PORTLAND — Two months after the passing of his mother, J.D., the founder of the personal finance community Get Rich Slowly, has announced a major shift in his personal and professional trajectory. In a candid update to his readers, he revealed that the psychological fog following his loss has finally begun to lift, sparking a renewed motivation to focus on his own well-being. After years of consistently placing his own needs far down the priority list, J.D. and his partner, Kim, have concluded that it is time to make 2023 the "Year of Me."
The decision marks a return to a personal philosophy he practiced successfully over a decade ago. During that period, J.D. frequently assigned strategic themes to specific years or months, a habit that yielded measurable positive results in areas ranging from physical fitness to creative writing and dating. Over time, however, that intentional practice faded, and he fell into the routine of prioritizing external demands, distractions, and the expectations of others over his own foundational health and mental equilibrium.
"Well, I’ve spent too long putting myself second. Or third. Or ninth," J.D. wrote, noting that while the shift feels inherently difficult and borders on feeling selfish or wrong, it is a necessary course correction. For the foreseeable future, making his own physical and mental health the primary objective is, as he describes it, "job one." He emphasized that this internal shift is rooted in the understanding that caring for oneself ultimately makes a person better equipped to support and contribute to others.
For the dedicated readership of Get Rich Slowly, J.D. reassured that the external experience of the site will remain largely unchanged. The evolution is primarily internal, though readers can likely expect more organic content derived from his personal reflections, as well as the eventual completion of the site’s ongoing redesign. However, in alignment with his new focus, J.D. is deliberately stepping away from rigid publishing schedules or forced production targets. Future posts will appear organically when he has something meaningful to share, reflecting a more conversational and spontaneous approach to blogging rather than a manufactured content pipeline.
The Courage to Be Disliked
The catalyst for much of his recent introspection can be traced back to a road trip to California over the Thanksgiving holiday, where J.D. and Kim traveled to visit her brother’s family. To pass the time during the long drive, the couple listened to The Courage to Be Disliked by authors Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. The book, which explores the psychological worldview and principles of Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler, resonated deeply with J.D., prompting him to suggest that the title might be more accurately understood as The Courage to Be Happy.
The audiobook introduced complex philosophical concepts through a Socratic dialogue framework, which initially presented a challenge in terms of comprehension and retention without the ability to easily highlight passages. Recognizing the depth of the material, J.D. plans to revisit the book in a digital Kindle format, selectively skimming for the core insights and philosophical takeaways. He has also hinted that a formal review or summary of Adler’s psychological principles may eventually find its way onto the Get Rich Slowly platform as his personal explorations continue to unfold.
A Values-Driven Life
This introspective period has also reinforced the importance of living a life guided by deliberate, internalized values rather than external circumstances or fleeting impulses. Highlighting a passage from Stephen R. Covey’s foundational work, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, J.D. pointed to the distinction between reactive individuals—who are driven by environmental conditions and immediate feelings—and proactive individuals, who possess the ability to subordinate impulses to carefully chosen values.
Reflecting on Covey’s insights, J.D. acknowledged that he had temporarily lost his grip on this balance, allowing impulses to override his core principles. To counter this, he has already begun taking concrete, practical steps to reclaim his focus, including the removal of distracting applications like Reddit and Hearthstone from his iPad.
While these adjustments signal a departure from long, structured essays toward shorter, more conversational updates, J.D. maintains that his commitment to deep, thoughtful writing remains intact. By granting himself permission to place his own well-being at the forefront for 2023, he hopes to model a sustainable, values-driven approach to life that will ultimately benefit both himself and his community.
