Slapped
There’s no other way to put it, 2022 was a weird year. While the war in Ukraine raged on, we saw the greatest World Cup match in history and a Chinese uprising. 50 Cent stole the halftime show and Tom Cruise stole our hearts (again). The Queen, Franco, and both Paulie’s died. And Will Smith slapped the sh*t out of Chris Rock on live TV.
As for the financial markets: Inflation spiked and I-bonds became all the rage, while SPACs fell out of favor. Elon trolled then sued then bought then ran Twitter, then trolled some more. Interest rates went up (thanks, Jerome!) and so did the dollar. Stocks and bonds both went down, and the 60/40 portfolio embarrassed itself. LIBOR finally went away. AMC kept doing meme-worthy things. Cryptocurrencies crashed, crypto firms went bankrupt, and crypto founders went on the lam (or on a media tour). The nickel market briefly went haywire. And much, much more.
Yes, 2022 really was weird. But was it any weirder than 2021? Or 2020?
What about 1920? Or, for that matter, 1520? Moral of the story: times are always weird; there’s no such thing as “normal.” There never was and never will be, not about the economy and certainly not about humanity.
So what will happen in 2023 and beyond? I have no friggin’ clue, and neither does anyone else. The future is unknowable. Weird things will happen. Just embrace it.
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This year was also weird for me, personally. My second baby was born and my first baby became a teenager, I finally finished painting my house, and I became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. By some miracle (read: an amazing wife), I was able to travel a decent amount. And last, but not least, I became an entrepreneur.
Who knew that any of this would happen when I finished grad school in the teeth of the GFC. Now, almost 15 years later (and 20 since I graduated high school), I’ve finally found my home. I believe 2023 will bring me more fulfillment, more creativity, and more purpose than I’ve ever had. And that makes me damn excited.
It’s been a ride, and life right now is good. But I need to do a better job of slowing down and savoring these precious moments, because the glass is already broken.
Devin Faddoul, CFP® is the founder of Adda Financial | Outsource your financial life. Focus on your real life.