2025 Faves
I was inspired by Chris Williamson’s Christmas episode of Modern Wisdom, where he and a few friends share their favorite “hacks” from the year. While I was listening, I started making my own list in my head, then decided to write it out and even record a video, hoping to put you on to at least one new company or idea for the new year.
None of these recommendations are sponsored by the companies–I’m not “big” enough to have sponsorships, lol. I’m making these recommendations because I personally enjoy them and they have improved my life in 2025.
Embodiment
I want to start with the most important, but also most abstract, realization/experience I had this year. If we’ve had a chance to connect over the last month, there is a good chance I’ve shared with you a recent “change” I’ve noticed within me–the “leveling up” that I felt. It took me a little while to understand the new feeling, when things changed, and what caused it, but I eventually connected the dots while talking to my coach.
I’ll try my best to explain what I felt, but I know I won’t be able to find the words to describe it fully.
I noticed my Self going through each day feeling more confident, like I was more confident than usual; the more I think about it, I wasn’t necessarily more confident, but moving with a different type of confidence. What made me notice the change in confidence was that I wasn’t telling my Self I was more confident–I wasn’t envisioning a new version of my Self that would warrant the new level of confidence, and I wasn’t telling my Self that something new was possible. I had been in a phase of envisioning a future version of my Self that included being intentional with my actions, thoughts, and energy. With this new confidence, the envisioning was gone–I had embodied and become the next version of my Self.
I went from believing a version of my Self to be possible to believing I was him. And what is crazy is that within a couple of weeks of fully embodying the new version of my Self, I began to receive confirmations from the world that I was, in fact, this new version of my Self:
A cold email inquiry about my fee for a spring keynote and the topics I’d like to discuss at the conference.
An email inquiry to speak in another country about the work I’m doing with new clients.
A handful of podcast appearance requests.
An ideal couple reached out to set up a project-based AlignedLife engagement in the New Year.
The opportunity to pitch an in-person AlignedLife experience to a family office.
Once I realized what had occurred, I tried to identify when and how I made this internal shift; I didn’t wake up one day and commit to fully embodying this new version of my Self–it just happened and one day I noticed it. I eventually traced the internal shift to the AlignedLife Blog. Once I started writing about money, treating it as if I were an author writing a book, something within me was triggered, and the embodiment was complete.
I’ve given a lot of thought to this, and the conclusion I’ve come to is that shifting my writing from that of a blogger to that of an author completed the envisioning and believing of what was possible to embodying who I was to become.
The trigger was an innocent and subconscious decision to change how I viewed my Self as a writer.
I share this idea of embodiment because I believe it is the most critical change and experience I had in 2025; I know I’m going to look back on this transition, or level-up as I like to think of it, as an important moment in what is about to happen in the next five to ten years. I want to encourage you to think about embodying the version of your Self you seek to become–it’s important to envision and believe in what is possible, but at some point, envisioning needs to shift to embodiment, and belief in what is possible needs to become belief in what is.
It’s not easy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be aware of the power of embodiment and intentionally take steps toward it. Because once you can make that shift, things move very quickly as the world mirrors to you who you have become.
Dumbing Down Phone
I really wanted to get a Light Phone, but I’m too entrenched in the Apple ecosystem to switch to Android. And as much as I’d love to go back to a flip phone, there are too many apps I need to navigate everyday life—like ones for school communications, youth sports, compliance-approved text messages, and even email for two-factor authentication. So, since I can’t go Light Phone or flip phone, I decided to dumb down my iPhone–no social media apps, black and white screen, and only the apps I need regularly.
Less time scrolling.
More time reading.
More time creating.
More time resting.
More time being present.
Re-hiring my coach
It was nearly twenty years into my career before I finally hired a coach to help me navigate being a husband, father, entrepreneur, and creator, allowing me to move more quickly and intentionally in life. Before hiring my coach, Phil, I found “coaches” in books, podcasts, and by befriending successful people I could learn from by osmosis. But in 2024, a friend of mine introduced me to Phil. I had one phone call with him and met him in person a few days later for a coaching session, breathwork, and cold-plunge/sauna alternations. After the in-person session, I committed to working with him, not knowing or caring about the financial investment.
