DREAM ON

How harnessing your dreams can impact your life

BY CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL

“ When you dream your subconscious

Have you ever sat in your backyard and just mind is open stared at the sky? During the day the clouds bend and twist into shapes and faces. It’s easy and becomes to get lost in your thoughts as they drift by. My favorite time to gaze and wonder is when the stars come out. the doorway On the clearest of nights you can see so many different stars and sometimes catch a falling one. A good long to anything.” stare always preps my mind to enter the dream state experiences of communication with the deceased is a later that night. The endless possibilities that exist in mental state different than fabricating information or the night sky also exist in our night mind. recalling facts previously obtained.

I approach my dreams as an opportunity to learn, “Visitations are special and give us the opportunity listen and observe what is happening around me. Many to connect with those that have passed,” says Deb Dequestions have been answered in dreams and many Celle, a medium at Spirit Tree Connections in Clifton questions remain as I wake up. No matter what hap- Park. DeCelle has connected me to my grandmother pens I am always ready to go back the next night. and a close friend, both of whom have crossed over.

Nor am I alone. Dreams can help with the creative She gave me specific information that only those people process, say dream practitioners. Glory-Anne Jones, a knew about. certified clinical and transpersonal hypnotherapist at The ability to spend time with people that have Euphoreje in Latham, recently started writing a book. crossed over is a wonderful part of dreaming. We are “Everyone has worries and problems and they don’t able to spend time with grandparents, aunts and unknow where to go for answers. The character in my cles and old friends. Those moments are special and book was able to come to life filled with so much love. To look at them, converse by me setting the intention before going to sleep of receiving information and waking up with how to put it together and how to make it happen,” she says. “It’s all these dreams coming together to give us the "A lot of stuff comes to me in dreams. That's a huge influence on me. I take a lot of direction from dreams. I process all the stuff that I do in my dreams‚ my playing, my writing, whatever." BOB WEIR, Musician, Founding member, "Grateful Dead." with them and hug them is an incredible journey. After those experiences I always wake up feeling their presence and love with me. I am sure it is their way of reminding me that their love lives on in me and answers. When you dream, your subconscious mind is that I share it with all of those in my life. open and becomes the doorway to anything.” In one dream, for instance, a friend’s loved one vis-

Dreams can also be a way for us to connect with ited me to let me know that he was okay. I remember those who’ve passed, say mediums who regularly com- a dream where I was hiking high up in some snowy municate with the deceased. The Windbridge Research mountains. It was cold so we stopped in a small log Center in Tucson, Arizona has done extensive research cabin with a fire inside. While warming up, the door into mediums. One study concluded that mediums’ swung open and in walked my friend’s dad. He had

recently passed away and he looked so happy and content to be hiking and adventuring. The giant smile on his face let me know he was okay. Someone is waiting for you to visit them in dreams; be open to it. Set the intention of being with this person before you go to sleep.

Some people have the ability to “lucid dream,” a dream state in which the person is aware they are dreaming while they are dreaming. Back in June I dreamt that I was in the woods walking down a driveway leaving a house. As I walked down the driveway I kept hearing a strange sound and realized the sound was snow crunching under my boots. I instantly said to myself, “It’s summer, you must be dreaming.”

As soon as I had that revelation, the dream took off, literally. As I became aware, I decided that I wanted to explore, so I flew straight up above the trees into the amazing starlit sky and soared above the beautiful evergreen forest. It was the most wonderful experience and I revisit that scene in my mind often. If you notice something out of the ordinary while dreaming, this is your clue to wake up while dreaming and see where it takes you.

“There are no boundaries in dreams and the possibilities are endless on where they can take you,” DeCelle says. “Dreams are the subconscious’ way to help us explore and have visitations. They are vivid and give us time to connect with those who have passed over.”

Dreams are personal, they are full of lessons and if we pay attention, we can learn and grow from them. Your dreams are the key to your universe. Pay attention, watch and listen.

“It’s easy to take information from a dream because it’s inspired by what’s inside of you,” says Jones. “Dreams allow us to see how we are getting lost and to find a way out of that. There are so many answers in our dreams. We can find reassurance in dreams and know that we’ve got this.”

Tips to help you remember your dreams:

• Keep a notebook next to your bed and write them down immediately upon waking • Record your thoughts in Voice Memos on your phone • Set an intention to remember before you go to sleep, every night • Remembering your dreams takes practice, don’t give up

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What is Pivotal Financial Planning?

Like many industries, the financial services industry has evolved overtime. Financial Advisors and financial firms themselves work within various levels of this evolutionary continuum. Within each level there is value to be found as well as limitations. The most recent level that I have practiced throughout my career is what I have coined as "Pivotal Financial Planning".

Before we discuss Pivotal Financial Planning, I would like to give brief descriptions of the other levels of financial planning. In the beginning many financial services firms practiced what I would describe as a pure selling model. You may think back to the days of the life insurance salesman going door to door or the well dressed stock broker “pitching stocks” over the phone or in person. This level tends to be heavily focused on features and benefits and creating the emotion within the customer interaction to buy from the sales person. This level is very transactional and rarely does it lead to a long-term client relationship.

The next level of evolution within financial services was a needs based model. In this model the professional is trained to ask questions to uncover a need. If a need can be uncovered, a product may be offered to satisfy the need. Many financial professionals still work within this model today.

Then we moved into what the industry often refers to as a goals based planning model. This style of planning helps identify where a client currently is, where they would like to be at some point in the future, and what actions and tools are needed to help get them there. You will notice that as you move through these evolutionary levels, the process becomes more client focused and collaborative as opposed to simply selling a product. Most recently we’ve arrived at a Pivotal Financial Planning model. Just like we share similar genes to our ancestors so you will find similar foundations within a Pivotal Financial Planning model. With that said, there are some key differences. One such distinction is that it is extremely difficult to predict the future (some would say impossible), and it is also difficult for clients to imagine or be sure of what they would want in the distant future. As humans, we tend to think from our circumstances today. For example, we project our present health into the future. Today you may be perfectly healthy without any physical limitations. Can you be sure that will continue for the rest of your life? Do you think your planning needs or desires may change if your health changes?

Similarly, we tend to project our current financial state into the future. If you have a meaningful amount of debt or are possibly behind in your retirement savings, you tend to place these limitations into your future vision. We can imagine, we can dream, and we can plan, but there is a very strong chance that the future will be different than the one you envisioned.

Another challenge in a goals based planning model is predicting the future landscape. Can you tell me what taxes will be 10, 20, or 30 years from now? Do you know what inflation will be? How about the stock market? Will that be up or down when you retire? What about health care costs and delivery of health services? Will we be paying for that? Will it be free? We all have guesses, but the reality is many of us will be wrong.

Pivotal Financial Planning is all about building a framework that works in many different environments. It has the flexibility to move in many different directions. It implements actions and strategies that can always be relevant, almost like a scientific law. Pivotal financial planning allows for you to flexibly pivot to help accommodate your needs and interests as the future becomes more clear.

Conor Boyd is a Registered Representative and Investment Adviser Representative of Equity Services, Inc. Securities and Investment Advisory Services are offered solely by Equity Services, Inc., Member FINRA & SIPC, 333 Westchester Ave, South Building Suite 3302, White Plains, NY 10604 914.428.4000. Thoroughbred Advi-sors, LLC is independent of Equity Services, Inc. TC119685(0221)1

Thoroughbred Advisors, LLC 518-608-4608 thoroughbredadvisors.com