Are you like me when it comes to change and uncertainty? Both nervous and excited at the same time? Change can be a wonderful thing, but also extremely daunting and confusing - especially when it comes to changing a service provider or trusted advisor.
Protecting your financial future needs to trump any fear or inertia you might be battling. When dealing with money, making changes for the better - no matter how scary - needs to be something you address with confidence.
And when it comes to changing financial advisors, I have some useful guidance to share - and some surprisingly good wisdom from my optometrist. Yes, you read that right. Your eyes are not deceiving you… unless you need to see your own optometrist.
Keep Your Eyes and Your Mind Open to Change
If you’ve seen me crying lately or wearing sunglasses indoors, don’t worry. I am not losing it. I had a weird problem with my eyes.
I am just back from the optometrist office, equal parts exhilarated and exhausted. Turns out I have something called “lens adherence syndrome”. After 33 years of wearing rigid gas permeable (aka hard) contact lenses, my left eye has rebelled like a toddler at bedtime.
At first, I was terrified. I imagined reverting back to wearing my Coke-bottle glasses, because this is what I looked like when I did:
Ugh. I did not want to lose my ability to wear contact lenses. But clearly my current contacts weren’t working for me anymore.
My doctor gave this hopeful option:
“Mindy, you have two choices. You can either stay with your current contacts and we will make some adjustments. It will likely not work as well for your eyes. The other option is to switch to soft contact lenses.”
The doctor explained there would be a period of adjustment and lots of trial and error. That it might be painful. But he also said I would be WAY more comfortable long term.
Hmmmmmm. Soft contacts? I’ve kind of wondered before if those might be BETTER for me...
Knowing When the Time Is Right to Make a Change
Maybe you’ve felt the proverbial twitch in your eye when you’ve outgrown your current financial advisor. Maybe you are looking for an approach that “fits” you better. Maybe something has happened in your life that makes you see this relationship in a different light.
Look, I know it’s not the same. Contacts don’t have ‘feelings’. It’s not awkward when you have to say goodbye to them because it’s not working. You don’t sit in their office and discuss your portfolio. Your contacts are not your brother-in-law’s college roommate. Change can feel painful when it involves other humans.
But some of the underlying emotions are the same. The same anxiety about something new and different can creep into your brain. And the same potential long-term benefits await you on the other side.
My eye doctor told me I have a “unique prescription”. As someone who is far-sighted with astigmatism, I am a major outlier in the contact lens bell curve. Therefore, my needs are unique and different. And not only do I need soft contacts, but a special kind that is tailored to me.
Embrace the Change with Confidence
We’ve all been guilty of staying in a problematic relationship far past its expiration date. But working with the wrong financial advisor can have serious consequences when it comes to your financial future.
When you’re ready to begin the search for a new financial advisor, use these questions to find an advisor that is tailored to YOU. It’s okay to change if it’s not working, even if they’ve been around for 30 years.
And if you think Truman Wealth might be a good fit for your needs, I’d welcome the chance to chat with you. Schedule a conversation here or send me an email to find out if I might have a unique financial prescription for a new phase in your life.
I’ll be “seeing” you soon, I hope.