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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.

Age
Wealth
Years
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51–60 of 177 posts

The urge to build another career gave way to family life

Apr 2024

Life at the time

  • Uses blocks of personal project time around the children’s routine.
  • Runs, swims, cooks and helps with household tasks.

How it felt

  • The urge to make money from new interests is finally easing. “not feel the monetary tug”
  • Feels grateful for family time and a stronger relationship with his spouse. “never been better”

Ordinary days became enough

Mar 2024 · Year 0.5

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”

Redundancy became a retirement worth keeping

Mar 2024 · Year 0.25

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”

Semi-retirement brings photography, writing and comedy

Mar 2024Interview snapshot · published 2024-07

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”

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

Feb 2024 · Year 1

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”

Financial independence let useful work coexist with absorbing hobbies

Feb 2024

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”

Travel and hiking after two accounting careers

Feb 2024Interview snapshot · published 2024-06

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”

A stay-at-home father finds a public voice

Jan 2024

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”

The portfolio soared. Feeling free took much longer.

Jan 2024 · Year 3

Life at the time

  • Spent more deliberately on experiences and people close to him.
  • Adjusted to a working partner’s schedule and changing workplace friendships.

How it felt

  • Felt uneasy as returning to a prestigious career seemed less plausible. “a door closing on ambition and prestige”
  • Also reported better health and greater happiness than while working. “I'm a happier, healthier person, with less anxiety.”

The executive title is easier to lose than expected

Dec 2023Interview snapshot · published 2024-05

Life at the time

  • Following an earlier-than-expected corporate exit, he tried more biking, hiking, golf, pickleball and gym time.

How it felt

  • He was surprised by how little he missed the prestige of his former role and appreciated life without that title. “I am surprised how little I miss it”

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