Ah impatience – my old friend. Throughout my 5 years on this journey to financial independence, I’ve tried countless mind tricks to distract myself and remind my brain that being in the workforce for 10 years instead of 35 is a relatively short amount of time. But, it rarely works. I am not the most patient person 🙂 . Continue reading “The Stages Of Impatience On The Path To Financial Independence”
We’re on Week 10 of quarantine in Seattle. Our first stay-at-home order extension was set to end yesterday, but unsurprisingly has been extended to May 31st (at least). So as I mentally prepare to see only my partner for a total of at least 3.5 months (even serious introverts have their limits…), I’ve been reflecting on the possible improvements to our world that could stem from this pandemic. Continue reading “4 Months To Retirement: Trying To Find Silver Linings In A Pandemic”
Well – 2020 got real weird REAL fast. It can basically be encompassed in this humorous tweet: Continue reading “5 Months To Retirement: Yes I’m Still Quitting In September”
A year and a half ago, I published a post called How Pursuing FIRE Has Changed How I Act At Work. It recapped how I’ve changed as I inched towards financial independence: from doing anything my boss and company asks without question to erecting some boundaries that allow me have a better work/life balance, actually improve my performance and make my work life far more tolerable. Continue reading “How Pursuing FIRE Has Changed How I Act At Work (Part 2)”
Reality is setting in y’all. I feel similar to how I did right before we moved across the country without a house, job or knowing basically anyone on this side of the country. I had made the decision and I knew it was the right one, but it was still terrifying. I was leaving the best job I’d ever had behind, along with the best apartment I’d ever had and all the friends I’d made in my adult life. I was petrified. Continue reading “6 Months To Retirement: This Is Starting To Feel Real”
This is a continuation of my monthly series that records what’s happening in my final stretch to early retirement. If you’re interested in previous posts, they’re here.
Somehow another month has passed. Being in the actual calendar year I plan to retire has made time seem to go a lot faster than I anticipated. Even when there were 12 months left I must admit it still felt like a slog, but now that I’m deep into planning my next life, booking travel for retirement and trying to figure out how to get rid of basically everything I own: time is flying because there’s so much to do! Continue reading “7 Months To Retirement: There’s So Much To Do!”
It’s happened y’all! I’ve worked long enough to earn 40 social security credits and have now been inducted into the club of Americans who will receive some of the money the government has been taking from my paycheck my whole career. WOOHOO! Continue reading “I Qualify For Social Security! (But I’m Not Depending On It)”
Five years ago, I was sharing a studio apartment with my partner. It had 200 usable square feet (the rest was a hallway) and faced an office building and the parking lot of a dive bar that is known for having a swing over the bar top (classy place 😉 ). Continue reading “Lessons Learned After Half A Decade On The FIRE Journey”