Well, 2020 has been the gift that keeps on giving. That is for sure. What a crazy year.
I took my self-funded sabbatical for 6 months and did some adventure travel and other physical things that I needed to get out my system. It was glorious and I'm glad I pulled the trigger because who would have guessed that everything was going to shutdown.
Just before COVID hit, I had started pursuing some part-time consulting work. This wasn't because I needed the income, but rather because I was interested in the work. It took several months to get my operation off the ground, but since I was basically trapped in my home, it was a good time to work on the business. I now have paying clients 1-2 days per week, intellectual stimulation, autonomy, and the ability to do more fun stuff once the world returns to some sense of normalcy (e.g., travel, visiting family members, dinner with friends, time in the gym, etc.).
So, 2020 was a year of transition, and I feel I have created a situation that is sustainable for a long time. I guess the retirement police would say I'm still working, which is true, but I think semi-retirement is more accurate. I've got one foot in the working world and one foot in retirement...and for now that suits me just fine.
I should add that the market downturn in March definitely caught our attention, but we rebalanced and otherwise stayed the course. If the market turns down sharply in the future, I am keeping my skills fresh, so I'm confident I could increase my income if we got into a financial pinch.
Overall, it's been really healthy for me to embrace new things and proactively evolve my life. I hope you find some insight from my perspective. What are your plans?!
