Warren Buffet released this annual letter this week – the Oracle from Omaha’s annual stakeholder letter. Investors, entrepreneurs, wealth advisers, and financial nerds alike, pour over this yearly document for insight, advice, direction on where to invest, trends to better understand, questions to be asking.
Here is my letter for 7 Common Investments to Make In 2020:
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Locally. With so many neighborhoods within our city, digging in deeply where you live seems to have never been more possible. This month, I can: join a planning meeting for Madisonville’s Parks & Recreation, share my ideas for a Madisonville library programming, attend a crime and safety committee with community council, review a revised plan for development and pedestrian friendly thoroughfares, purchase goods from a local bakery, beer a local brewery, and Sunday brunch from a local black-owned diner.
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In your own neighborhood. Noticing an increase in speeders flying down my street, and no recourse to stop them or petition for speed humps, I took matters into my own hands. A 99c pack of chalk from Scrap It Up – and new signage for a few dry days deterred speeders, albeit temporarily.
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In your relationship. With three children and competing shift work schedules, it’s easy to fall into a routine of complacency. Last Friday, my husband and I went to an art museum exhibition opening, grabbed a drink and had take-out for dinner and were home by 10PM to relieve our 15-year-old neighbor babysitter. The date night was fast, but a small investment in our shared commitment to each other.
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In your children. While inconvenient, I’m chaperoning my daughter’s field trip to see Annie, Jr. next month. I was in my son’s classroom for Valentine’s Day exchange and then worked remotely from the school library until pick-up after the 30-minute party. I’m not needed in these spaces – not in a practical way of teaching curriculum, but my child needs my investment in them. To see them in their school, among their friends, and to appreciate the hard work of preschool and Kindergarten. Their teachers need my investment and support, too.
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In yourself. This week, I did something unrelated to budgets, fundraising, nonprofit and work. I wrote – an utterly silly humor piece and took a risk and submitted to a publication. Will they publish it? Who knows? Did it feel good to invest in something that is entirely my own? Absolutely.
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Offline. Last night, I put down my phone, and kept my laptop in my bag. We played Jenga, Candyland, and turn off all the lights to go on a “treasure hunt.” My eyes felt rested, my brain felt less scrambled to not be scrolling through blue light.
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In your friends. Invest in friendship. Sending a text of support, a remembering of anniversary, birthday. An offer of taking a child for an afternoon, a quick bite to eat in between busy days. Invest in friendships and the people not paid to care about you.
