Stoicism searches for two things:

1. A fulfilling life of happiness, and;
2. Transcendence to a better state of being

The goal of inner peace involves overcoming challenges, practicing self-control, resisting impulses, and understanding just how short our lives truly are.  Stoics meditate to comprehend and exist in the present moment.  These meditation techniques feature several amazing health benefits including reduced risk against heart attacks, better sleep, better sex, and better cognition.

Stoicism philosophy is greatly influenced by three thinkers: Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius.  Their insightful thoughts about life are truly refreshing.

1. Understand It’s All Mind Over Matter

“It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.” – Seneca

2. Shift Your Thinking

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” – Marcus Aurelius

3. Face Your Fears and Conquer Them

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” – Marcus Aurelius

4. Live Simply and Adopt a Minimalist Lifestyle

“Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realize how unnecessary many things are. We’ve been using them not because we needed them but because we had them.” – Seneca

5. Learn To Let Go Of Your Ego

“Remember, it is not enough to be hit or insulted to be harmed, you must believe that you are being harmed. If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation. Which is why it is essential that we not respond impulsively to impressions; take a moment before reacting, and you will find it easier to maintain control.” – Epictetus

6. Enjoy Time Alone

“Nothing, to my way of thinking, is a better proof of a well ordered mind than a man’s ability to stop just where he is and pass some time in his own company.” – Seneca

7. Lower Expectations and Hold Yourself Accountable

“The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today. You are arranging what is in Fortune’s control and abandoning what lies in yours.” – Seneca

8. “Maybe Someday” Doesn’t Exist; The Present Is All We Have

“Remember two things: 1. that everything has always been the same, and keeps recurring, and it makes no difference whether you see the same things recur in a hundred years or two hundred, or in an infinite period; 2. that the longest-lived and those who will die soonest lose the same thing. The present is all that they can give up, since that is all you have, and what you do not have you cannot lose.” – Marcus Aurelius

9. Focus On Others, Not Just Yourself

“Regard a friend as loyal, and you will make him loyal.” – Seneca

10. Find Your Own Way Through Life

“Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person’s own life.” – Epictetus

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Albania

You won’t find Albania on the top of many tourist destination lists.  The crowds tend to flock to Greece or beautiful Croatia, but the tiny country of Albania offers unique adventures of its own.  In Albania, you’ll
experience a mix of cultures and customs.  Explore the fascinating history behind the ancient Greek city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Hit the beach and have a drink of Korca beer as you gaze out at the Ionian Sea.  Travel through breathtaking mountain vistas, discover ruins from the Ottoman Empire, and explore this underrated gem before the tour groups start to arrive.

Colombia

While concerns over the Zika virus are warranted, Colombia presents a safe and unforgettable South American travel experience.  Tourism is heating up in the country as more travellers are drawn to its enchanting people, vibrant culture, and colorful history.  Start your journey in beautiful Cartagena and explore Colombia’s rich coffee growing traditions.  Next, visit dizzying Medellin for the best food in the region, and finish off with time of relaxation on the glittering white shores of the southern Caribbean.

Cuba

In an exciting move for warmer relations, tensions between Cuba and the United States have greatly subsided over the last two years.  International travellers have adored the island country, its people, and its music for several decades.  Investors are planning for Cuba’s bright tourism future by fuelling capital into tourism infrastructure.  Cuba promises something for every traveller, from its rich culture and history to the world-class beach resorts dotting the coastlines of Varadero or Punta Cana.  Enjoy a cocktail in the shade, ride in a 1950s taxi convertible, and learn about the dramatic revolution that swept the country many years ago.

Jordan

Jordan is not only one of the safest and most accessible travel destinations in the Middle East, but it also presents one of the most unique experiences.  The red pillars of ancient Petra are a particular standout for history buffs.  Dive in the fabled Red Sea, or hike through temperate mountains and rugged countryside.  Try to float on the mysterious Dead Sea, and maybe even spot astronaut Mark Watney on the alien landscapes of Wadi Rum, recently featured in Ridley Scott’s blockbuster The Martian.  Travel in Jordan is safe, affordable, and flexible for all kinds of travellers.

China

China presents several challenges and opportunities to make an unforgettable journey.  The country, one of the largest in the world, is filled with hidden valleys and landscapes yet unseen by foreign visitors.  Visit Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and the mountains that inspired landscapes in the movie Avatar.  The remote mystery of rural China balances well with the bustling megacities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. These cities pose challenges of their own with overcrowding, traffic, and smog pollution.  China is not for the faint of heart, but for the seasoned traveller it is an experience like no other.

