I'm writing this on the day after Christmas, sitting on the patio of a coffee shop in shorts and a T-shirt because it’s 75 degrees outside. That feels like a fitting way to cap off a year that has been… weird.
It Was a Weird Year for Markets
- From mid-February to early April, the S&P 500 fell more than 20%. By late June, it had fully recovered, and as of this writing it's up over 18% year-to-date.
- The volatility index reached its highest point since the pandemic.
- International stocks outperformed U.S. stocks for the first time since 2017.
It Was a Weird Year in the Economy
- Tariffs
- Trade wars
- Wild spending on artificial intelligence
It Was a Weird Year for Sports, Pop Culture & Politics
And yet, despite everything happening around us, business carried on as usual at Grounded Financial Planning.
In 2025, we:
- Onboarded new client families
- Celebrated several well-deserved retirements, weddings, and birthdays
- Watched clients welcome new children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren into the world
- Hosted more than 200 client meetings, whether in our office, on Zoom, or in miscellaneous coffee shops
- Hosted, sponsored, and supported multiple community events
Personally, it was a big year as well.
- I proposed to my wonderful fiancée, Katherine
- Had the privilege of participating in Leadership Jackson
- Completed my second half marathon
- Completed my last roller coaster 😅
Looking ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger and better. We're already preparing for our first event (click here to register), brainstorming new ways to serve clients, and considering growing the team 👀.
I'm incredibly grateful for your time, trust, and support, and I'm excited to see what next year has in store!