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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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61–70 of 79 posts

Semi-retirement still includes a business

Nov 2019Interview snapshot · published 2019

Life at the time

  • As a staffing-company co-owner, he worked to his own schedule and avoided the office commute when possible.

How it felt

  • He described an excellent work-life balance, while also acknowledging some struggle with being semi-retired. “I’m kind of semi-retired and I’m struggling with that a bit.”

Permission to enjoy retirement takes time

Jul 2019Interview snapshot · published 2019

Life at the time

  • After leaving a second consulting career, he did some oil prospecting and served on a school-board finance committee while becoming more involved in church.

How it felt

  • It took nearly two years to feel comfortable, with guilt possibly connected to his wife still working. “It’s taken me the better part of two years to get really comfortable with retirement.”

Loving freedom and still feeling unsettled

Jun 2019Interview snapshot · published 2019

Life at the time

  • She attended classes and theater, met friends and learned canasta, while her husband's work schedule limited longer trips.

How it felt

  • She loved not working but sometimes felt uncertain about purpose; talking through the transition had helped. “I do feel unsettled at times.”

She left her title behind. Time together mattered more as health changed.

Jun 2019 · Year 2

Life at the time

  • Exercise, cooking, gardening and a book club filled ordinary days.
  • She made time for friendships and caring for her partner.

How it felt

  • His declining health was an unwelcome surprise. “biggest ‘bad’ surprise”
  • Being free to care for him felt especially valuable. “so happy”

Part-time engineering is an experiment in letting go

Jun 2019Interview snapshot · published 2019

Life at the time

  • He reduced engineering and consulting work, leaving time for family, exercise, travel and developing interests beyond his career.

How it felt

  • He valued control of his schedule but found it difficult to build new friendships and avoid defaulting to work. “My current semi-retirement is an experiment of sorts.”

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

Apr 2019 · Year 4

Life at the time

  • Gym visits, friends and outings filled a relaxed week.
  • The couple regularly visited their second home in the Southwest.

How it felt

  • He sometimes felt bored or obliged to work. “there are days I’m just bored”
  • His wife remained content without another job. “she loves not working”

He escaped the corporate role, then found another reason to use his skills.

2019

Life at the time

  • Left a successful corporate career.
  • Built financial-independence writing for a UK audience. “trying to create some, some UK content”

How it felt

  • Found leaving frightening because the job had been part of his identity. “It’s kind of terrifying to quit a job”
  • Other people’s accounts had helped make a different life feel possible.

Leaving the executive role made room for parenting, but not an empty day.

2019Recalled in 2020

Life at the time

  • Unstructured time initially replaced a demanding executive schedule.
  • Exercise and small projects began to rebuild a routine.

How it felt

  • The first relief gave way to feeling unproductive. “a big relief”
  • Recent career setbacks had shaken his confidence. “falling into a rut”

He won his freedom—and ran out of goals.

2019 · Year 3

Life at the time

  • Declined more opportunities to protect personal projects.
  • Organized time with extended family and checked financial spreadsheets less often.

How it felt

  • Found saying no an important part of making freedom satisfying. “this third year was marked by saying no to most things”
  • Was shifting attention away from further financial growth. “more growth is not going to make me happier.”

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