Investing With Your Heart With Amida Wealth
At Amida Wealth we operate from the heart, and often emphasize the importance of our soul. We encourage all of our clients to connect to their soul and seek their inner truth. In other words, we magnify the importance of our inner truth because it is connected to our heart.
When we live connected to our heart, we are more in touch with our authentic self. Overall, we become less influenced by external factors. External factors such as; societal norms and other people’s opinions. Instead, we learn to tune into our own intuition. Decisions come from harmony and alignment, as we continue to connect with our deepest values and desires. As our desires become more clear, so will the intentions behind all of our actions. Above all, we will make investment decisions that serve our highest good.
Invest With Your Heart
Now more than ever, many individuals believe that return on investment shouldn’t be the only criterion for how they invest their money. For them, the social impact of investing is just as important – perhaps more important. This is a beautiful sentiment revealing that, as humans, we are naturally designed to connect to our hearts. This world is a beautiful place!
The history of socially responsible investing stretches as far back as the mid-18th century. However, its more-modern form began taking shape in the 1960s, amidst the fight for civil rights and the emerging Vietnam War protests. More than $17 trillion is managed under sustainable and responsible investing principles. This includes mutual funds, endowments, and even venture capital funds.
There is a yogic term “prana flows where our attention goes”. Prana refers to life-force energy. By putting our energy and attention towards a positive cause, we create a lasting legacy for what we do want to create. Sometimes investing with our heart is about everyday living. To be conscious about the things we invest in daily. For example: our relationships, everyday purchases, the soap that we use, and the clothing brands we support. Are those in line with our belief systems? Perhaps, if we believe is less-waste, we incorporate more recycled products and containers into our lives. We can support eco-friendly dish soap brands like Dr. Bronner’s. Start at home — sometimes it’s not just investing in companies, but also shifting to a more conscious approach to everyday life.
A heart-centered investing approach has the potential to drastically expand our wealth energy. This is also known as Socially Responsible Investing.
What Is “Socially Responsible Investing?”
Socially responsible investing (SRI) is an investment approach that takes into consideration both financial returns and social/environmental impact. Investors who engage in socially responsible investing may seek to invest in companies that align with their values and beliefs. This investment discipline is usually characterized by a set of principles that govern how investments are selected. One widely used framework includes environmental, social, and corporate governance criteria (ESG).
What is ESG?
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It is a framework that evaluates a company’s operations and performance based on these three categories. Environmental factors include a company’s impact on the natural environment, such as its carbon emissions or waste management practices. Social factors include the company’s impact on people, such as its labor practices or community relations. Governance factors include the company’s management structure, board diversity, and executive compensation.
ESG criteria are used by investors, analysts, and stakeholders to evaluate a company’s sustainability and ethical practices. The use of ESG criteria is becoming increasingly important as investors seek to align their investments with their values and support companies that are making positive contributions to society and the environment.
Heart Centered Leaders
“Heart-centered women investors” refers to women who invest with a focus on both financial return and making a positive impact on society or the environment. These investors prioritize companies and ventures that align with their values and seek to create social and environmental change through their investment decisions.
In honor of Womens History Month, Amida would like to honor 3 powerful women in the heart-centered investment space:
- Mellody Hobson: Mellody Hobson is the co-CEO of Ariel Investments, one of the largest African-American owned investment firms in the US. She is also a strong advocate for financial literacy and diversity in the workplace.
- Cindy Padnos: Cindy Padnos is the founder and managing partner of Illuminate Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies with female founders. She has been a vocal advocate for women in technology and entrepreneurship.
- Jackie VanderBrug: Jackie VanderBrug is the head of sustainable and impact investment strategy at Bank of America. She is also the co-author of the book Gender Lens Investing: Uncovering Opportunities for Growth, Returns, and Impact.
These are just a few examples of female investors who approach investing from a heart-centered perspective. There are many more women out there who are using their investment strategies to make a positive impact on the world.
Amida Wealth Family Conversations
At your next family or friends gathering share this blog! Do your family and friends know about Social Responsible Investing, and ESG? Perhaps, open up a dialogue for this topic. Is this something they are excited about? More people should be discussing the importance of where we choose to place our energy. In what ways do your family and friends invest in their daily life? What choices align with their greatest beliefs? In other words, we create our future, and as we do so, we continuously expand our wealth. Share your wealth energy with those that you love! Encourage the people around you to thrive.
Final Thoughts
At Amida Wealth our fivefold elements of wealth are: health, career, finances, relationships, and personal growth. Wealth is not one thing; wealth is a mindset. As a result, it is essential that we incorporate meaningful discussions about investments into our lives. What future are we creating? Most importantly, are we aware of the resources and possibilities available to us? How are we consciously investing in our everyday lives? From the clothes we wear, to the relationships we develop. Invest in your mind, body, and soul the Amida way. Be sure to check out our blog about The soul of investing. Remember that Amida is always one phone call and email away!
