Just after midnight on New Year's Day of 2012, I was standing in a pizzeria in New York with my wife Carissa. We had just watched "The Ball" drop in Times Square. Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" was playing over loudspeakers. Confetti was in the air. Spirits were high. And I was filled with gratitude and hope for the year ahead.

Then I happened to see an email from my mother come in on my phone. What it said confused and worried me. I showed the email to Carissa, and she confirmed my reaction: "It is clear your mother is telling you goodbye."

On today's show, I discuss how this experience changed my life, as well as my approach to financial advisory and building community at Keen Wealth Advisors.