Romania

Romania was once home to Transylvanian despot Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula.  The tour guides at Impaler’s castle deep in the Transylvanian forest serve tourists “blood” in the form of local red wine.  Romania is a land of mystery, but it is also a country of thrills.  Explore the medieval townships dotting the Carpathian mountains before hitting the club district in shining Bucharest, where fashion and high culture collide.  Take in the varied architecture with Romanesque, Baroque, and Gothic influences.  Head back into the wild forests to visit small villages straight out of a fairy tale.  If you want surprises in your adventures, look no further than Romania.

Sri Lanka

An island nation off the coast of India, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has experienced a boom ever since civil war hostilities ended in 2009.  First, head to Yala National Park to spot animals you won’t see anywhere else in the world.  Are you a surfing fan?  The huge waves crashing on Sri Lanka’s coastline pose a challenge for even the saltiest veteran.  Get in touch with your spiritual side by exploring the thousands of stone temples hidden deep in thick jungle.  Sri Lanka’s colonial history, lively markets, and coconut-heavy cuisine provide many opportunities to go outside your comfort zone.  Go beyond the expected with a trip to stunning Sri Lanka.

Canada

Oh, Canada.  The second largest country in the world (behind Russia), Canada is perhaps one of the most underrated travel destinations.  East to west, each province has its own particular cultural flavor to offer backpackers and tourists.  If you’re convinced that Columbus was the one to discovery North America, the spectacular Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, might change your mind.  Eat lobster and mussels by the pound on sunny, picturesque Prince Edward Island, and try your hand at deep sea fishing along the rugged coast of Nova Scotia.  Spend a few days in bustling Toronto, the most multicultural city in the world where over 3000 languages are spoken daily.  Heading west, ride along the flatlands of the Prairies before winding through the stunning lakes and forests of the Rocky Mountains.  Experience some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world at Whistler, British Columbia, before ending your trip by exploring beautiful Vancouver on the Pacific coast.

Japan

For a geographically small nation, Japan’s various regions are incredibly diverse.  First stop is Tokyo, a global metropolis where Japanese and global culture intermingle.  Explore the swiftly developing city as it ramps up for the 2020 Olympics.  Interesting fact: Tokyo and its suburbs have a greater population (37.8 million) than the entire country of Canada (35.6 million).  Take the Shinzen bullet train to the ancient volcano Mount Fuji, or explore the northern region of Hokkaido with its graceful wooden temples.  While Japan has something to offer throughout every season of the year, you won’t find a more beautiful sight than the cherry trees that blossom each May.

Nepal

Nepal is home to some of the most spectacular sights on the planet.  Picture yourself high in the fabled Himalayas hiking to a summit and scanning the world below.  Or maybe you’re trekking ancient trade routes and visiting remote mountain villages.  Or, take in the bustling city of Kathmandu and historic landmarks bordered by thick tropical jungle.  Nepal is a land of the mysterious, the diverse, and the mesmerizing.  Nepal should be your number one travel destination in 2016.

The post Top 10 Places To Travel in 2018 – Best Travel Destinations List appeared first on Gazette Review.

Fidelity: Overview

Your parents may know Fidelity as a retirement and 401(k) focused investment firm, but in 2016 the company’s offerings go far beyond long-term retirement savings platforms.  Fidelity offers competitive commissions, an intriguing selection of investments, excellent customer service, and a wealth of educational resources for both the beginner and expert traders.  Don’t expect quality to come without a price, however. Your Fidelity account requires a minimum dollar amount beyond that required by most rival platforms.  The price tag?  $2500.

That may sound like a lot, and it is.  But keep in mind the more you invest at the outset of your trading career, the more your money will accumulate interest. Think of this minimum investment as a major head start as your capital starts to appreciate.

Fidelity implements a simple, flat-fee trading commission structure.  Both stocks and options cost $7.95 to trade, and options include an extra $.75 per contract.  This price is higher than Scottrade ($7/trade) but lower than TD Ameritrade and ETRADE ($9.99/trade respectively).  The extra options contract is on par with most other platforms.

If you’re looking to stay with Fidelity for the long haul, it could pay off in a big way.  Fidelity boasts the lowest margin rates for investment assets between $500,000 and $999,999 (3.75%).  If your portfolio holds over $1 million in assets, you also save with that low 3.75%.  The nearest matching competitor is ETRADE at 4.14% and 3.89% for each asset class.  However, not all of us have that much capital in our portfolios right now.  What can Fidelity do for the average investor?

