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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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61–65 of 65 posts

He learned to stop being busy. Then life overturned the plan.

Nov 2015

“Instead of maintaining the same pace of life, I’m slowing down — living more by doing less.”

Living a FIRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Kept running, music and family time in the week.
  • Left more room for unplanned activities, including a spontaneous dinner.

How it felt

  • Found value in a less crowded calendar. “living more by doing less.”
  • Questioned the need to prove personal worth through constant busyness. “Screw fake-busy-status.”
RecoverySlowing down
Living a FI
Read original postlivingafi.com

He slept through the first adjustment. Later, even Sunday evenings felt free.

2015Recalled in 2019

“I soon got over the guilt”

ESI Retiree 17Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Long naps accompanied the first months away from school administration.
  • Weekday coffee and lunches together were newly possible.

How it felt

  • Receiving a pension without working initially brought guilt. “I soon got over the guilt”
  • He gradually realized he was no longer constantly on call. “a little weird”
RecoveryFamilyFreedom
ESI Retiree 17
Read original postesimoney.com

Freedom gives a generalist time to recover

Jun 2014 · Year 2

“Even after two years, I am still in the recovery phase”

Ermine · Simple Living in SuffolkRead original post (opens in a new tab)

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”
RecoveryCuriosityCreativity
Ermine · Simple Living in Suffolk
Read original postsimplelivingsomerset.wordpress.com

Freedom gives a generalist time to recover

2012Recalled in 2014

“I crossed the finish line exhausted and no reserve capacity.”

Ermine · Simple Living in SuffolkRead original post (opens in a new tab)

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”
RecoveryCuriosityCreativity
Ermine · Simple Living in Suffolk
Read original postsimplelivingsomerset.wordpress.com

Leaving the business lifted a weight. Enough became easier to recognize.

2007Recalled in 2024

“Oddly, I had rediscovered the ability to make significant life choices and then do it.”

HariSeldonRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • He sold the engineering business.
  • He helped the new owners part-time for three months.

How it felt

  • Leaving brought relief. “a weight had been lifted”
  • He rediscovered confidence in making major choices. “significant life choices”
RecoveryFreedom
HariSeldon
Read original postmonevator.com

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