Every year around mid-October, Florida pulls off its greatest trick: the morning temperature drops to 68 degrees, and suddenly everyone acts like we survived an Arctic expedition.
You see it out on the water immediately. People are drinking hot coffee on the dock instead of iced, someone’s inevitably wearing a hoodie with flip-flops, and the water in the Intracoastal lies down totally flat.
After months of dodging daily 3 p.m. lightning storms and sweating through your shirt just walking out to check the dock lines, you can finally take the boat out without feeling like you’re baking inside a convection oven.
It’s easily my favorite time of year here. But as you read this, I’m actually nowhere near the Gulf.
A Note from Europe
A Note from EuropeMy wife and I are currently wandering around Europe on an extended trip that doubles as our honeymoon, dragging bags across cobblestones, pointing at ancient buildings, and trying our best not to look like absolute tourists. We’re failing, obviously.
Getting away for a trip like this always does something funny to your brain.
In our world, we spend so much time talking about building security, hitting goals, and watching accounts grow. But when you’re standing in a centuries-old town square eating something you can’t pronounce with the person you love, you realize none of that effort is about the scoreboard.
Money Is Just a Tool
Money is just a tool to buy back your calendar.
The real win isn’t checking an app to see a balance go up. It’s setting things up so well that you can shut your laptop, step away from the routine, and be 100% present in the moment, whether that means navigating a foreign train station or just sitting on your back deck watching the pelicans dive.
Good planning isn’t meant to keep you thinking about finances 24/7. It’s meant to let you forget about them entirely while you actually live your life.
Making the Effort Worth It
Making the Effort Worth ItI hope you get outside this week, enjoy the break in the humidity, and maybe even dig that light jacket out of the back of the closet.
And when you think about the life you’re working to build, what’s the trip, hobby, or simple day off that makes all the effort worth it?
October 2026
