The Season for Letting Go

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Letter from the CIO

I woke up Sunday morning, October 5, and seriously considered going to the gym. The voice in the back of my head reminded me that I worked out 30 minutes yesterday and walked for 90, so instead, I found myself at the local cafe sipping a steaming cup of coffee and enjoying what I feel was our first day of fall. For crying out loud, the humidity this summer just did not want to let go of the hold on us in Atlanta, but this day was glorious. The temperature was in the 70’s and a fine mist of a rain blanketed the city all day.  

I love fall!  

I mean I really love this season so much. I like the food that fall brings, including squash, hardy greens, and the countless variations of soup one can make. I love a Beaujolais and the joy of knowing there is only one time of year you can enjoy it. And perhaps the most, I love the changing of the seasons, the color of leaves, the way the leaves on the ground give a leisurely stroll its own soundtrack, and the harvest.  

However, there was one hitch today, even though it finally felt like fall, the leaves had not yet changed colors and I was at a bit of a loss on what to do. Recently we have been working pretty long hours at Conscious Wealth and I thought, maybe a bit of silence will do me some good. I found myself at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA, a small town about 40 minutes outside the city. It is an austere building, beautiful and peaceful, with tall white walls, columns, and colorful stained glass windows with simple designs.  

Sitting there, it hit me… I found my leaves! You see, before Christianity, the animist religions (religions that see God in everything) would worship in the woods under a canopy of trees. As the sunlight poured in through the leaves, it inspired them with what they perceived to be divine light. The Christian churches took to this and wanted the same impact – and voilà – stained glass windows in churches. Jewish tradition has used light for centuries, too, and eventually adopted stained glass. Later Muslims allowed for light through colored glass or wood carved geometric shapes and windows.

The divine truth, that there is a season for everything, also applies to our financial wealth. Fall is a season of shedding and preparing for winter. No deciduous tree can choose to hang onto its leaves. And although we don’t know when we will die, I can assure you that we can’t take our money with us. Nobody explains this better in modern financial speak than Bill Perkins in his book, Die With Zero: Getting All You Can From Your Money and Your Life.  

Here is some of the wisdom drops in this book:

• Optimize for Life, Not Net Worth
  Money is not meant to be stockpiled endlessly — it is a tool. The question is not “How much can I accumulate?” but rather “How can I create meaningful experiences across my lifetime?” Perkins reframes wealth as “life ROI,” recognizing that some moments yield far greater value when pursued earlier, while energy and opportunity are abundant.

• Time Buckets
  He invites us to divide life into seasons — our 20s, 30s, 40s, and so on. In each, we can name the experiences we long for, then commit resources to bring them to life. Intention becomes the difference between “someday” and “now.”

• Die With Zero
  The goal is not to literally reach a $0 balance at life’s end. Rather, it is to steward money with such clarity that little is wasted, hoarded, or unused. Every dollar is aligned with life and legacy — not trapped by fear or inertia.

• Give While You’re Alive
  Perkins contrasts “cold giving” in a will with “warm giving” in the present. The latter allows us to see the fruits of generosity, to experience the joy of impact firsthand, and to strengthen relationships while we are still here.

• Balance Risk and Regret
  Life is always a balance between two risks: the risk of running out of money, and the risk of leaving too much behind unspent. The wisdom is in finding equilibrium, where resources serve life and regrets are few.

• Invest in Health and Relationships
  Health is “experience capital.” Without it, even the grandest plans lose their meaning. Similarly, relationships compound like true wealth. To nurture them is to invest in what gives life its richness.

Perkins’ message resonates deeply with us at Conscious Wealth: Money is not about endless accumulation but rather alignment with life. Financial Wealth reminds us to use capital intentionally, creating experiences and purpose rather than hoarding. Perspective teaches us to embrace life in seasons, avoiding the regret of delayed living. Connection comes alive through “warm giving” and investing in relationships that compound beyond dollars. And Conscious Health is the foundation because without vitality, neither adventure nor legacy can be fully lived.

So, whether you are a fall weather person or not, I wish you joy and ease in this season of the year, your life, and even the world.  

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In Abundance,  

Brandon Hatton

‍President, Chief Investment Officer

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