Thank You

Beautiful year, beautiful life.

While sitting down Wednesday night to prepare this note, I promised myself not to think too hard or engineer some long, drawn-out missive, but instead to acknowledge what I’m thankful for as it came to mind.

First and foremost, I owe everything to my subscribers. The trust you place in me and the support you continue to offer have enabled me to pour more of my heart and energy into the blog—hopefully creating a positive feedback loop.

I’m constantly striving to find new ways to deliver value for the people who are kind enough to read my column, and I want you to know that I never lose sight of the fact that without you, this Substack experiment doesn’t exist. I know I say this throughout the year, but today it feels especially important that you know how exceptionally grateful I am for your continued support and trust. I’ll try never to lose sight of that.

Outside of the blog, it has been such a rich and exceptional year for me. I’ve been lucky to travel a little and make many new personal connections and friendships that feel very real and very authentic.

Paris this summer

The crazy thing about this year is that the high-quality connections with other human beings just kept coming, one after another, like a tidal wave. Every month I would look up and say to one of my best friends, “This has to be the peak—I can’t imagine it getting any better.” And then I’d turn around and fall ass-backwards into another high-quality friendship.

Greece this summer

I spent time in Greece this summer with my closest friends and started the year in Mexico, meeting new people whom I now know are friends for life.

I feel blessed to have had so many highly concentrated, high-quality connections, authentic conversations, and meaningful relationships throughout the year. And the crazy thing is, the love just keeps pouring in to this day. What a blessing.

Tulum, January 2025

I’m also exceptionally thankful to have two happy and healthy parents with whom I share an incredible relationship and whom I speak to every day. Every thing I do every day is built on the foundation they sacrificed and worked hard for to give me. They are the definition of working class successes, selfless parents, incredible guides through life. The three of us are, and always will be, the living embodiment of a true American success story.

At certain points this year, I really recommitted myself to my spirituality.

And while there are always ebbs and flows, ups and downs, and seasons of emotion throughout any long period of time, overall this year was deeper and more profound than any I’ve experienced thus far. I know it’s no coincidence that this stems from recommitting myself to conscious contact with God and expressing gratitude every day, not just today.

This year I took one of the largest steps of my life in going from spiritually “hole” to spiritually “whole.” And nothing is going to convince me that all of the incredible tailwinds and beautiful feelings I’ve had this year are mere coincidence.

For that, I am exceptionally grateful.

I hope you have a beautiful Thanksgiving. I’m so thankful for the contact I get to have with you all outside of the blog, and thank you so much again. I’ll continue to do my best to be a great steward of your trust and support.

With all my love and thanks, today and always.

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