Things They Don’t Teach Us

E14: Things They Don't Teach Us About the Stock Market

The financial markets can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t have the time or training to follow it. Still, about 61% of Americans own stocks. Unfortunately, as we’ve seen recently, tariffs and other sources of volatility can significantly impact everyone’s wealth and net worth, fast! That makes this a great time to refresh your understanding of Wall Street. Silas Myers, CFA, joins us to demystify the stock market. He offers advice for young people starting out in life, and for all investors generally. He also shares the one stock he won’t touch right now. Can you guess what it is?

E13: Things They Don't Teach Us About Creating Financial Options

Are you good with savings or better at status? Is your flavor of gratification instant or deferred? Simple questions, but little by little the answers and responses to each one add up and shape the financial trajectory of our lives.  Guest Nick Josey, founder of the Vincita Institute, joins us to share his advice and suggestions for how to shift our mindsets around these and other questions, and why they're so important. Additionally, he sprinkles in anecdotes from his own trajectory, a journey from rural North Carolina to the suburbs of Boston, to illustrate his motivations and how he counsels his clients to rethink their actions as they work toward their goals.

E12: Things They Don't Teach Us To Do After Being Fired

Being fired. Getting laid off. Made redundant. No matter what you call it, leaving a job involuntarily can range from an annoyance (if you’re planning to leave the job soon anyway) to a blow to one’s self esteem. Some people even feel like failures or become embarrassed by the loss of a job. Of course, not all job losses are the same, and in many cases it’s due to a clash of expectations or personalities with supervisors that cause the rupture. If/when you’re about to be fired, what should you do in that moment, and what can you do afterward? Despite the more dramatic exits people make in popular movies and TV shows, there are simple and appropriate ways to handle the news and transition to the next position.  Our guest, Cecilia Akuffo, shares her experience and advice from nearly 10 years working in HR. She also has an eight-episode podcast, “Workplace Fairness And Dignity,” in which she takes on employment practices not discussed, and not widely known by workers: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1603621

E11: Things They Don’t Teach Us About Aging Gracefully

Unlike in some cultures, aging in the United States is stigmatized as being an endless decline in quality of life until the end. Youth is revered while aging is feared. Despite the memory slips, graying hair, and occasional aches, what are we missing by not appreciating aging and seeing it as worthy of celebration? Guest Christine Rose joins us to share her thoughts on aging over the past half century. Although not old by most standards, she has reached what Wendy calls "a luxurious age." In addition to sharing her journey of self-acceptance and discovery, she also shares the advice she often gives to the younger people in her life.   Note: Wendy was referring to the Sugar Hill Gang's album during the intro conversation.

E10: Things They Don’t Teach Us About Handling Rejection

As we all know, anyone can be rejected for anything at any time. But, despite the ubiquity of rejection in our lives, we're rarely - if ever - taught how to handle it in healthy and humane ways. Guest Christina "Tippi" Cogen joins us to discuss some of the underlying reasons people may feel rejected or need to reject someone. She also shares how we can process those feelings and experiences healthily. Our wide-ranging conversation runs the gamut from childhood slights to our best future selves. We also jump into the long-running question of whether ghosting is an appropriate tactic.