Robyn Thompson Money

Have you ever heard of an Awe List?
It’s simple.

You make a list of moments that made you feel completely alive, not just happy.

But alive.

Moments that stretched time.
Moments that made everything else fade into the background.

Maybe it’s standing at the top of a mountain.

Watching a storm roll in from miles away.

Or sitting in silence with someone who knows you so well that words feel unnecessary.

That’s your Awe List.
But most people stop adding to it somewhere along the way.

Because life gets busy, responsibilities start stacking up.

And awe becomes something we visit instead of something we live in.

We tell ourselves we’ll go back to it when things slow down.

But awe doesn’t wait for perfect timing.

Awe heals, and it expands.
It brings you back to what matters.

So this month, choose one moment from your list and make it happen.
Not someday. Now.

Because at the end of it all, you won’t remember the deadlines you met.

You’ll remember the moments that made your heart feel infinite.

When I was a kid, I dreamed of the places I would go. Dreamed of what I would see.

Travel is a funny thing. It's like an episode of a movie: You walk into a building, get on a plane, fly through the clouds, land, leave, and experience another world. New people, new tastes, new smells, new pillows, and street signs in languages you can't read.

Then you reverse it all—back to the building, back on the plane, back out of the building to your home.

But you are different. Changed somehow by the people, the experiences, the expansion of wonder. And you bring it back and carry it with you. It's a gift.

Travel doesn't just change your geography—it changes your capacity. Every new place you visit expands your ability to adapt, to connect, to see possibilities where you once saw barriers.

When you drop into unfamiliar spaces, you discover parts of yourself that only emerge when everything around you is new. You become more resourceful, more curious, more confident in your ability to figure things out.

The conversations you have with strangers in foreign places? They stay with you. The problem-solving when nothing goes according to plan? That becomes your superpower back home.

You carry the confidence of someone who has stood in places they once only dreamed of. You speak with the authority of someone who has tasted life beyond their comfort zone.

Travel teaches you that the world is both bigger and smaller than you imagined. Bigger in wonder, smaller in the human connections that transcend language and culture.

The version of you that returns from that journey will be carrying gifts you can't even imagine yet.

Wheels up. Go explore and expand. It will change your life and career in ways you never expected.

The world is waiting for you to take up space in it. 🌍

Let's be real—recent market volatility has been a sobering reminder of why we can't just "set it and forget it" with our investments.

But here's what I've learned from my latest conversation: sometimes the best strategy is actually the simplest one.
I sat down with Erin Allen, Director of Online Distribution at BMO Global Asset Management, and we tackled some tough questions about navigating this volatility:

How do you get true global diversification without losing sleep over 47 different holdings?

What happens when automatic rebalancing kicks in during market chaos (spoiler: it's pretty brilliant)?

Can you actually get professional portfolio management for just 0.18% in fees while supporting a Canadian brand?

Erin's insights on BMO's Asset Allocation ETFs were refreshing. We dove into how these all-in-one solutions are helping Canadian investors cut through the noise and focus on what really matters—staying disciplined when emotions want to take the wheel.

The conversation reminded me why sometimes the most sophisticated strategy is having a simple, well-designed plan that works even when markets don't cooperate.

Watch our full discussion: Video Link in Bio

I'm building quite the lineup of conversations with industry leaders who are making investing more accessible. More coming soon!

Leaving the Otolaryngology department today after nerve block injection #3, and I'm reflecting on what it means to fight for what you need when your livelihood depends on it.

I've been battling laryngeal spasms and neuropathic cough for years now—two conditions that, as you can imagine, are particularly terrifying when you speak for a living.

The reality of these conditions:

Laryngeal spasms cause sudden, involuntary closure of the vocal cords, making it impossible to breathe or speak. Neuropathic cough is a persistent, dry cough caused by nerve hypersensitivity—it can strike without warning and derail any speaking engagement. But I find a way and always show up and deliver using tools and techniques I have learned along the way.

For someone who builds their career on their voice, this feels like the ultimate cruel irony.

But here's what I've learned: There is always a way forward if you're courageous enough to ask the questions until you get the answers.

When multiple doctors told me "there's not much we can do," I didn't accept that as the final word. I researched specialists, sought second opinions, and kept advocating for myself.

Today's nerve block treatment is part of a comprehensive approach that many patients never learn about because they stop asking questions too soon.

The lesson isn't about my specific condition—it's about resilience when facing your worst-case scenario:

✓ Don't accept the first "no" as definitive
✓ Become your own best advocate
✓ Research specialists who understand your unique situation
✓ Ask questions until you find someone with answers
✓ Stay curious about emerging treatments

This journey has taught me that our greatest professional assets can become our most vulnerable points. But vulnerability doesn't mean defeat—it means getting creative about solutions.

If you are facing a health challenge : Keep asking questions. Keep seeking answers.

Not all assets live on a spreadsheet. Thank you Phil M Jones for this one.

Some of the most powerful ones live inside us.

✨ Visibility—being willing to be seen, even when I’d rather hide.
✨ Credibility—built one promise kept, one delivery at a time.
✨ Authenticity—letting the real me lead, not just the polished version.
✨ Availability—creating space for connection, growth, and what matters most.

These aren’t buzzwords. They’re the quiet, compounding forces behind every opportunity I’ve earned.

I think of them as the real assets under management.

And like any portfolio, they need consistent deposits: time, intention, and trust in the long game.

Because how we manage ourselves directly impacts what we’re capable of creating.