In terms of investment choices, the answer is: “A lot.”

Investment Options

Fidelity offers 85 commission-free ETFs to boost your portfolio.  While this number trails behind some other platforms, you can trust in the name.  Fidelity funds are among the most respected in the financial industry, and their performance says as much.  The company’s credit cards include several rewards features like the Rewards VISA Signature Card, which gives you a 2% cash-back bonus on every purchase.  Fidelity offers you world-class banking services to complement your brokerage account.  You can be confident you’re growing your money with a renowned firm that’s built its foundations on smart investments.

Beyond ETFs, Fidelity offers investing exposure to domestic stocks, international stocks, options, and an array of mutual funds.  Futures and forex trades are not offered, but you can explore bonds, mortgage-backed securities, and other fixed-income options like CDs (Certificates of Deposit).  If you’re not sure what some of these options are, Fidelity’s website includes a ton of background information and investing guidance.  If you’re looking to try it out, consider diving into mutual funds first to whet your appetite for a more hands-on trading experience later on.

Platform

Fidelity’s online investing platform is gorgeous.  It includes all the bells and whistles to make it feel like you’re right in the heart of action.  And it’s not all for show either.  Each chart, graphic, and streaming quote is another clue to help you grow your investment.  Try creating a “watch list” to receive alerts and automate your trading.  Calculate your odds of success with the probability calculator and profit-and-loss calculator.

One area where Fidelity really shines is its mobile-friendly interface.  You can make trades on your iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Phone with the same ease and flow as a laptop computer.  The app is like a window to the stock market right in your hand, with live quotes, real-time market updates, and the ability to make trades with the touch of a finger.

Education and Research Materials

Even if it’s not on your radar yet, saving for retirement is a huge investment goal.  It’s also a necessary goal, especially in today’s uncertain economic environment.  Whatever your retirement goal is, you can rely on Fidelity to help make it happen.  The platform includes educational materials about retirement planning to help you save early, and save often.  For smaller time horizons, the materials cover several topics including market research reports, tax tips, and live online workshops.

If you’re looking for more personal consultations about your investments, you can speak to an advisor face-to-face at an investment center or Fidelity branch.  If you’re on the go, the online help and support system is more than enough.  For the tech-savvy investor, Fidelity makes it easy to teach yourself as you go.  The platform includes a virtual tour to familiarize yourself with the layout, FAQs for your quick questions, and you can always reach out to customer service professionals by email, phone, or instant messaging.
In this reviewer’s experience, the instant messaging service was prompt, friendly, and, most importantly, helpful. Ask anyone about Fidelity’s highlights, and they’re bound to talk about the platform’s research capabilities.

Fidelity is known for its investment research, and it pulls no punches here.  Your account provides access to all the market research you could read in a lifetime.  Fidelity collects this information from over 20 research firms, and then organizes these datasets for you to plan your next investing steps.  No wonder why Fidelity investors are so well informed when they have so much reference material.  If you want to research an equity, you can find an Equity Summary Score for each company coupled with 12 third-party reports, and six research reports for ETFs. That’s more reports than any other broker.

While the research from 20+ firms collected by Fidelity is all available to you, it’s a lot for one person to process.  Instead, try the short quiz to determine your investment style.  From there, a scorecard evaluates which source you can most trust for sound financial research.

Other Features

In summer 2015, Fidelity wrapped the beta launch of its new stock screener tool and began implementing it full steam ahead on the platform.  The screener helps you, the investor, choose which stocks are the best fit for your risk profile.  The filter options allow you to set your own standards.  When you select the stocks filtered by the screening system, you can be confident these are the right investments for you.

With all these options and research materials, you may be worried that Fidelity is too bulky for the average investor.  I had similar concerns, but these were quickly relieved when I realized how easy it is to navigate and use the trading platform.  Fidelity has obviously invested in itself with this app.  It’s modern, updated website is a fresh relief from its old trading platform that was marred by many in the industry.  Since then, the people at Fidelity have really stepped up their game.

THE PROS

Impressive mobile trading app
User-friendly trading platform
Excellent 24/7 customer service
Extensive market research resources

THE CONS

Features cater more to high-volume traders
Steep minimum investment amount

THE LOWDOWN

Fidelity Investments is a trusted brokerage with a strong international presence.  Investing with Fidelity comes with the additional perks of more research and a sleek, positive trading experience.  In those aspects, Fidelity stands above its competitors.  With 16 million clients, Fidelity is obviously doing something right.

