Regrets or disappointments

[HFWR]

Heck, looking back, my whole life has gone differently than originally planned.

What is this plan thing of which you speak?

 

[aja8888]

What is this plan thing of which you speak?

It started when I was abut 8 years old and wanted to be a Fireman. Then later on, my father talked me into becoming an engineer.....so right out of the gate, the plan of working in the Fire Department 3 days a week and retiring at 40 with full pay went out the door.

 

[Rustward]

No regrets. The last 7 years was spent working for a real bonehead of a manager who had a strong back and a weak mind and liked to see the dust fly whether you were accomplishing anything or not. The business was owned by a megalomaniac. Don't have to deal with them any more.

One of my previous assignments for about 1.5 years was like mini project manager at the place with the red bullseye logo. It was kindof like having to report to five different managers all at the same time with responsibility for other people. A doctor or dentist appointment involved air travel. Came home every weekend anyway. When things got rough and I needed a break I would schedule myself into a meeting in room 3232 of the multifoods tower. I was on 28. 3232 was too small to have a meeting of more than about 2 people, so it was usually available. It had a great big window facing North with a beautiful view of the Mississippi River. I must have shown some stress one day when I put a meeting (with myself) on my calendar, grabbed my notebook and told my cubemate I was off to a meeting. She said "3232?". I said yes. She smiled and said that was her hideout, too.

No regrets.

 

[HFWR]

What is this plan thing of which you speak?

It started when I was abut 8 years old and wanted to be a Fireman. Then later on, my father talked me into becoming an engineer.....so right out of the gate, the plan of working in the Fire Department 3 days a week and retiring at 40 with full pay went out the door.

I was sort of implying that I didn't have a plan. At least not a good one!

 

[MBAustin]

Fourteen years later things have gone differently than planned. Mann tracht und Gott lacht. A little resiliency and a bit of flexibility go a long way. No regrets at all.

That quote reminded me of a picture our pastor posted on his Facebook page yesterday:

My only major regret is that I didn't trust we were FI soon enough - as DH's disability has progressed more rapidly as he ages, we aren't able to do many of the things I had looked forward to in ER. But all in all it's a wonderful life.

 

[robnplunder]

That quote reminded me of a picture our pastor posted on his Facebook page yesterday:

2nd pic - That's what the stock market chart looks like in the last 20 years. I knew it. The stock market is controlled by God.

 

[Aus_E_Expat]

I am feeling relaxed now - very few regrets expressed and even those were minor.

Now just to get my head around this "retirement" thing and do it.

 

[NYEXPAT]

27 years into EER, never had a script but I don't think I could have written one as interesting as it has been so far!

 

[urn2bfree]

Only 5 months in and except for a cold that has me currently sidelined, I have been thoroughly enjoying the freedom.

Interesting what some one else said about suddenly not reading as much--I have noticed the same thing. I think when I was working, reading was an escape. I read much more regularly. Now I don't feel any need to escape. Also, as Mulligan said, I am not as efficient, but I feel no need to push or cram things into any set time frame. It is really nice. Except when someone else wants something RIGHT NOW! i do not respond well to time pressures and seem to have very quickly lost the callouses I must have had over that part of my brain. I like to go slowly, and no one would ever have said that of me when I was working. Back then, I had two speeds- stop and GO!

I have posted about the other surprises- a series of one time expenses that have all happened in a short time frame rather unexpectedly. (Root canals (x 2), broken pipes, cars, lacerations, appliance deaths, etc...). Just when I thought maybe we would get a break, another came last week that is bigger than all the others combined. (Roof repairs?!?!). Not a disaster- we budgeted for emergencies-I just did not expect so many right off the bat. In the past these would have been annoying, but with no paycheck, they are extra annoying.

 

[fritz]

I am feeling relaxed now - very few regrets expressed and even those were minor.

Now just to get my head around this "retirement" thing and do it.

I went through a "period of adjustment" (about 6 months) where letting go of the work lifestyle and taking on the retirement lifestyle was a bit troublesome. I decided to retire at 58 when the company I worked for went bankrupt - been retired for 5 years now. I do a little (very little) part-time consulting for a start up design engineering company. They are a couple states away and I work out of my home office (enjoy this very much). A lot of people helped me in my career and proud to pay it forward so to say. I could go to work for them full-time, but I do enjoy retirement and have no regrets for leaving the work-a-day-world behind. I will not pursue another consulting scenario when the time comes for me to step away as they grow and need full-time assistance in my area of expertise.

 

[Dcharles]

I am four months into ER and love it. I wasn't planning to ER but a Narcististic boss created a caustic work environment that necessitated my early out. I should be bitter, but in reality, I should be thanking my clueless Narcististic ******* boss! ha!

