Well, every day is not as packed as the first one in my post above; but, many have been. However, I do try to do one or more enjoyable things each day. When I wrote that post, I had just retired (semi-retired really, as I consulted quite a bit for about 9 mos). Then, in early 2015, DW and I left downtown Knoxville, TN (a wonderful place) and moved back to the SF Bay Area, where our closest friends and lots of good memories are. We don’t have kids/grandkids to chase, and the few close family members we have are spread all over. (I’m sure some will wonder why we’d move TO a high COL location instead of away. But, that’s another post altogether.) Since the move, a lot has changed from my w*rking life but, most of my days are actually close to what I’d imagined when planning for FIRE almost a decade ago. Back then, I made a notional weekly schedule, which included: lots of travel, golf a couple times a week, volunteer work, spending more time with friends & family, tending to the portfolio, and time to explore new interests. And, that’s pretty close to how I’ve spent my first five FIRE years.
However, there have also been unforeseen major changes which I’m adjusting to. I lost my wife after our move back to the SF Bay Area, which I’m still working to recover from but, have made a lot of progress. I bought a boat, which is in a SF Bay marina, and I met someone who makes me very happy so, I’m in a new relationship. While my life is very different than I’d expected, I really think that having a solid FIRE plan (beyond just being FI) has helped my tremendously, as has my network of close friends. It’s like a foundation upon which I’ve been able to steady myself and begin building a new life. That’s probably more than you asked for but, it is what it is. Good luck in your journey toward FIRE. Although unsolicited, my advice would be to enjoy yourself along the way; you never know when something unexpected will happen. And, have a plan for the non-financial aspects of your life when you do FIRE.
