Grateful to not have to do anything for money anymore

[Sojourner]

I'm trying to purge the word "lucky" from my daily vocabulary and insert the word "blessed." I truly feel blessed to be FIREd and have "enough." YMMV

Actually, I find myself leaning more and more towards acknowledging and embracing the luck factor in my life. I was lucky to be born in a first-world country to loving, caring parents who gave me tremendous opportunities, and I was lucky to have been born with the genetic makeup that allowed me to make the most (or at least, a lot) of those opportunities. Luck has played a huge role for me, as I think for almost everyone here in this forum. I supposed one could say "blessed", but to my ear that sounds like there is some higher force out there rewarding and favoring people for reasons beyond our understanding. In reality, I think it's simply luck of the draw... and I do feel very, very grateful for drawing a good hand.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I've read several of Irvine's books, and he has an audio series in the Waking Up app. Also, Dr. Sood uses these kinds of ideas. Lots of overlap in this space. I like to keep reading and studying various sources so I don't "fall off the (gratitude) wagon"

Well, I guess I carried coals to Newcastle, then!

 

[Letj]

Actually, I find myself leaning more and more towards acknowledging and embracing the luck factor in my life. I was lucky to be born in a first-world country to loving, caring parents who gave me tremendous opportunities, and I was lucky to have been born with the genetic makeup that allowed me to make the most (or at least, a lot) of those opportunities. Luck has played a huge role for me, as I think for almost everyone here in this forum. I supposed one could say "blessed", but to my ear that sounds like there is some higher force out there rewarding and favoring people for reasons beyond our understanding. In reality, I think it's simply luck of the draw... and I do feel very, very grateful for drawing a good hand.

Me too and the older I get the more I recognize the role of luck. There are so many people I know who are better looking, smarter and worked harder than me but didn’t have the good fortune I’ve had. There is so much randomness in life that we often fail to recognize - the person you married, the physical and mental health of your children (you really can’t control for this even with the best mate selection), your own health, the random people you’ve met throughout your life who influenced the path your life took, etc, etc.

 

[Redbugdave]

"There but for the grace of God go I", pretty much sums it up for the way I feel.

 

[Dtail]

So true. When the pandemic was raging , there were so many people that had no choice but to go into work - may died as a result. Every night on the news I see refugees suffering and dying. We are a privileged, blessed group.

Amen.

 

[RetMD21]

I have the awesome gift or privilege of being able to do things simply because I enjoy doing them. I don't have to do anything for money or external rewards (e.g., validation, etc.). I can do what I like simply because I like doing it. And I can do it how I like, because I don't have to please a customer, referral, or authority.

I know professional men 65+ who seem to crave approval and status which is sad. You would think that they would have developed some sense of self worth.

 

[ncbill]

I know professional men 65+ who seem to crave approval and status which is sad. You would think that they would have developed some sense of self worth.

Sounds like my old accountant...single, no kids, no living parents...retired at 63, back to work at another firm less than 6 months later.

 

[Chuckanut]

Control over how one uses their time is a huge benefit of retirement.

 

[1242Vintage]

As I was closing out my career last year I realized how fortunate and blessed I was, both financially and with my family. Had several friends at work about my age share their “story” about their family finances and the reasons why they had no choice but to continue working to make ends meet.

 

[Dash man]

"There but for the grace of God go I", pretty much sums it up for the way I feel.

Agreed! Gratefulness is good for mental health, but great for the soul.

 

[Walt34]

Yep, I'm really liking this retirement gig. All I have to do is maintain a pulse and they send me money every month. Is that cool or what?

 

[Nick12]

So true. When the pandemic was raging , there were so many people that had no choice but to go into work - may died as a result. Every night on the news I see refugees suffering and dying. We are a privileged, blessed group.

On the contrary some RNs from the Deep South not only had to work but some even went for the money. Some went to work in temp assignments in NYC during the peak of the epidemic earning as much as $10K per week . Make it now, save and invest , pay down debt, etc.

 

[Dreamer]

I have so much gratitude for the life that we have now. I thank God for so many things when saying my prayers. Things like our health and the health of our loved ones, being able to be retired and do whatever with our time, the income that we have monthly and the assets that we have. I am thankful for the beautiful world that we live in and that I was born during a time that indoor plumbing is common.

