Searching for Peace

April 9, 2026

Finding Peace in our Life

To have true peace, one must reflect, accept reality, and use the gifts given to you to the best of your ability. This extends to making the world a better place (expressing gratitude for your gifts) by choosing self- sacrifice, to improve the lives of others.

We cannot do this when we are trying to achieve a false sense of control over our constantly changing lives. We fear change instead of accepting it, and this can ruin one’s life. We don’t typically ask for change, it just comes brutally and ruthlessly (I speak from personal experience), yet we must accept it if we want to fulfill our human potential. There is no peace without this acceptance.

Most people are unaware that wasting energy by fighting against change is having detrimental impacts on their relationships with family and friends. They become anxious and depressed, but they don’t know why. They are afraid, and that fear detracts from their lives.

I still occasionally try and control outcomes, but then I reflect, become aware, and acknowledge my own foolhardy behavior is the cause of my anxiety. Fighting against reality, battling against feelings of being out of control, getting upset with my situation, getting upset with others, all because I don’t like how I’m feeling. It happens.

It is silly, but many of us live on the surface of life for our entire lives. We don’t reflect, we are unaware, we do not accept our reality, we think we can control our destiny, and we focus our energies on events outside of our control.

I have a somewhat unique perspective because I have come so far in my own journey. I used to live on the surface of life, not being honest with myself, and not understanding the source of my anxiety. Others that cared for me (mainly my wife Michelle), could see what I could not or did not want to see, but urged me to be introspective. This allowed me to find a path of brutal honesty with myself and to trust her to call me out when I want to deny the truth (yes, it still happens, and she can keep me honest).

Having this perspective of living on the surface of life, not doing the introspection and reflection required as a younger man, allows me to empathize with others that cannot see the sources of their anxiety and stress. It gives me an ability to see the sources of stress and denial in others because I am the poster child of fooling oneself.

We need only to acknowledge our reality, accept it, focus ruthlessly on what is within our control and what matters. It’s easier said than done, but to live a full life, it is necessary. You cannot live in gratitude without doing it!

In today’s world, understanding oneself and what truly matters, having the ability to filter out noise and simplify is more important than ever. Technological developments are causing the world to change rapidly, and the pace of that change is increasing exponentially.

'Most people do not like change, and if you are not honest with yourself, you will have an even harder time in this new reality. If you do not understand yourself and what matters, if you cannot let go of what you cannot control, if you are unwilling to adapt your viewpoints and your energy, I fear you are in for a stressful future.

I think people that feel stressed in chaotic situations and rapidly changing environments, are in the highest need of a fiduciary advisor, someone that is comfortable in chaos, that can simplify complex concepts, and that understands how to navigate uncertainty.

Here at August Wealth, we have some families that know enough about themselves to know they need this help, and I really respect them for the decision to relinquish their control and to trust our process. I realize this is not easy for many of them, but I am gratified we are able to help them and their families.

The World Feels out of Control (it always is):

I first published this graphic in January of 2025, and I strongly feel the worth of pointing it out again. If you are focusing on anything outside of that dark shaded area, it is robbing you of the life you could lead!

Easter and Spring:

Spring is about renewal. After many months of cold and darkness, plants turn toward the light. Every year, despite death and decay, a new season dawns, and life is renewed again. Having faith that renewal and rising from darkness will occur can allow us to live a new and fuller life. Not just plants, but animals and humans too. We all have capacity to rise despite suffering and darkness. The Easter message tells us not to be afraid. New life will come, and we should embrace change and live!

Trusting the people in our lives that have our best interests at heart, and that have the experience to help us through is essential. Self-reliance is usually self-defeating.

I have seen how much damage one can do to oneself by not accepting the help of others and letting go. Fortunately for me, I eventually allowed my wife to help me, and I embarked on a journey that allowed me to live a much fuller life (thank you Michelle)

How do we accomplish “Be not afraid?” Only through allowing ourselves to be totally vulnerable.Allowing oneself to be completely vulnerable typically only happens when we realize we have nothing left to give, nothing left to protect, nothing left to hold onto, and nothing left to fear. We are completely spent of all fruitless effort, and we finally realize that life is not within our control. It’s the letting go, being totally vulnerable that allows one to live life to the fullest. It’s a paradox.