In September, I reupped for another year with Phil.
Not only has working with Phil helped me personally and professionally, but it has also shaped how I will work with AlignedLife+ clients, providing ongoing “coaching” that extends beyond life planning and financial advice.
Working with a coach has allowed me to see my blind spots, dive into the shadows, and work through opportunities and goals with someone, without having to figure everything out on my own.
Hiring a personal trainer
I am more than capable of working out on my own. I have everything I need to work out in my basement. But this year I finally accepted that no matter how often I tell my Self that I’ll start working out hard at home, I know that I prefer to work out in public and with other people. A long-time friend of mine has been doing personal training on the side for years, and I’ve even done short training sprints with him.
This year, I decided to hire him to help me with programming and work out with me in person three times a week. Not only am I getting better lifts in when I work out with Franqlin, but the training is carrying over to the additional workouts I do at home using the Chalk Fitness app (which I’d recommend if you are looking for an app with great programming)–I’m actually working out harder out at home now.
Anya Meditation
Earlier this year, I participated in the first cohort of the Anya Meditation Method, a 40-day meditation program. Although I’ve been meditating somewhat consistently for a few years now, I thought experiencing the training and committing to 40 days of meditation would help my practice–it would expose me to new practices and build in a daily habit.
I really enjoyed the 40 days as I picked up some new ways to be intentional about my meditation– for example, how to use meditation to channel creativity. It was also great to support a friend and AlignedLife guest, Breanna Blaney, in one of her new business ventures–I’ll be participating in her Integrated Wealth Advisor program beginning in February, which I’m excited about as well.
Open App
The Open app has been my go-to meditation app for a couple of years now. I’m barely using the great classes and practices they offer, but I don’t want to cancel my membership. For the most part, I use the timer for my daily meditations, but I like knowing there are great guided meditations I can do anytime.
In addition to the meditations, Open offers breathwork and yoga/pilates classes, making it the best all-in-one app for mindfulness. I plan to incorporate more breathwork classes in the coming year and give my Wim Hof app a break.
There are a lot of apps out there, but I’m not sure I know of any that integrate spirit, mind, and body all in one as Open does.
If you're looking for the best bang for your buck, I’d look no further.
Meditation Cushion
This is a relatively new addition to my life, and I wish I had bought one long ago. I recently purchased a cushion to sit on while meditating at my office, where I’ve begun meditating more because I can go into my podcast studio and avoid the distractions I find at home. It has had a tremendously positive impact on my practice–so much so, I asked Ang and the boys for one that I could use at home for Christmas.
Sitting on a cushion helps me sit with better posture and has helped me drop into a meditative state more quickly—it might be a placebo effect, but I don’t care. If you’re looking to take your meditation practice to the next level, a good cushion might be the next investment you need to make.
Monarch Money
I’ve been more intentional about ensuring how we allocate our money as a family aligns with our Authentic Lives, and I recently started using Monarch Money to review where we are spending and identify where we need to reallocate our resources. I’ve seen a variety of financial tools to help with cash flow and budgeting, and Monarch Money is the best I’ve seen and the first I’ve actually used.
It’s great for budgeting, but I’m less concerned about monitoring what’s coming in vs. what’s going out–I’m more interested in making sure that our money is aligned so I can use my personal experience to share what is possible when spirit, mind, body, and money are operating in alignment with your Authentic Life.
Vlogs
I’m watching more vlogs these days, specifically those from Chris Williamson (host of Modern Wisdom), Chris Bumstead (6x Mr. Olympia), George Heaton (co-founder of the brand Represent), and the brand Represent; there are some other vlogs that complement these and even overlap sometimes that I watch as well. I tend to watch these when I’m working out in my basement because there is often a lot of time spent in gyms with these vlogs, and I don’t feel as if I’m working out alone when I’m watching them–a little hack to get better workouts at home, at least for me.
