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Explore turning points, everyday joys and unexpected challenges after financial independence or retirement, with the date and original source for each account.

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91–100 of 105 posts

Learning to retire, then learning to leave a beloved project

Jan 2017

Life at the time

  • Travel and time with friends, family and grandchildren filled many weeks.
  • She and her husband had relocated to Vancouver Island.

How it felt

  • Quiet gaps made her question whether she needed a stronger routine. “Am I still transitioning?”
  • She preferred to keep experimenting rather than declare the transition finished. “keep experimenting”

They built a busy life in Nicaragua. Eighteen years later, another adventure beckoned.

2017 · Year 112017 interview shared again in 2024

Life at the time

  • An art studio, an expat newsletter and a farm filled their time.
  • They kept busy while choosing work they enjoyed.

How it felt

  • The new life felt joyful. “Our lives are joyful”
  • The people around them gave them a reason to stay. “the people are what keep us here”

An empty calendar felt directionless. Useful commitments gradually brought him back.

2017Recalled in 2019

Life at the time

  • Household chores expanded to fill the day.
  • Food-bank volunteering did not provide the engagement he expected.

How it felt

  • He felt directionless during the first eighteen months. “rudderless ship”
  • Having a working spouse added self-imposed pressure to be useful. “Felt guilty”

The empty calendar felt strange. The gym supplied friends and a beginning.

2017Recalled in 2019

Life at the time

  • Sleeping later replaced their hectic work schedules.
  • Joining a gym gave mornings a starting point and introduced new people.

How it felt

  • Abundant free time initially felt disjointed. “somewhat disjointed”
  • The old business receded faster than he expected. “ancient history”

A busy move eased the exit. Then they had to protect some quiet time.

2017Recalled in 2019

Life at the time

  • A house renovation and move from New England filled the transition.
  • His wife joined him after finishing the school year.

How it felt

  • Leaving a long career was briefly emotional. “our hands more than full”
  • The building project kept him engaged in what came next. “that was temporary”

Road trips became a way to keep people close

May 2015

Life at the time

  • Returned from three weeks driving through fourteen states with her husband.
  • Kept a travel journal and stopped for photographs along the way.

How it felt

  • Valued her husband as both best friend and travelling companion. “best friend, and traveling buddy”
  • Enjoyed how road travel deepened her understanding of people and places. “build a greater understanding”

A temporary CFO return clarified the value of her own time

Aug 2014Recalled in 2014

Life at the time

  • Wrote, volunteered and played piano after a thirty-year break.
  • Used home exchanges and helped working friends with meals and repairs.

How it felt

  • Enjoyed the conversation and support around her blog. “it was very fun”
  • Could think of no personal downside to early retirement when asked. “I just can’t think of any.”

He escaped Sunday-night dread. A decade later, even freedom needed downtime.

Mar 2014 · Year 0.5

Life at the time

  • Read, cooked, learned, played games and cared for three children.
  • Built a household routine while his wife continued working.

How it felt

  • Enjoyed losing the Sunday-night countdown to another working week. “Now I don’t have Sunday nights anymore.”
  • Was content with ordinary days rather than pursuing a grand replacement mission. “Just enjoying life each day.”

Freedom came easily. Finding nearby friends took more work.

2013Recalled in 2019

Life at the time

  • Unstructured days replaced project-management demands.
  • His wife had already retired; he initially kept his departure private.

How it felt

  • Relief exposed how much stress he had absorbed. “lack of structure”
  • Enjoying solitude was easier than explaining retirement to working friends. “huge relief”

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