I dropped some balls

but the world kept on turning

In 2025, I wrote over an article a week. I grew my business from 0.

In 2026, I’ve helped prepare over 800 tax returns, sprained my ankle, and survived the first trimester of pregnancy. I haven’t written anything or added any new clients over the past few months. I was head down helping the ones I already have with taxes, debt payoff, and planning for their futures. I was also taking a lot more naps, going to bed early, leaving more dishes in the sink, and serving more boxed mac n’ cheese for dinner than ever before.

Weekend nap on the porch

In many ways, I feel like I’ve dropped the ball.

But amazingly, my business has kept running. Clients are making progress with their goals. I had a meeting with a prospective client yesterday. I’m hosting a book club with Sneha Rampalli (there are a few spots left!), using the Psychology of Money as a jumping-off point to talk about how knowing what to do with your money is not the same as actually doing it or feeling good about it.

I am proud of all the people I helped with their taxes and the little tidbits of financial counseling and tax planning I snuck into what they thought was just tax prep. A lot of people who would never think to get help with their finances still need to file their taxes, and it’s one of the only opportunities to reach them.

And my kids liked the mac n’ cheese, and the Saturday mornings they got to hang out 1:1 with dad while I was doing taxes. They loved snuggling on the couch and watching Disney movies on rainy afternoons with me when I needed to rest, rather than always going out and about.

I guess what I’m saying is that life has ebbs and flows. Algorithms thrive off consistency, but that’s not how humans really work. We all have to make decisions about money, work, energy, and effort as changes come our way.

Knowing what you need, which balls you can drop, and which you can’t is invaluable. Through a hard season, it gave me peace of mind to know my financial and other priorities. And yeah, it would have been easier if tax season didn’t coincide with being in a boot and not being able to stomach coffee, but some things are out of our control.

Plus, hard seasons come to an end, and if we let them, they often teach us something. I have more clarity on what things move the needle in my business and my family. A better idea of how I want to balance all my competing interests and obligations. And renewed excitement to keep experimenting in creating something that truly helps people with their finances and allows me to live the life I want.