If you will allow me some freedom, I want to take a brief detour from my usual topics of financial planning and investing to discuss a controversial subject: politics 😳

But first, did you catch this week's podcast episode?

You Are (Probably) Planning for the Wrong Things in Retirement Why are most people planning for the wrong things in retirement? What should they be planning for that they’re not? And why are retirees more depressed than everyone else? Listen Now →

Moving Forward

Politics are filled with emotion, and this election season is no different.

It's as contentious as ever.

Following this week's election—just like in previous elections—roughly half of the U.S. will be happy, while the other half will be upset.

This division is as unfortunate as it is natural.

Elation, pride, and excitement stand in stark contrast to stress, anxiety, and despair, which seem to be normal during presidential elections.

The question is:

"What should we do now that the ballots have been counted and the election is behind us?"

To start, I hope we all take a moment to breathe a collective sigh of relief, if for no other reason than that it's over. But mainly because there will be no more political ads. 😊

Before I continue with this note, please know that I am not minimizing the importance of the election itself or civic engagement.

Civic engagement in all its forms is incredibly important, as it is how most of the great changes over the past century have occurred.

I'm also not claiming that elections are irrelevant or that policy decisions don't matter; they certainly do, and they matter a lot.

I’d just argue that they don’t impact our day-to-day lives nearly as much as the changes we choose to make ourselves, and that’s where I’d like to encourage you to focus.

It's an amazing truth that, here in America and in much of the developed world, we are blessed with nearly unlimited opportunity.

Admittedly, that opportunity is not evenly distributed.

But no matter which way you slice it, everyone reading this probably has more opportunity than exists elsewhere in the world.

Therefore, I encourage everyone to shift our focus away from the recent election cycle and toward the opportunities available now.

As Gandhi said:

Changing ourselves is the greatest tool we have.

With that in mind, consider this:

How different could our lives be (and the lives of those connected to us) if we spent the next 4 years improving ourselves instead of watching endless political drama?

We cannot underestimate this potential, as changing the world begins with changing ourselves.

As you think about the next 4 years (I could have chosen any timeframe, but I thought I'd stick with the election theme), let's reflect on a few important questions:

How can you improve yourself over the next four years?

• What can you do to improve your physical and mental health?
• How might you volunteer and/or contribute directly to your community and the causes you care about?

How can you be better in your personal relationships?

• How can you be a better spouse? A better parent? A better son or daughter? A better friend?

How can you be better in your professional life?

• Can you expand your skillset to pursue a promotion?
• Can you gain an entirely new skill to change career fields that might lead to more personal fulfillment?

How can you boost your financial well-being?

• Can you challenge yourself to save more?
• Can you find a way to increase your income?
• Could you start a side-hustle based on a passion you have?

As you ponder these questions (and hopefully many more), I hope you agree that our long-term happiness and success depend much more on our daily choices and actions than on who occupies the White House.

If we all focus on being our best selves, I believe the world will become a much better place.

Stay wealthy,

Taylor Schulte, CFP®