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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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161–170 of 541 posts

Ordinary days became enough

Mar 2024 · Year 0.5

“I do feel a twinge of guilt for not being more “productive” when I am likely at the prime of what I can accomplish.”

u/archiv1stRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Lifted weights at home and cycled regularly.
  • Tried two or three new recipes weekly.

How it felt

  • Enjoyed lower stress and freedom from Sunday dread. “No more Sunday blues.”
  • Felt guilt about productivity and worried about unrealized creative interests. “a twinge of guilt”
IdentityRoutine
u/archiv1st
Read original postreddit.com

Redundancy became a retirement worth keeping

Mar 2024 · Year 0.25

“burnt out and bitter”

u/KippaxRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Explored contract work while weighing permanent retirement.
  • Began charity work involving financial and technical advocacy.

How it felt

  • Felt burned out and bitter after redundancy. “burnt out and bitter”
  • Repeatedly doubted the numbers despite seeing a chance to stop. “second-guess myself”
ChangePurpose
u/Kippax
Read original postreddit.com

Semi-retirement brings photography, writing and comedy

Mar 2024Interview snapshot · published 2024-07

“I’ve been able to devote much more time to creative pursuits and other bucket list things.”

ESI Millionaire 408Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Reduced cyber-industry work left room for creative interests, personal-finance teaching and an extended working stay in Yellowstone.

How it felt

  • He enjoyed the freedom but noticed that brief office check-ins had spread across more days than before the pandemic. “I’ve been able to devote much more time to creative pursuits”
CreativityPurposeBoundaries
ESI Millionaire 408
Read original postesimoney.com

He retired with $2.7m. Three years later, he wanted back in.

Feb 2024 · Year 1

“Feeling of what's next lingers but giving myself time to enjoy slowing down has been a gift.”

u/outdoorfire38Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Made breakfast, walked children to school and fitted exercise and projects around family.
  • Spent more than expected while household net worth also increased.

How it felt

  • Felt busy but less rushed, with more room for the people and activities he valued. “It is nice to not be in a rush.”
  • Still wondered what the next challenge might be. “Feeling of what's next lingers”
RoutineFamilyOutdoors
u/outdoorfire38
Read original postreddit.com

Seven years without a job. A full life built around friends and bread.

Feb 2024 · Year 5

“Everything is going great, still totally happy, never bored.”

u/Oracle_of_FIRERead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Kept regular time with friends five years after leaving work.
  • Considered living nearer friends and visiting aging parents more often.

How it felt

  • Reported sustained happiness without boredom. “Everything is going great, still totally happy, never bored.”
  • Ordinary contact with friends remained a reliable part of the week. “Still hanging out with friends on a weekly basis”
FriendsFamilyContentment
u/Oracle_of_FI/RE
Read original postreddit.com

Financial independence let useful work coexist with absorbing hobbies

Feb 2024

“We spend freely on these activities that bring us joy, but not excessively”

old_eyesRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • He mostly consulted for nonprofits, aiming for two days weekly.
  • His observatory and his wife’s garden received time and money.

How it felt

  • He still enjoyed work he considered useful. “enjoy it”
  • Their separate hobbies brought them pleasure. “bring us joy”
PurposeCreativityFamily
old_eyes
Read original postmonevator.com

A three-month trial finally broke the work habit

Feb 2024 · Year 0.25

“Whatever the fuck I want - every day is Saturday.”

u/JDdocRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Helped with elder care and a chronically ill relative.
  • Played games, learned cooking and explored a game engine.

How it felt

  • Loved choosing how to spend each day. “every day is Saturday”
  • Preferred modest trips and home life to exhausting constant travel. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”
RecoveryCuriosity
u/JDdoc
Read original postreddit.com

Travel and hiking after two accounting careers

Feb 2024Interview snapshot · published 2024-06

“Given I’m retired now, travel, and hiking are our main activities.”

ESI Millionaire 406Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • The retired accountants made travel and hiking their main activities, with family and friends central to their plans.

How it felt

  • He had enjoyed the final stretch of his career enough to postpone an earlier possible retirement. “I enjoyed working”
TravelOutdoorsIdentity
ESI Millionaire 406
Read original postesimoney.com

A stay-at-home father finds a public voice

Jan 2024

“how can I serve other people”

Michael QuanRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Combined parenting with writing, podcasting, and financial coaching.
  • Expanded into public speaking and a book after starting the blog.

How it felt

  • Felt motivated to help others through what he had learned. “how can I serve other people”
  • Still questioned whether resources were sufficient as expenses rose. “do I have enough now”
ParenthoodPurposeIdentity
Michael Quan
Read original postcaptainfi.com

He left London for family. Freedom soon needed boundaries of its own.

Jan 2024

“In a way, I swapped time with colleagues for time with my friends and family.”

u/Burner_123_123_123Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Moved back to India after leaving a career in London.
  • Spent more time with parents, friends, dance and exercise.

How it felt

  • Wanted health and relationships to receive more attention. “I'm prioritising Health and Relationships a lot more now.”
  • Valued exchanging time with colleagues for time with friends and family. “I swapped time with colleagues for time with my friends and family.”
FamilyFriendsRoutine
u/Burner_123_123_123
Read original postreddit.com

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