It’s that time of year when we spend, spend, spend on holiday gifts for family and friends. According to The Conference Board, the average US consumer is expected to spend $1,063 this season on holiday-related items and $677 on gifts for others. When adjusted for inflation, holiday spending is at or near all-time highs. However, the most disturbing statistic is that a large proportion of shoppers are still paying off the debt they accumulated in 2023 to purchase holiday gifts.

For many of the early twenty-somethings in my class, stress and anxiety were highlighted as blockers to their ability to achieve their desired future state. They frequently find themselves spinning and, as some characterized it, paralyzed, by their anxiety. My heart breaks when I hear their stories, but I also know that we can do something about the current state.

A key point here is that life and financial security is all about choices and decisions. Make better decisions and you will be better off.

Put plainly, there’s no better time than the present to invest time developing and/or refining your personal plan. You’re already sifting through financial records and creating a semblance of order from the chaos of a year’s worth of economic activity—why not take the opportunity to build your plan when your financial position is top of mind?