In 2021, a surge in prices cast a glaring spotlight on the fragility of my financial equilibrium. For context, my post-divorce recklessness with finances served as a potent wake-up call. It prompted a profound reckoning—a shedding of excesses, a recalibration of priorities. I shed material trappings, downsized my living space, and honed in on the essence of what truly mattered—family, adventure, serenity, and authentic human connections.