Is FIRE a disappointment?

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxfirev5 The FI part of being FIRE'D ended up being the most important factor. After decades of worrying about the next layoff or quarterly sales quota's I feel no pressure at work. (evidenced by the fact I'm posting here during the last hours before the year end closing). As a matter of fact I actually enjoy my job. The funny thing is that my clients and peers treat me very well. This is due in no small part to my attitude. Being FI has actually created a new lease on my working life. It's fun.

There was some real satisfaction in continuing work after reaching FI for me too. I was pretty confident in my role before then, but I was totally fearless (but not mean, why bother) once I reached FI before I actually retired (several years).

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamlet I feel your pain (literally). My daughter started daycare a few months ago, and I think I've been sick more in those months than the last decade. The cough from the latest cold has been keeping me up at night (like I needed more breaks in my sleep than my daughter provides ). Thankfully I have discovered Robitussen with Codeine. I've been near useless for the last two weeks at work, but I'm turning the corner now.

Glad to hear you are getting better. I remember going through the same thing when my daughter was little, and I don't think I have had such a bad cold since that time. There were lots of little nieces and nephews that age running around at F.'s family get-togethers on Christmas Eve and Christmas, so maybe that is where I got it.

Just staying home and resting today seems to be helping, in my case. Hopefully I'll be over it very soon, too.

[Khan]

I retired 7 years ago today at age 54.
Pretty much no planning beyond realizing I could live on the reduced pension (with good health insurance).
I have described it as a "run screaming into the night" retirement.
Never regretted the retirement.

[Packman]

I have been retired for 7 months now. For me FI was a goal, it is security. Having FI is wonderful whether you are working or retired. ER is a transition. I still have good days and bad days. I love the loss of job stress, and the freedom to do what I want, not what others want me to do. But I have struggled with loss of human interaction and a bit of loneliness. My DW still works (way too many hours). Most of the people that were/are my friends still work, and we seem to be losing touch. I have to find new ways to meet people my age that are not working (not a lot of them around, as far as I can find so far). So I am working on that - the transition. I assume it will be on ongoing process.

I spent a lot of time on the financial part of ER (spreadsheets) but probably not enough time of the personal side.

[tightasadrum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Packman I spent a lot of time on the financial part of ER (spreadsheets) but probably not enough time of the personal side.

Yep. That's me. I know better, and all that number crunching is not necessary. I recently started having lunch with two different small groups about once a week and have really enjoyed these get togethers. I've given some thought to taking some college courses that interest me. I enjoyed graduate school, so this might be fun. Years ago I played a good bit of golf. Maybe I should try that again. My problem is having to leave my little dog locked up in his bed/cage for too much time. Doggie day care tends to be pretty expensive.

[Beryl]

No regrets here. ER'D 11 months ago - 1 year after FI.

Like others, there are moments that I miss my position, authority, and accomplishing things for MegaCorp but also like others, I remember the crap. No way do I want to return to that. It is great being FI, relatively young and very inquisitive.

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nun Not a trick question. I don't mean retirement itself, as much as having the goal of reaching FIRE completed. I suppose it gets replaced with figuring out how to generate income

Trying to lower my golf handicap has been my greatest challenge and most frustrating one. Although the income challenge is not easy either.

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tightasadrum My problem is having to leave my little dog locked up in his bed/cage for too much time. Doggie day care tends to be pretty expensive.

I took my mom on a trip the other day and her sitter was lined up to come over and let my dog out. Well she calls and says she's sick, but we decided to go anyway as this was our Christmas family get together. Anyway, 12 hours later I come home and my dog was just sitting in his crate like a good boy. I leave the door open so he can just come and go as he pleases, but he feels safe in there. No accidents in the house at all.

I wouldn't want to make a habit of leaving a dog alone that long, but it's surprising how well they can do. Four hours is usually his max on being left alone.

[pimpmyretirement]

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxfirev5 The FI part of being FIRE'D ended up being the most important factor. After decades of worrying about the next layoff or quarterly sales quota's I feel no pressure at work. (evidenced by the fact I'm posting here during the last hours before the year end closing). As a matter of fact I actually enjoy my job. The funny thing is that my clients and peers treat me very well. This is due in no small part to my attitude. Being FI has actually created a new lease on my working life. It's fun.

This, to me, is by far the most appealing part of the goal. Work becomes play when I can do whatever job I want, with the flexibility of no concern for my financial well being.

Already, LBYM has enabled me to take risks over the years that have improved my quality of life significantly.

