One year anniversary from FIRE: update

[Bklyn55]

Yesterday was my one year retirement anniversary. Simply put, this has been the best year of my life!! No regrets at all. Never been bored. I sleep better, eat better, and exercise daily. Because the work stress is gone, I enjoy things more. I can go to a movie or concert or have coffee with a friend and not be constantly checking emails or worrying about work issues. I never realized how much "space" work took up in my mind! So for those on the fence about FIRE...don't be...its wonderful!

 

[VanWinkle]

Thanks for the report, and keep up the good w--- I mean keep up the good times!!

 

[97guns]

You don’t comprehend what fire really is until you have it, then you want to never let it go

 

[ponyboy]

Yesterday was my one year retirement anniversary. Simply put, this has been the best year of my life!! No regrets at all. Never been bored. I sleep better, eat better, and exercise daily. Because the work stress is gone, I enjoy things more. I can go to a movie or concert or have coffee with a friend and not be constantly checking emails or worrying about work issues. I never realized how much "space" work took up in my mind! So for those on the fence about FIRE...don't be...its wonderful!

This is a good example of your employer owning you. Do not allow them to take that power from you. A job is just a job. When I leave work the last thing I think about is work. I have the ability to sync email up to my phone but I elect not to.

I tell people all the time...do not allow your employer to own you.

 

[Bklyn55]

Good advice, but I think some people are able to compartmentalizatize stress better than others. I was not always able to shake off work stress in the evenings. Maybe that’s why my FIRE is so amazing.

 

[Jerry1]

This is a good example of your employer owning you. Do not allow them to take that power from you. A job is just a job. When I leave work the last thing I think about is work. I have the ability to sync email up to my phone but I elect not to.

I tell people all the time...do not allow your employer to own you.

I agree with the sentiment but they do kind of own you. For the money I was making and the very low probability that I could do better elsewhere, if the phone rang or a text came in, I answered it. I’m glad that I’m done with that now, but it was the trade off and worth it. It allowed me to get out of the grind before 60.

 

[JoeWras]

I agree with the sentiment but they do kind of own you. For the money I was making and the very low probability that I could do better elsewhere, if the phone rang or a text came in, I answered it. I’m glad that I’m done with that now, but it was the trade off and worth it. It allowed me to get out of the grind before 60.

They own you. In tech at least. If you don't monitor email and texts constantly, you will be let go and lose your job. If you are over 40 and are blindsided by this, it may be a challenge to re-enter in tech.

Fear works wonders to keep the worker bees humming.

5 more weeks for me. I've turned off email now. They can fire me. But that wasn't true when I was in my 40s and not yet F.I.

 

[ikubak]

Three months into FIRE and I agree with op. I’m seldom bored and have completed many projects around the house that needed my attention but I never got around to doing. I have plenty more projects. I haven’t missed work at all. Sunday evenings are now something to look forward to. M-F is the best time of the week

 

[Dtail]

Yesterday was my one year retirement anniversary. Simply put, this has been the best year of my life!! No regrets at all. Never been bored. I sleep better, eat better, and exercise daily. Because the work stress is gone, I enjoy things more. I can go to a movie or concert or have coffee with a friend and not be constantly checking emails or worrying about work issues. I never realized how much "space" work took up in my mind! So for those on the fence about FIRE...don't be...its wonderful!

8 months and in total agreement. If one is healthy and okay for finances, the rest just falls into place.