Discover & Learn

Last Weekend, was a bright and sunny Saturday, full of exciting activities! As a Fort McMurray resident, I have been enjoying the Gregoire Lake as a little get away, every now and then. Finally I had a chance to give back to the community and the nature, volunteering with the Wet and Wild Diving Society of Fort McMurray. We cleaned up the beach and under water as well. After all the clean ups, we had a standing ovation from people at the beach! Before I left the lake, I felt the fresh air from the lake embrace me, like it always did when I was a little kid. I am thankful to give back to nature and enjoy the clear blue sky, green grass and the warm sand along with tiny little waves in the azure blue water! It is a privilege as always!

Volunteering always makes me full of joy and and life. Some days, I feel the universe gives me back thousand folds of love and care in lieu of tiny little bit of the same from me. Last Saturday was one such day! After spending a wonderful two hours, cleaning up the lake in the morning, I came and joined friends and co workers at the Pride Festival. Pride is a celebration of our identities, a testament to our resilience, and an ongoing fight for full equality. We celebrated our diverse community and the unique contributions each of us bring! Those two hours at the festival, enriched my life, my knowledge and filled my heart with joy! I am so proud to be a part of the Pride, volunteering with RBC!

When I first came to Canada, many years ago, I met a Pre School teacher. She was an Elder in the community. Knowing that I was new to the country, she invited me to sit in her class with a bunch of pre schoolers. She was teaching those kids the meaning of Diversity in Culture. She brought in a hand made Tapestry of vibrant colors, and intense needle work. It was warm, soft and beautiful. She said it was warm and lovely because the individual threads came together, held hands, stayed together and built this beautiful Tapestry. Nothing could explain Multiculturalism better. Multiculturalism is about celebrating the richness that different cultures bring, from food to traditions to perspectives. When we learn from one another, we grow stronger, more compassionate and more understanding. Here is to a more inclusive world, where we break down barriers and embrace diversity ! Here is to a world where every voice is heard and every culture is valued! I am so proud to be a part of a truly multicultural team at our RBC family!

Today, I want to talk about Prospect Theory and my life around this theory! In the world of investing, prospect theory suggests that we might sell a winning investment too quickly out of fear of losing our gains or hold onto a losing stock for too long because we don’t want to "lock in" a loss. The theory suggests that it's not always about what makes the most sense on paper; it’s about how we feel about our money the risks we’re willing to take. .In the world of investment, this asymmetry is known as loss aversion When I was in middle and high school, I was a bit chubby. Body shaming was not a known word at that time. I was regularly bullied on how "different" I look from the girl sitting next to me in class. My attempts to be a part of any sports, hence was always clouded by this "Prospect Theory". Such a big girl, can never compete in any sports, was the general idea. I never started to run long races until I was in my 40s. And here I am, posing with a Finisher's Medal at a Marathon race! I have run a full marathon of 42.2 Kilometers or 26.2 miles. I have tasted the sweet success of finishing the race and be the elite 3% of the entire world population, who finished a Marathon. Only, that I was a late participant in the game. That fear of "I am a big girl, hence I will not complete the race" was a big example of Loss aversion. My Twin sister on the other hand has a different version of the same theory. She taught me to do divisions in Kindergarten. She loved to read Comic books, enjoy nature, take a sneak peek at birds building nests and was least interest in academics. She barely passed her exams in junior and high school. She never even attempted to look at her own strength, because she was scared to look past her fear of examinations. Today she is holds a PhD degree and teaches Law at a reputed school. She recently wrote an article saying "Pain of losing feels worse than the joy of winning". Both my twin and I have taken a solemn oath to help people look further, beyond the fear of loss aversion. When you look past your fear, remember, the joy of winning is always ever lasting.