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.

The challenge we face is that critical thinking is hard. The easy path is to not question, not ask ‘why,’ and not dig for deeper meaning and root cause. The more difficult, but ultimately more rewarding path is to challenge fixed belief systems, internal biases, and recognize that when we deflect and point fingers at others, three more are pointing right back at us.