After navigating a period of profound personal loss and months of deep introspection, J.D., the voice behind the personal finance platform Get Rich Slowly, has announced a major shift in focus. Two months after the passing of his mother, the lingering emotional fog has finally cleared, inspiring him to reengage with productive pursuits. However, rather than diving straight back into the relentless pace of digital publishing, he has made a conscious decision to prioritize his own well-being. With the support of his partner, Kim, J.D. has declared that 2023 will officially be the "Year of Me."
The announcement marks a significant departure from his usual routine. For the foreseeable future, J.D. is placing his own physical and mental health above all other obligations—a move that he admits initially felt uncomfortable, even selfish. Yet, he recognizes that neglecting his own foundational needs has taken a toll, and the time has come to stop making excuses. By putting himself first, he ultimately hopes to become a better resource and presence for the readers of his community and the people around him.
2023 — The Year of Me
The concept of thematic periods is not entirely new to J.D.’s routine. More than a decade ago, he established a successful habit of assigning themes to specific years and months. Whether dedicated to physical fitness, writing, or dating, these focused spans of time consistently yielded positive and fruitful results. Over time, however, that intentional practice fell by the wayside as other responsibilities and distractions took precedence.
Reflecting on the past several weeks of soul-searching, J.D. realized that he had spent far too long placing himself second, third, or even ninth on his list of priorities. Starting recently, his primary objective is to center his own needs for the coming year and potentially beyond.
While acknowledging that this shift may invite feelings of guilt or internal resistance, J.D. views it as a necessary correction. For too long, he allowed external noise and excuses to interfere with his personal health and mental clarity. By declaring himself job number one for the foreseeable future, he is initiating a conscious pivot toward self-preservation.
For the readers of Get Rich Slowly, J.D. reassures that the core experience of the site will remain largely unchanged. The transformation is primarily internal, driven by a deliberate decision to grant himself permission to put his own desires ahead of external demands. While this introspection is expected to generate fresh insights and fodder for future commentary, it will also finally pave the way for the completion of the site’s long-awaited de-design.
At the same time, J.D. is deliberately stepping away from rigid publishing schedules or production quotas. Moving forward, he intends to publish content strictly when inspiration strikes, rather than forcing articles for the sake of consistency. This organic approach is mirrored in his latest update, written spontaneously following a self-reflection exercise from the book Designing Your Life and a brief window of free time before a scheduled call with a friend.
The Courage to Be Disliked
The thematic pivot toward self-prioritization has been further informed by recent literary explorations. During a Thanksgiving road trip to visit Kim’s family in California, the couple listened to The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga as a way to pass the time on the road. The book, which explores the psychological worldview of Alfred Adler and might fittingly be titled The Courage to Be Happy, offered a wealth of perspective that resonated deeply with J.D. during this transitional period.
Although the audiobook format made it challenging to immediately highlight passages for later review, the foundational philosophies left a lasting impression. J.D. plans to revisit the text in a digital Kindle format, skimming for key takeaways from the Socratic dialogue structure that defines the book. He has also floated the possibility of publishing a comprehensive review or summary of Adler’s psychological principles on Get Rich Slowly in the future.
A Values-Driven Life
The internal restructuring J.D. is currently undergoing is deeply rooted in the concept of aligning actions with core values rather than fleeting impulses. Highlighting a passage from Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People via his Readwise app, J.D. reflected on the stark contrast between reactive and proactive living. Covey notes that the essence of a proactive person lies in the ability to subordinate an impulse to a carefully considered, selected, and internalized value, whereas reactive individuals are driven primarily by environmental conditions and changing circumstances.
Recognizing that he had momentarily lost control over his impulses while drifting away from his foundational values, J.D. determined it was time to flip the script. Practical steps to curb reactionary behavior were already underway before the announcement, including the deliberate removal of distracting applications like Reddit and Hearthstone from his iPad.
As the "Year of Me" unfolds, J.D. anticipates that future updates on the platform will likely take the form of short, conversational reflections rather than traditional, long-form guides. By breaking down his thoughts into modular pieces—each segment of his recent update standing as a distinct essay in its own right—he is carving out a sustainable path forward that honors his current mental landscape while maintaining a genuine connection with his audience.
