#038 - The Wealthy Journalist
Finding Inner Peace.
Don’t want to read? No problem! You can listen to me reading the article to you by clicking the play button above.
Welcome to the 38th edition of The Wealth Letters, a crowdsourced collection of writings from people of all walks of life, on how to find “enoughness” (the state of being & having enough) in a noisy world.
The manifesto is a great place to start to better understand the who, what, & why of The Wealth Letters before reading the collection.
The following is a letter written by Matthew Gutierrez on September 17th, 2024 to his future children (and his younger self), outlining memories & reflections that have shaped how he chooses to live a life with intentionality; with the hope of passing along his findings on finding inner peace, love, and calmness.
About Matthew Gutierrez
Matthew Gutierrez is a writer, editor, & journalist who writes about fostering calmness in his newsletter, Inner Peace, which he started in 2021.
In addition to his newsletter, his stories have appeared in the pages of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sarasota Magazine, and the Washington Post, among others.
Matthew wrote about college basketball at The Athletic, the sports publication, before working as a senior writer at Fundstrat Global Advisors, a Wall Street equity research boutique. He has written about interesting people ranging from a bartender who works 50-hour weeks to run a school in Nicaragua to students at a Harlem Lacrosse program to a Native American lacrosse stick maker.
A native of Princeton, New Jersey, Matthew graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in finance and journalism, and is married to his soulmate, Ally.
Finding Inner Peace
By: Matthew Gutierrez
September 17th, 2024
To my future children (and my younger self),
Several years ago, a former neighbor died unexpectedly while he was walking his dog. What I remember most about him were not things like the car he drove or what clothes he wore. I remember how, when we saw each other by the mailbox or trash bins at the end of our driveways, he’d smile and wave, ask how school was going, or how my baseball team was playing. I also remember the winter mornings when he had shoveled our driveway without us ever asking. That’s what became foremost in my thoughts.
Let that guide us all about how we want to live and how we want to be remembered. Ditto with another deceased former neighbor, whom I remember for her big laugh and smile and all of the kind words she said about me, my mother, and the people we were becoming. The lesson here: Do not hesitate to perform kind acts toward yourself and others, because we all have a fundamental need to love and be loved. Among my many regrets through my life’s first 27 years, I wish I had done more to include the kids who were bullied or cast aside at school. Like author George Saunders, I regret failures of kindness. Ultimately, we all want to be accepted, cared for, and welcomed.
Another memory: The night before Thanksgiving 2017, I was covering a basketball game, and well after the game had ended, only two people remained: me and another writer, Mike Waters, who must have known I was a college student on campus for the holiday break. As we were packing up, he asked if I wanted to visit his house the following day for Thanksgiving dinner. I politely declined — my mom was visiting the next day — but it was one of the kindest offers I’d received.
This is to say what spiritual leader Ram Dass once said, “We are all just walking each other home.” We’re on this stunning blue planet, this magical place, together to support and love one another before our time is up. “We’re here for a little window,” the writer Brian Doyle has said, “and to use that time to catch and share shards of light and laughter and grace seems to me the great story.” May that sentiment drive us to love harder, be kinder, reach out to friends, repair relationships where we can, tip well, laugh a bit, smile, and try to be the reason someone feels seen or supported.
Indeed, that is the great story.
***
Stress and anxiety can get the best of us, myself included. What helps me calm down the mind? The power of the breath, exercise, and plenty of time out of doors in the fresh air, while celebrating little luxuries like clean sheets, fresh coffee, and a great sweat following a workout. (Please take care of your mind and body like your life depends on it, because it does.)
I encourage you to write handwritten letters to people. Anything can be an art if done mindfully and carefully, from washing dishes and folding clothes to driving, cooking, and making things around the house.
Dreams and goals can guide us, but please do not rush or wish your life away. Case in point: Around first grade, I remember taking a break with a friend by the water fountain and telling him something like, “I can’t wait to grow up and be an adult.” Then a nearby custodial worker chimed in, without hesitation, saying something about how we should savor our childhood as much as possible. The years do fly by.
There is no true life path or purpose; we all wander through the wilderness on our own paths and timelines. A beautiful life is one where you hold doors for others and where, when someone gets interrupted, you circle back to say, “What were you saying?” Constantly try to see the good in a circumstance and the best in other people. “Practice kindness all day to everybody,” Jack Kerouac said, “and you will realize you're already in heaven now.”
***
“That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet.” ~Emily Dickinson
We all have doubts and fears, and they make us human. For all that he accomplished, Leonardo Da Vinci wondered in his notebooks, “Tell me if ever I did a thing.” So go a little easy on yourself. Keep a journal throughout your lifetime to record the ordinary moments and incredible miracles. Write about your worst days, your best days, and everything in between. Try to measure these precious days not only by “what did I get done?” but also by “whom did I help?”
Know that the “good old days” are likely unfolding right now — not just in the past clouded by nostalgia. Love others and the world with every fiber of your being, for everything and everyone we’ve ever loved will one day be gone. Stay active and move plenty — we weren’t built to sit on couches and stare at screens all day. At the same time, it’s OK to take your foot off the gas, be content, and leave money on the table.
We live in a world our grandparents didn’t think possible; our ancestors would marvel at our paradise.
Why rush? To reach another to-do list? Another year? Ultimately, death awaits.
Compliments put fuel in peoples’ tanks. Buy beers for the kitchen staff, tip the sanitation worker, and leave flowers for your neighbor — do stuff like that.
Your life task? Some people say it’s simply to enjoy the passage of time. I agree. We weren’t alive for billions of years, and we will be dead for a lot longer than we’ll live. Why not have fun, befriend yourself, create beautiful art, and project love?
Remember, you have a big heart capable of so much love. A cluttered, anxious mind doesn’t negate that. Life is right now, and most thoughts are temporary visitors, just clouds floating in the sky.
***
This note is already a bit all over the place, so I’ll end with this: Some of my regrets over the past 27 years include losing touch with old friends, hurrying, not always telling others how I truly feel, not always prioritizing health and fitness and mental peace, not taking the time to smell the roses, and failing to believe in myself.
When you are very young, learn a foreign language (and an instrument or two). Discover the value of rest, breaks, nature, and delicious food. Learn to cook for yourself, then for others. Learn to use tools and work with your hands. Learn to clean a house nicely and organize your possessions, though realize that you don’t need many items for lasting happiness and inner peace. And if you can help it, don’t work a vapid job that merely pays bills; pursue a career that ignites you and contributes meaningfully to our world.
May this inspire you to live a beautiful life and celebrate your gifts.
With all my love,
Matthew
Resources:
Matthew’s newsletter: Inner Peace
SHOUT-OUTS
Thank you to Matthew Gutierrez for being willing to write such lovely piece for The Wealth Letters. I subscribe to Matthew’s newsletter, Inner Peace, and appreciate his reflections & meditations on how he is navigating finding a life of peace and calmness in a noisy world.
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I look forward to hearing from you!
Jordan
Thanks for this wonderful letter to your future children (and younger self) Matthew!!
This was beautifully heart warming