[rescueme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfishnevada It's really as good as you let it be....

Very simple, very true.

That has been my experience (and no regrets at all).

For me, it has been much better than expected, or imagined.

I'm a "newbe" at retirement (and not ER at all, at age 59); however, it will be five years on May 1st, some four months from today.

Regrets? None at all.

Life better in retrirement? Do you have a few days to discuss? ...

[Chuckanut]

Having mailed in my retirement paperwork, but with another six months to go, my only regret is the six months to go.

[nicolette]

Better to be "pissed off" than "pissed on"

[audreyh1]

For me it felt like a true beginning, so I did not experience a let down at all. Rather I had a whole new set of challenges to rise to. But finally I was in charge of my own life day-to-day, and that very quickly became very rewarding!

Audrey

[Hnicols]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nun I've been running my FIRE spreadsheet for 5 years, actively thinking about it for the past 10 and now that I'm actually there it's a bit of a let down. There have been other things that have taken me few years to accomplish and I know that after they were achieved, and the initial euphoria of success, I felt as if I'd lost something. So once your spreadsheets or FIRECALC etc said you could actually retire was it a bit of an anticlimax?

Just retired...today! So no time yet to be disappointed. But do worry that until now I was a man with a plan. for 30 years I was largely my profession, a lot of people listened to me (I was the boss so they all pretended I was smart) and I felt that i could make lots of things happen So now I have to figure out who I am. Find a new plan, and maybe a purpose. That is not disappointment but it is a bit daunting.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hnicols Just retired...today! So no time yet to be disappointed. But do worry that until now I was a man with a plan. for 30 years I was largely my profession, a lot of people listened to me (I was the boss so they all pretended I was smart) and I felt that i could make lots of things happen So now I have to figure out who I am. Find a new plan, and maybe a purpose. That is not disappointment but it is a bit daunting.

As noted on the other forum, I'd suggest you check out How to Retire Happy, Wild & Free by Ernie Zelinski, and complete the Get-A-Life Tree. Work Less, Live More by Bob Clyatt would also be helpful. I read both before I retired, and they helped me finally pull the trigger...

[JBmadera]

I'm not disappointed per se, but I am much more anxious than I thought I would be. No pension/bene's so we are doing it ourselves and while all the calculators say we're good I find that I've got this constant low level anxiety that is always there. We are making even more cuts to the budget (all frivolous stuff really but the cuts will add up), perhaps some additional breathing room might help.

happy new years all!

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBmadera while all the calculators say we're good I find that I've got this constant low level anxiety that is always there.

Yes, I know the feeling. I have six months to go and it feels a bit strange to think I will not have a job by the end of the year. It does make me a bit anxious. However, when I return to work tomorrow, I might just find the cure to that anxiety.

[BigNick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Animorph Being FI was a comfort when my entire department was let go, with severence pay. I was able to retire a little earlier than expected and not worry about finding another job. One of those options it is nice to have.

+1. DW and I are close to FI and there are a small number of layoffs coming at my work. Instead of being one of 2,000 people wondering if I'll be one of the 10 "unlucky" ones, I'm hoping to get lucky - the payoff would put us over the top on our FI numbers.

Now my problem is to convince my boss - and especially his boss, who has the final say - that I'm dispensable. As a person, I know I am, but they would also have to abolish my post, and it has internal political significance. In my favour, though, I'm one of the highest paid people at my grade (with seniority, allowances, etc), so getting rid of me would put them closer to achieving their budget savings targets than most other candidates.

[rescueme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigNick Now my problem is to convince my boss - and especially his boss, who has the final say - that I'm dispensable.

I thought you were going for additional education to advance yourself in the workplace?

BTW, "bonne année" (from somebody who worked in Lyon, in the past)...

[Hnicols]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack As noted on the other forum, I'd suggest you check out How to Retire Happy, Wild & Free by Ernie Zelinski, and complete the Get-A-Life Tree. Work Less, Live More by Bob Clyatt would also be helpful. I read both before I retired, and they helped me finally pull the trigger...

Yeah, I have the first book but a quarter of the way through decided just to step back for a bit. Have some winter camping I want to do this month with some skiing in between. Planning 30 days on appal trail end of march with my dog. Got horses coming in in May and that will keep me entertained for a few weeks and then my pontoon boat hits the water and I have two weeks camping on an island mid summer. So I guess I have decided to make the first 8 months the summer camp I never had and then figure it out.