 

[HFWR]

...my clueless Narcististic ******* boss! ha!

Isn't that redundant?

 

[robnplunder]

Isn't that redundant?

1) Clueless and boss are redundant.
2) Narcissistic and a-hole are redundant. <-- e.g, my boss.

1) & 2) are not redundant, and can be mutually exclusive.

 

[Dcharles]

yep! Guess it is redundant! now to move on without looking back and feeling guilty for escaping the SOB and Dancing

 

[seraphim]

No regrets after one year. So much other stuff to do: work on classic cars, travel, work on house, travel, photography, travel and reading. Oh yea - eating out. Have gained about 18 pounds. Time to lose it. I can do that NEXT year.

Leaving tomorrow to travel.

 

[RAE]

No regrets or disappointments here, and I've been retired for almost 4 1/2 years. My health and fitness level are better than before I retired, which I feel very good about. And I have plenty of interesting things to keep me busy.......too many at times, actually. Retirement is definitely every bit as good as I thought it would be

 

[RetiredAndFree]

ER'd three years ago at 48/56, and absolutely no regrets, other than that I dragged my heels those last two years, afraid to cut the cord on our very healthy paychecks even though my DH kept assuring me we had indeed reached FI.

The way we've approached our ER is to constantly challenge ourselves mentally and physically. Many is the day we come home good and tired from our pursuits, happy to have the rest of the evening in to relax. The difference between now and before, is that before we'd come home 'brain dead' and tired.

We are not the kind of people that will ever be able to simply relax, which is likely why we both achieved such financial success in our respective careers. So for us, ER is about pursuing new passions that continue to feed us. So far it's working out pretty fantastically, and I can't imagine any circumstance that would bring us back to the world of employment.

 

[WannabeRetired]

That said, in my opinion, one needs to be realistic about early retirement once there. If every day is good... are they still? Without being whacked by a big stick everyday, "good" can become the new normal, which means it won't feel as good as it did in the beginning. You just get used to it, and may not appreciate it as much. I am NOT talking about going back to work, but rather the human condition of complacency. We can always find something to complain about, after complaining about work is over.

I saved this snippet from a post I read recently. Can't remember who wrote it or what forum it came from, but I thought it was inciteful.

"The trick with this is recognising that most of the pleasure comes from the delta from your normal experience rather than the specific experience itself, so overdoing good experiences actually lessens their relative goodness over time. If that makes sense?"

 

[marko]

I saved this snippet from a post I read recently. Can't remember who wrote it or what forum it came from, but I thought it was inciteful.

"The trick with this is recognising that most of the pleasure comes from the delta from your normal experience rather than the specific experience itself, so overdoing good experiences actually lessens their relative goodness over time. If that makes sense?"

I agree. Context plays a big part.

IMHO, people who retire and say "everyday is like being on vacation" are still viewing retirement through the work lens.

Personally, I felt like I was really retired when it no longer had the work context but was "this is how I live".

 

[scrabbler1]

I agree. Context plays a big part.

IMHO, people who retire and say "everyday is like being on vacation" are still viewing retirement through the work lens.

Personally, I felt like I was really retired when it no longer had the work context but was "this is how I live".

Similarly, when I ERed after working the last 7 years part-time, I saw ER as getting rid of the nuisance of working because even only 2 days a week it had been interfering with my personal life, often causing frequent scheduling conflicts with my midday and weekday evening activities.

 

[marko]

Similarly, when I ERed after working the last 7 years part-time, I saw ER as getting rid of the nuisance of working because even only 2 days a week it had been interfering with my personal life, often causing frequent scheduling conflicts with my midday and weekday evening activities.

By "midday scheduling conflicts with activities", I think you mean "napping", right?

 

[scrabbler1]

By "midday scheduling conflicts with activities", I think you mean "napping", right?

LOL yes, that was one of them, and my favorite, of course! But I was also referring to my midday volunteer work (often followed by a 3 PM siesta).

 

[akck]

Five months in, my only regret is that I was able to watch more television when I was working. Now I have to force myself to watch the programs I've recorded (ones my wife doesn't like), during the day.

Actually, I think the TV was a de-stressor while I was working. It was a way to zone out. Now I don't need it.

 

[Nodak]

Seven years in and no regrets or disappointments.

 

[Rustic23]

None, Nix, Nil, Nada!

Been retired about 8 years. Each year is better than the last. I retired to nothing! Went to the lake, watch TV, walk in the morning. I tell people I have found something I am really really really good at! Doing nothing! and I am going to keep doing it. I don't need 'meaning' to my life, or to make a difference. Just like our dog, everyday is Christmas.

I should also point out, finance is going better than forecast. That helps.