August Wealth was created for this purpose:

Our advisory was created to serve others. To help you get more out of your life.We accomplish this through focusing on a high level of care and utilizing our wisdom and expertise.

We are not afraid of admitting that life and markets are uncertain. We are not afraid to be vulnerable. We don’t need to force anything. We focus our energy ruthlessly on what’s in our control and what matters (as illustrated in the graphic above) and we do our best to develop simplified and efficient investment, tax and estate plans that help enhance your wealth and your life.

“Start with Yes”:

If you have been to our office, you may have seen our sign with these words (thank you to our partner SW who designed our space).

What does “start with yes” tell me every day?

• Yes, I can have more faith that life will renew.

• Yes, I can go forward despite life’s suffering and challenges.

• Yes, I can give more to others.

• Yes, I can let go of control and be more vulnerable.

• Yes, I can adapt to changes in my environment.

• Yes, I will be more fulfilled if I start with yes!

A Recent Example of why “Start with Yes” works

In 1989, I said yes to an adventure that would change and enhance the rest of my life. Despite being comfortable in my junior year at Merrimack College, happy with my friends, my experiences, and my coursework, I was being tugged in a different direction. I decided to study abroad for a semester in London, England, and that was an unusual choice in those days for American Colleges. The only program available was one that took students from across the USA, from different schools, and there were no other Merrimack students. I distinctly remember my parents asking why I would want to do such a thing. The 19- year-old me didn’t quite know how to answer, but I must have had a sense within me that different perspectives and experiences outside our comfort zone are important in life. Thus, I went about trying to persuade Mom and Dad that it was a good idea. Spoiler: It was!

London was different, I studied art, painting, photography, and history (quite different from the finance and economics I studied in college). My course work has stayed with me all these years later, but much more important was the five short months I spent with a group of people that today I continue to call my very close friends. Some of them I stay in touch with regularly, some are clients of August Wealth, and some I had not seen in 35 years until a couple of weeks ago when we reunited in Boston, MA (thank you to CM, MC, and BH for your tireless efforts to make it happen). I am glad I said yes to the 10-hour journey each way to be there for this reunion of 20+ friends; thank you to my family for urging me to go!

The benefit of saying yes to something outside of my comfort zone was that everyone else on this program made the exact same decision. They stepped outside of their comfort zone, their regular routines, and they embraced what I embraced. The shared commonality we had went beyond the decision to live in London for a semester. Even though many of us do not all stay in touch regularly, what became immediately apparent to us was that we remain lifelong friends, we love each other, we support each other, and we do not judge each other. We have led separate lives, there have been the pains and struggles of losing children, losing a spouse in 9-11, divorce, and financial failure. But there are also the joys of marriage, children, financial success, and experiences with friends. We live in various parts of the country, and we hold various political views. But what mattered is that we laughed together, despite our circumstances and differences. We reverted to our younger selves because ultimately what matters are the bonds we formed 35 years ago. The common thread was that we were willing to step outside of our comfort zone when other friends of ours were not, and we found that we needed each other.

The broader lesson for any younger person reading (and any adult that may forget) is all that really matters are the deep relationships you form in your life. If you have solid relationships, there is a strong chance that you will never be lonely, you will always have support from others, and you will certainly have greater joy in your life. But here is what it will cost you: YOU MUST GET OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. You must be open to different perspectives and routines; and you cannot close off those who have different opinions. You must also work at those relationships (thank you all who urged me to go; I almost forgot this point!).

I get emotional writing of how deeply important these relationships are in my life. They have formed me in many ways, and they continue to do so. All these friendships contributed to the successes in my life (with family, friends, and financially). I am so grateful that somehow, I made the choice to put myself out there even when it was uncomfortable. My life is so much richer because of it. I would strongly urge all of you to do the same because the rewards are infinitely positive in your life and in the lives of the people you touch.

It’s okay to be afraid, but do you want to be brave?

To be brave: Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Feeling Better about Financial Markets

For the sake of brevity, I am going to keep my thoughts at a very high level. Here are my observations:

• Trump makes decisions and especially comments which are hard to watch as the leader of the United States. However:

  • My job is to navigate current realities, risks and opportunities.

  • Change and chaos tend to bring opportunities, and we are finding good ones (we believe).

  • The emotional reaction to Trump from most of the populace is astounding to me. Emotion does not serve us well in decision making.

