairly well as a starting point, but you should periodically evaluate how well your strategies are working for you towards supporting your investment goals and make adjustments over time to improve the effectiveness of the strategies that you employ. I have developed and employed many investment strategies over the years, some of which I have written about in these articles, and frequently have evaluated these strategies and made adjustments to them over time such that they better supported my investment needs. I encourage you to do the same.

The strategies that I have presented in this article will allow you to take advantage of the natural volatile nature of stocks such that even those which significantly decline over time can result in minimal losses or perhaps even substantial gains. Often, these strategies will result in a series of buys on significant declines and a series of sells on significant rallies as well as dividend payouts for the shares that you hold the night immediately preceding the established ex-dividend dates. Selling a portion of your gains all along the way allows you to use the cash that you raise to buy additional shares should the stocks you are holding reverse and decline if the risk-reward for these stocks remain favorable in nature.

Substantial gains can often be realized using these strategies, if you are patient, because lagging stocks frequently become leading stocks over time and the dividend payments from dividend stocks can allow you to receive incremental gains all along the way while you patiently wait for the stock price appreciation to happen. Developing and refining strategies “up front”, such as those that I have discussed in this article, is critical to your success as an investor. Doing this well can transform you from being an emotional investor into a disciplined one who realizes steady and consistent success over time. I have developed several solid strategies for clients that I work with depending on the client’s risk category, the type and nature of the stocks being considered, the investing environment at the time, and the risk-reward indicators that I generally look at. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to find out more.

This article informs how to effectively manage risk for stocks through pre-planning and effective techniques and strategies to include stocks which regularly pay dividends; even when the stocks you are holding significantly decline. Part of being a solid investor is recognizing opportunities when you see them and promptly capitalizing on them when the risk-reward of securities you are tracking become highly favorable (as a buyer) or highly unfavorable (as a potential seller or short seller) in nature. By periodically rotating out of investments which become less favorable and into investment opportunities which become more favorable in nature you will realize consistent investment success over time. You won’t make winning investments all of the time, but the point is to use strategies and techniques which allow you to make winning investments for much of the time. I can help in these regards.

Please contact me if you need any assistance with any of your financial planning, management, and/or investing needs as this is one of the areas that I actively perform life coaching and training in. Also feel free to click on “Financial Planning, Management, and Investing Related Posts” to the sidebar on the right or below (depending upon which device you are using to view this article) for helpful tips on how to become a solid investor. These articles provide helpful tips on how to become a solid investor so read through some of these if you think they might be helpful to you. In addition, in case some of you would like to follow along, here is where I regularly post about my stock market activities. So feel free to visit this page if you would like to follow what I’m doing in the stock market at any given time.

For those that did not know, I generally perform life coaching and training services in two primary areas: 1) Personal and Professional Improvement, Development, and Growth, and 2) Financial Planning, Management, and Investing. As such, I generally alternate the articles that I write via my blogs between these two topic areas. This particular article is associated with the second area that I life coach in. So if you do not have much interest in financial planning, management, and investing, rest assured that one of the next articles that I write will be in the area that you might have greater interest in; the personal and professional improvement, development, and growth area. You can also follow me on Twitter if you like at: Joseph M Brennan Jr @ BrighterDaysLC

Joseph M. Brennan Jr.
CEO/Life Coach – Brighter Days Life Coaching
“Your Brighter Days Life Coach for Life”

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