Young or low-volume investors may find alternative online brokers with lower minimum investment requirements.  However, you certainly get what you pay for.  Fidelity’s trading platform, customer service, and commitment to excellence make it a standout choice for the long-term investor.

The post Fidelity Online Broker Review – 2018 Update appeared first on Gazette Review.

TD AMERITRADE: OVERVIEW

You can sign up for TD Ameritrade with a $0 account minimum.  That’s right, there is no minimum investment amount required to sign up.  You can peruse the platform’s features without committing any of your hard-earned cash.  However, you’ll definitely want to invest with TD Ameritrade.  Here’s why.

Where Ameritrade really stands out is its investment options.  Choose from over 100 commission-free ETFs (exchange traded funds) designed by Morningstar, an independent investment research firm respected across the financial industry.  The ETF funds give investors exposure to stocks, bonds, international funds, commodity funds, and decent expense ratios.  If you’re not familiar with ETFs, think of them as a big basket holding lots of different eggs.  ETFs track an index (such as the S&P 500, for example) and then try to beat it.  You could create a diversified ETF portfolio in a very short amount of time with TD Ameritrade, and you can trade these funds commission free.  However, keep in mind you must hold your ETF for at least 30 days, or else you’ll be knocked with a short-term trading fee at $19.99.

TD Ameritrade also offers the Premier List, which is a group of mutual funds also backed by Morningstar.  The list recommends funds out of 45 different options.  The great thing about the Premier List is that your trades have no transaction fees.

Ameritrade offers two full-service choices for trading platforms: Trade Architect, and thinkorswim.  These complementary platforms really make your investing experience fun, intuitive, and daresay easy.  That’s because thinkorswim, recently acquired by TD Ameritrade, was revamped this year to provide a better user experience.  This platform allows investors to plan detailed strategies and analyze risk/reward across different investing options.  Ameritrade’s second platform, Trade Architect, offers advanced features including a streaming feed of daily financial news.  For smartphone traders, the Mobile Trader app includes features of both thinkorswim and Trade Architect for easy investing on the go.

Hands down, try TD Ameritrade if only for its fantastic customer service.  Whether you’re a savvy investor or a complete newbie, Ameritrade offers 24/7 support by phone, email, and live chat.  You can also visit your local TD branch for in-person advice.  It can be daunting to take up investing on your own, so having that support network to fall back on is great for peace of mind.

Ameritrade is also an excellent educational tool.  You can find educational materials, articles, and online seminars that teach you everything you need to know about personal finance.  Are you saving for retirement, or maybe for a vacation?  Try out the platform’s calculators to prepare for any investment goal.  The included planning tools and calculators help you prepare for any life stage.

It’s hard not to learn while investing with TD Ameritrade.  That’s because the service comes fully loaded with all the information you need.  Interested in Apple stock?  Type in the ticker name (AAPL) and you can instantly see charts about the company’s earnings, valuation, analyst reports, and more.  That’s standard fare for online investing platforms, but Ameritrade’s interface is like eye candy compared to its competitors.

So remember how TD Ameritrade is supposedly expensive?  It may not seem that way yet, and that’s because Ameritrade has some excellent options that are entirely no-cost.  If you want to play the Wall Street hotshot and pick stocks, you’ll have to cough up some dough.  Each stock trade costs $9.99.  The online help is free, but if you require assistance from a broker, be prepared to pay an additional $44.99 per trade.  Compare that to Fidelity or Charles Schwab, where trades go for around $8 and assistance costs just $25.

THE PROS
Wide range of investment options
User-friendly trading platform
Excellent 24/7 customer service
Educational – learn as you invest

THE CONS
Expensive trading fees

THE LOWDOWN

The $0 minimum investment amount means that anyone can take a look at Ameritrade and see if it’s right for them.  Once you explore the investment options and see the learning resources available, you may have found your way into independent, online investing.  And if you have any questions, TD’s excellent customer service staff are ready to help.

Ameritrade isn’t for stock pickers, especially if you’re a new investor without a lot of cash reserves.  Try the ETF options first, develop your portfolio, and learn as you invest.  Turns out you don’t need to work on Wall Street or even have a financial advisor to play the market.  TD Ameritrade lets you do it on your laptop anytime, anywhere.

The post TD Ameritrade Review – Updated for 2018 appeared first on Gazette Review.