This spring, I finally admitted defeat: the fiddle leaf fig had to go. It held on through too much shade, not enough water, and a few pep talks, but alas, not everything thrives just because we try really hard.
Which got me thinking.
There’s a kind of seasonal magic in spring cleaning — the satisfying purge of junk drawers, inboxes, and over-complicated plans. One of my favorite questions to ask (whether it’s about investments, or how many pairs of skis I really need) is: But what’s it really for?
That question has served me well lately. It reminded me that time is not just something to manage; it’s something to enjoy. That some (most) afternoons are better spent hiking with my two dogs, or catching up with a friend, than checking one more thing off the to-do list.
That money is not just something to optimize; it’s something to align. My new ski boot liners (ZipFits!) and custom footbeds brought me more happiness this past season than any spreadsheet. (And I love spreadsheets.)
The goal isn’t always efficiency. Sometimes, it’s alignment. Family and friends, my pups, new ski boots, these are not line items on a balance sheet, but they are returns on investment – in time, in relationships, in energy.
Spring invites us to revisit not just the garden, but everything: stuff, calendars, narratives, expectations. It’s a chance to simplify and to make space for what matters. In both life and financial planning, that might mean pruning a strategy, letting go of an old narrative, or reevaluating where we want to grow next.
The work we do with clients often begins with numbers, but it rarely ends there. Ultimately, it’s about building a life with intention — one that reflects what you truly value.
