No matter how you see things, 2017 was a tumultuous year. Some say we’re in a state of crisis. Others say we’re on our way out of one. Your perspective may fall in between these two extremes, but one thing is certain: crisis or not, opportunities for improving your financial position are always present if you look hard enough.

To me, financial planning is the ongoing process of examining one’s current position as a collective unit with an eye to mitigating as many of the prevalent risks as possible, thereby minimizing the effect of the things that erode and jeopardize our financial well-being.

In other words, pay attention to the things you have control over, and plug the leaks where money is leaking out, rather than the one thing you have absolutely no control over, picking the stock or fund that will go up the most.

Taking this approach not only helps us keep more of our money, it gives us financial flexibility, so we can take advantage of opportunities.

Adopting this mindset and executing on it consistently takes practice, presence of mind, and patience. Our ever more short-sighted culture encourages the opposite, though, and this creates even more opportunity for those who have the muscle memory to step back and look for that space when crisis hits.

Flexibility is strength, and developing it takes time, discipline, and planning.

While I can’t help but worry over what’s to come, and every passing day seems to present a new challenge, I’m ready to look for the opportunities that these challenges present. Our business plan for 2018 is done and we’re ready to move forward into 2018, come what may.

From all of us at QLC, here’s wishing you all a happy, healthy, flexible, and prosperous 2018.