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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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51–55 of 55 posts

A part-time library and a new circle of colleagues

Jun 2017

Life at the time

  • Worked part-time in a county law library after an initial eighteen-month pause.
  • Lived in Florida while his wife continued full-time work.

How it felt

  • Found the early-retirement journey gratifying. “most gratifying”
  • Valued the purpose and extra income from part-time work. “a sense of purpose”

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”

Financial independence let useful work coexist with absorbing hobbies

2016Recalled in 2024

Life at the time

  • His corporate role ended in a restructuring.
  • He revived a consulting business after the corporate stint.

How it felt

  • Their finances seemed sufficient to leave. “looked okay”
  • He recognized that paid work had become optional. “did not need to work anymore”

Freedom gives a generalist time to recover

Jun 2014 · Year 2

Life at the time

  • He built shelters, repaired tractors and worked on irrigation and coding projects.
  • Photography and recording brought some incidental earnings.

How it felt

  • He was surprised still to be recovering from work stress. “still in the recovery phase”
  • General interests could now flourish outside a restrictive workplace. “free rein”

Freedom gives a generalist time to recover

2012Recalled in 2014

Life at the time

  • He handed back the employer’s equipment and stopped receiving wages.
  • Redundancy money helped bridge the period before drawing a deferred pension.

How it felt

  • He described arriving at retirement exhausted. “exhausted and no reserve capacity”
  • Losing regular pay made financial life feel unfamiliar and frightening. “I find it scary”

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