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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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171–177 of 177 posts

A stay-at-home father finds a public voice

Nov 2015

“there was still something missing”

Michael QuanRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Cared for young children and fitted his own afternoon nap around theirs.
  • Built Financially Alert as an online business and community.

How it felt

  • Loved being home after leaving office demands. “I loved it”
  • Still wanted a challenge and connection beyond the initial freedom. “there was still something missing”
ParenthoodPurposeIdentity
Michael Quan
Read original postgenyfinanceguy.com

Chosen work gave freedom a purpose. Divorce changed the family around it.

Apr 2015

“The problem was that these habits were costing me some freedom.”

Mr. Money MustacheRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Continued carpentry and writing while being a full-time father.
  • Limited conventional business productivity to protect time for parenting.

How it felt

  • Questioned automatically accepting opportunities just because they paid. “these habits were costing me some freedom”
  • Gave himself permission for a long period with less pressure to produce. “I granted myself 20 years of slack time”
PurposeBoundariesFamily
Mr. Money Mustache
Read original postmrmoneymustache.com

Retirement, a startup and a calmer division of responsibilities

2015Recalled in 2021

“It really took me a while to get comfortable with being retired.”

ESI Millionaire 27Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • He left his corporate sales position.
  • Former colleagues drew him into a healthcare startup.

How it felt

  • The abrupt end of the old pace felt harsh. “very harsh”
  • Being comfortable with retirement took time. “took me a while”
WorkPartnersIdentity
ESI Millionaire 27
Read original postesimoney.com

Losing the job was painful. Life afterward was mostly good—and sometimes boring.

2015Recalled in 2019

“For me, I had never been fired so it was humiliating.”

ESI Retiree 4Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • A brief attempt at consulting ended after his corporate departure.
  • Weekday errands gradually stopped feeling unusual.

How it felt

  • Being fired hurt his sense of professional worth. “it was humiliating”
  • The everyday adjustment proved easier than anticipated. “surprisingly easy”
IdentityRoutinePartners
ESI Retiree 4
Read original postesimoney.com

The search for useful days eventually became an overflowing calendar

Mar 2014Recalled in 2025

““Feeling useful” is probably the single most important attribute I've needed to experience during this time away.”

Sam Dogen / Financial SamuraiRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Used a morning production schedule to write before enjoying the rest of the day.
  • Experimented with a book, extended travel and an advertising business.

How it felt

  • Wanted to feel useful after leaving full-time work. “Feeling useful”
  • Found writing particularly satisfying and missed it after days away. “extremely satisfying”
PurposeParenthoodRoutine
Sam Dogen / Financial Samurai
Read original postfinancialsamurai.com

Flying and service gave an unexpectedly early exit direction

2014Recalled in 2019

“really missed the people more than the job.”

ESI Retiree 10Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • An unexpected contract layoff ended full-time office work.
  • Flight training and familiar causes filled some space.

How it felt

  • He initially missed colleagues more than the position. “missed the people”
  • Occasional boredom accompanied the adjustment. “a little bored”
PurposeFreedomRoutine
ESI Retiree 10
Read original postesimoney.com

He kept accepting offers. Real retirement began when he started declining them.

2014Recalled in 2020

“not at all what I had expected”

ESI Retiree 26Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • A final visit with his father was followed by transition work and coaching.
  • Consulting filled much of the first eighteen months.

How it felt

  • His own interests kept being postponed. “almost nothing that I wanted”
  • He realized appealing requests could still be poor fits. “not at all what I had expected”
BoundariesMoneyPurpose
ESI Retiree 26
Read original postesimoney.com

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