A winter solstice view from my years-ago New Hampshire home. Mr. Carolina and I had spent the 1996 New Year’s Eve and day working on a detailed financial plan rather than making resolutions. We were both in debt, both paying alimony to our exes, and putting his two sons through college. Thanks to that plan and the sacrifices that it inspired, we were able to start building our beautiful house three years later, and we’re now comfortably retired since 2013. Wishing everyone such liberation.