For longtime readers of the personal finance community, change is rarely unexpected, but the motivations behind it often reveal a deeper personal evolution. J.D., the founder of the prominent financial blog Get Rich Slowly, has announced a significant shift in his personal and professional trajectory. Following a challenging period marked by the loss of his mother two months ago, J.D. says the emotional fog has finally lifted, inspiring a renewed sense of motivation and a commitment to prioritize his own well-being.
In a candid update shared with his readers, J.D. revealed that after weeks of deep introspection alongside his partner, Kim, he has decided to dedicate the upcoming year entirely to himself. Declaring 2023 as "The Year of Me," the writer and longtime personal finance commentator is stepping back from rigid publishing schedules to focus squarely on his mental and physical health.
Revisiting a Tradition of Intentional Living
The concept of dedicating specific periods to targeted self-improvement is not entirely new to J.D. More than a decade ago, he regularly established thematic focuses for his years and months, a habit that yielded substantial positive results across various aspects of his life, including physical fitness, writing endeavors, and dating. However, as the demands of life and work accumulated over the years, this intentional practice eventually fell by the wayside.
Reflecting on his recent trajectory, J.D. acknowledged that he has spent far too long placing himself at the bottom of his own priority list—often ranking second, third, or even ninth behind external obligations and distractions. Starting immediately, he aims to reverse that trend, a transition he admits feels initially uncomfortable and counterintuitive.
"This is tough for me. It seems selfish. It seems wrong," J.D. wrote, noting that he has spent too long making excuses while allowing outside interference to derail his health goals. Nevertheless, he has concluded that prioritizing his own foundational needs is a necessary step, operating under the philosophy that taking care of oneself ultimately makes a person better equipped to support others.
For the readership of Get Rich Slowly, the shift is expected to remain largely internal rather than disruptive. J.D. noted that while he is granting himself explicit permission to put his own desires first, this renewed focus will likely generate fresh insights and perspectives for future articles, alongside the long-awaited completion of the site’s ongoing redesign. At the same time, he is intentionally removing external pressure by abandoning any strict publishing or production schedules, choosing instead to write organically whenever inspiration strikes.
Finding Wisdom in ‘The Courage to Be Disliked’
The ideological foundation for J.D.’s newly adopted mindset has been shaped, in part, by recent media consumption. During a Thanksgiving road trip to California with Kim and her family, the couple listened to the audiobook The Courage to Be Disliked by authors Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. The book, which explores the psychological worldview of Alfred Adler, resonated deeply with J.D., prompting him to revisit the material in a digital format to extract its core lessons.
The text, structured as a Socratic dialogue, focuses heavily on individual agency, interpersonal relationships, and overcoming the burden of seeking external validation—themes that closely align with J.D.’s current quest for personal autonomy. While he noted that the conversational format requires some selective skimming to unearth the most potent takeaways, he indicated that the wisdom contained within the book has provided valuable context for his decision to step back and reevaluate his priorities.
Embracing a Values-Driven Lifestyle
J.D.’s current period of reflection has also been informed by classic literature on personal effectiveness. Highlighting a passage from Stephen R. Covey’s widely read book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, J.D. pointed to the critical distinction between reactive behavior and proactive decision-making.
Covey’s assertion that "the ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of a proactive person" struck a chord with the writer, who admitted that he had temporarily lost control over his immediate impulses while drifting away from his core values.
Recognizing this misalignment has prompted tangible changes in his daily routine. In recent weeks, J.D. has begun taking proactive steps to eliminate digital distractions, including the removal of time-consuming applications like Reddit and the digital card game Hearthstone from his iPad. These adjustments are designed to clear mental space and redirect his energy toward more meaningful, values-aligned pursuits.
As "The Year of Me" gets underway, followers of Get Rich Slowly can expect a more conversational and less formalized approach to content creation. Moving away from rigid formats and predetermined content calendars, J.D. intends to embrace a more spontaneous style of writing—one that reflects his ongoing personal journey and allows him to prioritize his well-being without the pressure of forced production.