  • The media has compounded emotional issues by magnifying the negative news (giving people what they want to read to attract more attention).

  • The misinformation machines of Iran and Russia reach social media and influence the information reported and the news we consume. It is illogical from my perspective that the consumption of information from mainstream media (on all sides) is viewed as “factual”. It takes a great deal of work and various perspectives to piece together worthwhile information (this is a full-time job).

  • Media focuses on:

    • Trump didn’t have a plan (there was a plan).

    • The Strait of Hormuz closing was a bigger risk than anticipated (true).

    • Trump did not listen to his advisors (not true; he just didn’t agree).

    • Opinions that Iran has become a super power (Hard for me to respond to this one).

  • Everyone seems to be a military and middle east expert with strongly formed opinions (I am not an expert, and I am much more well read from different perspectives than most people giving me their opinions).

• We reduced our equity holdings at the end of January (as I have previously mentioned), and we will begin to put cash to work in valuable assets (ones that work on your behalf in the coming years).

  • I am possibly better placed to judge opportunity when it comes to what Trump may do (relative to the media’s expectations) because it’s assessed without emotion, I have studied Trump extensively, and others have made financial decisions based on fear. I will never claim to guarantee success of our investment decisions, but we must also recognize the possibility in relation to the consensus.

  • We continue to methodically look for cash flows of quality companies that will protect and grow our wealth into the future.

  • Iran is undoubtedly weaker than they were at the beginning of the year. Recall, I have been saying for 2 years that it is quite likely that full regime change is a high probability. This probability continues to increase in my opinion.

• Most of the world leaders, and the middle east likely want to move forward with economic development and improving the lives of themselves and their citizens (because if they don’t take care of their citizens, they won’t remain in power).

  • This goes also for Iran and whatever leaders emerge. Most of the clerics (the crazy religious idealogues) are gone. If you work for the Iranian military, you are likely motivated by a few things:

    • Staying alive.

    • Staying in power because that will bring you wealth.

    • Having the benefit of wealth and power for you and your family.

If you are in the Iranian military and want these things, you must work with your neighbors and you must work with western power (USA and Israel).

• I can of course be wrong; the Iranian military may indeed be crazy idealogues, but if they

  are, I suspect their neighbors in the region, Europe and Asia will not tolerate it. Hence, I suspect this situation resolves itself (once again, don’t accuse me of thinking positively, I am merely assessing the likely probabilities as I see it).

• World growth is likely to accelerate as we see a peace dividend in the middle east. AND, China and the USA (Xi and Trump) are likely to become close buddies in 2026. China needs the USA to survive economically (they must sell product), and the USA needs rare earths (especially to rebuild military applications).

  • USA and global GDP could be stronger than anticipated. Good for equities in the medium term. The opportunities could be outstanding for many companies where stock prices are depressed given how much fear currently exists in the media (which reflects the consensus).

  • Interest rates could remain higher than otherwise expected as growth runs hotter and it could increase worries about inflation.

• The midterm elections (presently according to prediction markets) certainly look like Trump will become a lame duck president in his final term (The house and senate are likely to flip Democrat). This is generally good for higher equity prices as the government cannot get anything substantial done (the market and business is left alone).

In summary, I hope our younger readers will send me their thoughts because I want to hear their perspectives.

My job in both life and navigating financial markets is to be open minded, understand my edge (what’s in my control), understand what matters in life, and know what I don’t know (outside of my control).

The better you are at managing your life according to the simple picture below, the better the human being you will likely become. I only know this because of the mistakes I have made and the wisdom I may have gained.

With lots of love,

Joe

Investment advice offered through August Wealth Advisors.

Trading instructions sent via email, fax or voicemail will not be honored. There is no assurance that these messages can be retrieved on a timely basis, nor is there any sure method of confirming the customers identity.

The information contained in this email message is being transmitted to and is intended for the use of only the individual(s) to whom it is addressed. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby advised that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately delete.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. The economic forecasts set forth in this material may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful. No reader should make any investment decision without first consulting his or her own financial advisor and conducting his or her own research and due diligence.

The opinions and information contained herein have been obtained or derived from sources believed to be reliable, but August Wealth Advisors makes no representation about their timeliness, accuracy or completeness. Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. Investing involves risk including possible loss of principal.