Written by Stacey Tisdale, On-Air Financial Journalist and Author of The True Cost of Happiness
ABC’s 20-20 is airing a segment this Friday at 10:00 PM Eastern in which they filmed one of Dr. Ted Klonz and Rick Kahler’s money workshops at their Onsite Workshops entity. I was so moved by Dr. Klonz and Rick’s work, as well as a few other financial professionals that truly ‘get’ that there is more to our financial choices than dollars and cents, that I was inspired to write a book about it. That decision has been one of the defining moments of my career and life. I am truly blessed to be able to call them mentors.
As I move deeper into my financial literacy work, I am meeting many people who acknowledge that our discussions about money must look at the ways in which things like role modeling, race, gender, emotions, psychology, etc., play out in our financial behavior. When you look at what they are teaching and what they are selling, however, very few are brave enough to actually go down this road and go deeper than the numbers. So many are locked into the very patterns that they are supposed to be lifting people out of.
Bravo to ABC’s 20/20 for realizing that this approach to money deserves national attention on one of the network’s most prominent shows. I also urge you all to find the chapter in Wynona Judd’s autobiography in which she describes how taking an honest look at what her financial choices really represented with Ted and Rick was one of the best things that she has ever done.
I urge all of you to check out this Friday’s episode of 20/20. And I promise Ted and Rick that I will continue to do all that I can to expand the national dialogue with money beyond the numbers to the real causes of the problems. It’s truly becoming a matter of ‘getting this’ or sinking for our country.
Congratulations friends on the ways in which you have made so many people’s lives better and helped them make lasting change. Thank you for opening my eyes and giving the greatest gift one person can give to another: Inspiration!