Watching these vlogs fuels my creativity, gives me tons of inspiration to pursue the vision I have for the future (AlignedLife podcast, events and experiences, and PRST lifestyle brand and creative collective), and allows me to see my Self in a similar position as the guys I’m watching–if they can do it, why can’t I?
They’ve even inspired me to start vlogging my Self, which is incredibly uncomfortable for me, because I think I can share the message of living our Authentic Lives, aligning spirit, mind, body, and money, and how to do it as a husband, father, and entrepreneur. I know what I want my vlogs to be and, more importantly, I know what I don’t want them to be.
So be on the lookout in 2026 for more vlogs from me.
Community/small group experiences
Every summer, I go to Sedona with a group of close friends. We’re all financial advisors and run our own firms. This trip is part Mastermind, part working without distraction, part spiritual, and part wellness. It’s amazing and far more productive than the traditional conferences I’ve attended throughout my career.
I also recently participated in a fireside chat with a small group of men in Baltimore, and it was an amazing experience; I’d almost rather my speaking engagements be in these small group settings than on a big stage. This group I spoke with meets regularly for these fireside chats and has other events and experiences they do together–it’s a really cool and special group of guys.
I’m in a unique position where the majority of my closest friends live across the country, and I don’t get to see them in person near enough, or even at all. So I’m looking to replace the usual business travel I used to do with visiting friends or getting small groups together in person to have more experiences like Sedona. I’m also hoping to start creating some small group experiences in Fishers–it might begin with morning cold plunges on my patio in the spring and summer; I have some other ideas like yoga in the park.
I have had this feeling for a couple of years now: people will crave in-person connection more than ever, while technology keeps us all glued to our screens. The lack of trust in content because of AI will make in-person experiences more valuable, and I want to facilitate experiences that help people align their spirit, mind, body, and money, and pursue their Authentic Lives.
P&Co
As much as I wish I didn’t care about the clothes I wear, I love fashion. Clothes have always been a way for me to express my Self, and P&Co is hands down my favorite brand. The clothes are more expensive than I would have imagined my Self spending regularly, but the quality is so good that I know these pieces will be with me for years. And, I just buy fewer pieces at a higher price, so my clothing budget isn’t blowing up–I’m spending the same amount, just with fewer high-quality pieces.
I love P&Co's style. Their service is outstanding. And their tagline is “a mindset for purposeful living”--nicely aligned with the Authentic Life. Secretly, I have a goal of eventually collaborating creatively with them.
Vinyl records
I started buying vinyl a couple of years ago, but the collection of my favorite albums and artists picked up this year, along with actually listening to the records–I’m not just buying them to collect dust.
I value the portability and access of digital content, but I really enjoy and appreciate analog.
Vinyl records.
Physical books.
I’m even organizing my CD collection and looking to buy a CD player.
For me, the experience of listening to music feels a little different when it comes from a record player than when it comes from my phone or computer.
The Secrets of Secrets by Dan Brown
This year, I read many books on spirituality, religion, mindfulness, money, and science. There were a few books that I couldn’t put down, but none were as enjoyable as The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown. I remember feeling the same inability to put the book down while reading The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons; Brown has a way of writing that keeps you hooked and wanting to know what’s next. The Secrets of Secrets was no different. What made this book even more enjoyable was its focus on consciousness throughout. Dan Brown introduced millions to a new perspective on consciousness, and I am all for it.
My enjoyment of The Secrets of Secrets and Hail Mary (another book I couldn’t put down this year) reminds me to read some books purely for pleasure. I don’t always have to read for growth or knowledge—it’s okay to read for fun.
So those are some of my faves from the year. I’d love to hear what some of your faves were because they might be in my faves for 2026.
Keep pursuing,
JC
