I started 2025 with a 6 am walk every morning and was really consistent with it… right up until summer.
Once the weather warmed up, I swapped the walks for swimming laps — which was great.
But over the last few months, if I’m being honest, I slowly abandoned a proper morning routine altogether.
Well — that stops now.
The 6 am walks are back, and I forgot how much I missed them.
It’s not really about the exercise.
It’s about starting the day right.
Quiet time.
Thinking.
Planning.
Getting clear before the noise starts.
(Although… it is coyote mating season here in LaSalle, and a good chunk of my walk is through a wooded area — so wish me luck. 😅)
And as I was walking this morning, it hit me how closely this mirrors what I see on the financial side too.
Most people don’t need a big financial overhaul.
They just need to slow down and look a little closer.
Last week, I wrote about how a good year doesn’t start with a big move — it starts with clarity.
That message led to some really good conversations.
And it also reminded me of something I see over and over again once people finally pause and take that look.
Clarity usually reveals a mismatch.
Not a disaster.
Not a mistake.
Just misalignment.
Life changed.
The mortgage didn’t.
What clarity tends to uncover
When people review their mortgage — often years after it was first set up — a few common things show up:
- The structure no longer fits how their life actually works
• Flexibility is missing when it matters most
• Decisions were made around rate, not strategy
• Assumptions were never revisited as circumstances changed
That doesn’t mean the original mortgage was “bad.”
It usually means it was right then — but hasn’t kept up since.
And in today’s environment, that matters more than it used to.
Why this shows up more now than before
We’re no longer in a world where you can set something up once and forget about it for 25 years.
Rates move faster.
Markets change faster.
Opportunities appear — and disappear — faster.
The old rules rewarded passivity.
The new game rewards positioning.
And positioning starts with understanding what you actually have.
This is especially relevant if you already have a mortgage
A lot of people assume reviews are only for:
- Renewals
- Purchases
- Emergencies
In reality, the best time to review is when nothing is forcing you to.
That’s when you have options.
Sometimes clarity confirms you’re already well set up.
Sometimes it highlights a small adjustment that creates flexibility you didn’t realize you were missing.
Either way — information beats assumption.
A straightforward next step
If you already have a mortgage and haven’t reviewed it recently, this is a great time to do so.
Not because something is “wrong.”
But because clarity creates options — and options create leverage.
Let’s look at:
- Where you are today
- Where you’re trying to go
- And whether your current setup actually supports that
No pressure.
No sales pitch.
Just a practical conversation to make sure your mortgage hasn’t been quietly left behind.
Last week was about slowing down and getting clear.
This week is about using that clarity to make better decisions — calmly, intentionally, and early.
If you’d like help with that, I’m here.
Talk soon,
— Vince
