Dream Book

This is for my friend Kim.

How do you know what your hopes and dreams are? Well, you know what they are but you rarely document them.

The Story
My friend Bobbi recommended her financial planner Phil. I knew I needed one but never knew how to find one, after all I’m not a millionaire. I DO know that Gilbert, my accountant had been yelling at me for years to start a 529 plan for my kids college, and I just never did. Coincidentally, my horoscope that day said I would find financial help -- that was the very day, Bobbi happened to mention her planner Phil, and the rest is history.

Phil is an Ameriprise Financial Planner. He gave me a little spiral book called “The Dream Book” – a tool they use to define your dreams, so you know how to save for them. These types of books are a chore, but I liked the pictures in the book and wanted to go to all the places they showed. I started to list my dreams and of course the first is to see the 7 natural wonders of the world. The book said many people have a goal of going on an African Safari during retirement. This made me think. Why do I have to wait for retirement to see all seven of the 7 Wonders of the World? If I really saved right, why couldn't’t I knock one off each year for the next seven years? Yay!!!!!!! So excited. That’s what I’m going to do and nothing is going to stop me.

What a great feeling. Realized this little book put me on top of the world and empowered me to know I can do the things I want to do. I talked to Phil about this……….as well as college for the two kids (which really should be the priority over any travel).

Fast forward, several months later and Phil has introduced me to the CMO of the company Kim Sharan. What a great lady, I meet her for the first time and already know we will be friends for a long time because we have the same drive and passion and energy and smarts and love for our kids. Don’t most parents bank all of their hopes and dreams on their kids? I tell Kim about my dreams and she smiles because she knows the book has worked, and has helped an Ameriprise Client act upon and fulfill their dreams. I told her how the company’s philosophy really resonated with me personally and I became her focus group of one.

The Update
So far I’ve seen the Grand Canyon and Angel’s Falls. Each year though I’ve expanded my list of the Natural Wonders of the World—they are not limited to seven. I hope I live a long time. Kid #1 is in his 3rd year at BU with grad school in mind. Kid #2………will be a sr in hs this September. The 2011 trip will be a cruise to Patagonia to walk on the glaciers.