My best year yet

I’m healthy, healed and happy.

My first time in Jamaica on my 40th birthday.

On this day last year, I was sitting in a jacuzzi off the coast of Jamaica.

It was my 40th birthday, and I treated myself to my first cruise.

I have so many memories from my five-day voyage, which also stopped in the Cayman Islands. The experience was worth the wait. But I’ll always remember when three young ladies joined me in the jacuzzi that day despite the cloudy skies and afternoon drizzle. They were friendly, fresh-eyed twentysomethings, college kids having the time of their lives.

After a few minutes sharing the same space, one finally turned to me and politely asked if I was alone. I told the ladies yes, to which the questioner peered at me quizzically and responded, ‘I’m sorry. Are you happy?’ I laughed on the inside. Then I responded the way I typically do now whenever someone asks how I’m doing.

“Never better,” I said.

They ended up singing me happy birthday. That’s how my 41st year started.

I’m happy to say that from that day on the deck of that cruise ship my life has only gotten better. This past year has been by far my best yet, and every day I can’t believe how blessed I am.

But I know this past year has been a joy because I decided to take back control.

I’ve had other years that offered milestones and memorable occasions. Graduating from high school, then college four years after that. The birth of my precious daughter Parker. A few career achievements. But on the whole, no 12-month window can touch my last 365 days.

The peace I carry is a feeling I wish everyone could experience. To a degree, it’s a choice. In June, I shared with you 10 actionable steps that have helped me have a happier life. Oddly enough, this span didn’t include one big, celebratory moment.

Instead, my latest spin around the sun showed me how a little discipline and consistency go a long way. It proved to me the perks of choosing to sacrifice in the short term and opting for delayed gratification over instant gratification. It took me too long to realize the payoffs aren’t anywhere near the same.

My victories over the past year weren’t isolated events. They were a culmination of years of effort. I emerged from divorce debt this year, but that was an eight-year process in which my last obligation took me three years to pay. I enjoy serenity now, but way back at the start of the pandemic I discovered my most peaceful activity is walking.

Sitting in the jacuzzi aboard my first cruise on my 40th birthday.

But I took inventory of my behavior like never before over the past year. I grew more intentional than ever about my health and wealth. I turned off mindless entertainment and began educating myself about money. I hit the gym consistently and lost weight but gained clarity. I even cut back on drinking and stopped scarfing down so much pizza.

The truth is I’m not big on birthdays, particularly mine. I don’t need to wait a year to celebrate. I’m thankful for each day. And I grew out of needing others to celebrate me around 13, although I still appreciate any efforts that are made.

My 40th was a big deal, though, in part because I never thought I’d see it, and I’m proud of the man I’ve become. I made a concerted effort to treat myself last year. This year, I’m focused solely on advancement within this journey toward financial freedom.

Vacations can wait.

I’m on a five-year plan to get rich and kick open the gates that lead to generational wealth. Year one just concluded. There’s much work to be done to succeed in my mission.

Really, I’m looking forward to 50. Parker will be graduating high school, and the groundwork I’m laying for her today will start to become apparent. By then, every process I’ve put in place should be running smoothly and delivering steady cash flow.

I also hope to be fluent in Spanish at 50. My goal was to be fit at 40, and now I want to be fit and fluent in Spanish at 50. I had a 56-day streak of Spanish lessons going on Duolingo before a loss of Wifi on my birthday cruise ended it. By the time I regained a signal, my attention was on money. Spanish lessons became an afterthought.

When I began taking my finances seriously, however, everything else in my life started to make sense.

Want to learn more about yourself? Start a money goal. It could be spending less, saving more or investing into something. You’ll find out a lot about who you are based on your behavior.

By growing intentional about every dollar, I’ve gained a clear understanding of who I am, what I’m about and where I’m going. And I no longer allow anything or anyone to interrupt that, including myself.

I already know my 42nd year will be even better.