As February draws to an end, with its romantic reminders of love and what matters most in life, it seems fitting to reflect on how we approach our finances – not just with our heads, but with our hearts as well.
The mechanics of investing hardly inspire joy. It’s a world of fund selections, regular contributions and performance monitoring – all wrapped in numbers and charts. Investment charts don't really put a spring in your step. However, the result of investing is where the magic happens – with real-world consequences.
Consider what wealth means in real terms. It’s not about watching numbers climb on a screen; it’s about creating possibilities. Perhaps it’s that family holiday to Madrid you've been dreaming about, or the new holiday home that will enable countless memories with your grandchildren. Maybe it's finally enrolling in that sailing course you've fancied for years or making a meaningful contribution to a local charity close to your heart.
The true power of investing lies in its ability to touch the areas of life we cherish most – our relationships, experiences and the causes we're passionate about.
While monitoring charts and tracking performance metrics are necessary elements, they're merely stepping stones towards these more meaningful outcomes. After all, there’s little point in creating money and then not putting it to use.
This perspective can fundamentally alter our approach to financial decision-making. Rather than viewing every choice through the cold lens of mathematics, we can incorporate both head and heart into our deliberations.
This balanced approach has a few distinct advantages: firstly, it forces us to slow down and take stock, which helps us make better decisions. Secondly, it gets us to ask better questions. This opens our eyes and widens our horizons, which leads us to consider options we may have missed if we only focused on the charts.
Financial decisions rarely have clear-cut answers. Most situations present multiple viable paths, each with its own set of trade-offs. Almost nothing when it comes to money is black and white.
When can I stop work? Should I set up my own business? Can I help my daughter with a house deposit? I’d love to take my family to South America. When do we downsize our home? How much should I invest each month?
While these questions have traditionally been approached from the “charts” angle, each carries significant emotional weight that plays a crucial role in decision-making. So, the “heart” implications also need to be considered.
When thinking about retirement timing, for example, the decision extends beyond pension calculations to lifestyle aspirations and family considerations. Equally, the question of helping children with property deposits isn't just about affordability – it's about family dynamics and personal values.
While anyone can do this for themselves, we have found that couples, especially, gain enormous value from having an independent third party guiding them through the exercise of considering both the technical (charts) and emotional (hearts) aspects of making important financial decisions.
This external perspective often helps balance competing priorities and ensures both partners' voices are heard. It can also help to prevent emotional decisions that might feel right in the moment but could compromise long-term financial security.
Money, by its very nature, is emotional. Whether we're earning it, saving it or spending it, our feelings play a crucial role. That's why we urge you to look beyond the spreadsheets when making financial decisions. Consider the aspects that won't show up in charts but resonate deeply with your personal values and aspirations.
Think about the joy of helping a child on to the property ladder, the satisfaction of supporting a cause you believe in, or the peace of mind that comes from knowing you're financially prepared for whatever life brings.
In our experience, this approach typically leads to more satisfying outcomes and fewer regrets. Not every financial decision needs to be optimised for maximum monetary return – sometimes, the best choice is the one that brings the most joy or meaning to your life.
So remember, while the investment process might be dull, its purpose never is. It's hearts over charts, in our view – because while money is important, it's the real-life outcomes that should inspire us.
As the romance of February fades, let that be our reminder: the greatest investment decisions often come from balancing both the head and the heart, creating a future that's not just financially secure, but truly fulfilling.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (Turf) 1,000m
7.40pm: Curlin Stakes – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (D) 2,200m
8.15pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm: Al Shindagha Sprint – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Company%20profile
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Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
PRISCILLA
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