I asked my DH to remember when we were first starting out and were poor and struggling. I said if someone would have said that in 40 some years, we would no longer be working and we would have the monthly income coming in that we do, for doing nothing and the assets that we do, I would have told them that they were crazy. I would never have been able to imagine this in my wildest dreams.

We consider ourselves extremely blessed and we are very grateful.

 

[travelover]

On the contrary some RNs from the Deep South not only had to work but some even went for the money. Some went to work in temp assignments in NYC during the peak of the epidemic earning as much as $10K per week . Make it now, save and invest , pay down debt, etc.

And some, like bus drivers, had to go to work and ended up dead.

 

[FREE866]

Yep. Great post and love all the comments on here. I'm tremendously grateful to be in a position to not have to work.



I've noticed how the simplest things can make me happy and I think Covid really amplified that emotion.

 

[cbbennet]

Gratitude, luck, and content in all circumstances

Great post. I'm definitely grateful for all the luck in my life and continue to strive for contentment in all the other, not so lucky circumstances.

One thing I am grateful for is all the wisdom on this board which allowed me to retire earlier than planned when I survived a heart attack at 62.

 

[maestro]

Yes, blessed beyond imagination, and I daily take my thanks to a 'higher level', acknowledging the blessings bestowed on us, i.e to my God. I pray that our country and young people can be awakened and have the same perseverance as WE all did in our younger days, to have faith, fight the fights that are worthwhile, and obtain the wisdom to see the truth and goodness the nation was founded upon, to achieve this freedom we live today.

 

[Gazingus]

How can gratitude exist without an Entity on which to bestow that gratitude?

 

[Gremlin]

Yes.

heh heh heh - AND I was canned er layed off and 'discovered ER/made the mental shift' while doing temp work.

Ah, Uncle Mick. Your posts never fail to make me happy! Heh heh heh!
!

 

[mwacheson]

I agree. I retired April 1st right when COVID hit, and after 2 heart surgeries in the previous 2 years. My dad use to always say every day above ground is a good one. That saying is something that I fully understand these days. I was 64 when I retired after 48 years in retail. Fortunate that I don’t have to work. I still teach part time online at a community college, but it’s because I love it so much.

 

[CoastboundPNW]

It was so nice to read this - it seems like increasingly (especially in the last 10 years it seems?) people focus more on the negatives - like a permanent state of feeling aggrieved or unhappy even if they have a lot of positives in their life. I have a friend who is becoming like this. I wish more folks could stop, step back, take a breath and take stock of the good things they do have. Life speeds by.. so how sad if we miss the opportunity to 'see' all the good things. I certainly am grateful for so much, including being able to step away from the grind of the work week last year and retire. Thank you for stating it so well in this post!

 

[Nick12]

I had an experience today that brought home to me how fortunate I am to be FIREd and to no longer have to do anything for the sake of money or for any extrinsic rewards.

I have the awesome gift or privilege of being able to do things simply because I enjoy doing them. I don't have to do anything for money or external rewards (e.g., validation, etc.). I can do what I like simply because I like doing it. And I can do it how I like, because I don't have to please a customer, referral, or authority.

Why the post? I'm just trying to focus myself on my gratitude. I tend to take this for granted, so I want to explicitly post about it, as a way of focusing my attention. Maybe others will resonate, too.

I'm very lucky or fortunate to be in this position. The vast majority of people in the world are not.

As my family said you can't do most things without money. I am at a point where I don't need much but if I do I have it because of years of investing the markets and living below the radar.

 

[Perryinva]

Count me in on grateful for the luck of the draw life lottery ticket. I am surrounded by mostly older retirees (>63) and most are also quite wealthier usually because they worked longer, or in the case of the wealthy widows, their spouses did. Poor health is rampant and all the money in the world will not buy more time or reverse the physical damage. I feel I struck a good balance, and am glad to have my health and freedom from worry.

However, just because we are on this forum and FIRE, does not mean we don’t have family or personal issues that limit a lot of freedom. You can still be grateful for what you have even if it’s not “perfect”.

 

[goneboarding]

Thankful Too!

Yes, we are indeed fortunate. Thanks for the reminder. Life can turn in the moment of a heartbeat. So, to wake up each morning and decide what one wants to do this day with the only influences being family, friends and love? Priceless! Psalm 23.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Yep, I'm really liking this retirement gig. All I have to do is maintain a pulse and they send me money every month. Is that cool or what?

Yep. I call it "wake up pay": As long as I wake up on the 1st of every month, Uncle Sugar puts some money in my account.