Author Topic: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.  (Read 7419 times)

KMMK

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I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« on: March 31, 2015, 06:10:56 PM »
Today was my last day at my corporate job. It originally was a good job, but gradually became soul-sucking. This last couple months I was only there for the paycheque, and then even that wasn't enough. I gave about 6 weeks notice when I refused to sign the new contract effective April 1. March was the longest month of my life. But it's over! I'm exhausted, and exhilarated.

I'm now either semi-retired (investments cover half of expenses, which are low), self-employed (with no income or clients yet; I'm starting a money coaching business), or intentionally unemployed. Whichever it is I'm overjoyed.

I started thinking about early retirement when I was 21, about 2 months into my first job. I'm 38 now.

I was one of those people who just couldn't decide whether I should work full time and hit FI sooner, or work part time and work longer. Well, I've made that choice now, and I've taken my life back. Part time, or full time working for myself is my plan now. No more full time for an employer ever again, unless it's something that really speaks to me.

I'm going to start a journal to share some of my activities, and to help with my self-motivation. I'll probably do that tomorrow.

So far here are my thoughts and challenges:

-wasting time on the internet and my phone is a big problem for me. I can't turn off my phone completely as I need to answer calls and emails from potential clients and friends. But I need to stay off of FB and the internet for the majority of the day. I have a few thoughts of how to accomplish this:
1. Switch my mental mindset from "rewarding myself" with getting to look at my phone or forums to "rewarding myself" with sitting quietly, walking, reading, or doing anything that isn't technologically based.
2. Hiding my FB app in a folder, adjusting the settings so there's no notifications, and otherwise making it less obvious to me.
3. Scheduling phone and forum time into my day. This will be at my least productive part of the day.
4. Using my journal to fake accountability by reporting my success or lack of success.
5. Keeping my laptop off of the internet as much as possible. This includes working in other places such as a library or coffeeshop, not signing into their wi-fi and thinking of it as more of an office.

Plans for tonight - study for a test I have tomorrow. Rest in silence. (I did a retreat last fall and it was an excellent experience. Need to get back into retreat mode.) Read. Phone time from 9:45 to 10:00.

It will take a while to get a good routine going. Tomorrow is mostly catch-up cleaning stuff, studying, errands, and test taking. On Thursday I'll work on my new schedule and some pressing business things.

In the future I'll keep my ramblings to my journal thread. But I'm in transition mode now, so this was a helpful exercise.

vern

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2015, 11:47:45 PM »
Great stuff Kestra, congratulations!

Frankies Girl

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2015, 02:14:17 AM »
Hooray! So glad you're free! :D

happy

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2015, 05:44:46 AM »
Good on you Kestra! Your courage is admirable. I'll be reading with interest, as I sometimes think I should cast caution to the wind and make some radical changes. Various things prevent me, and one biggie is that I'm a chicken. So I'll look forward to hearing about your journey: maybe it will bring me some inspiration.

The Beacon

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2015, 07:10:45 AM »
Congrats! I hope I will have the courage to pull the plug like you when it is my time.  I will just have to remind me that any minute I spend in the office is forever gone for the rat race, not something more meaningful. 

forummm

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2015, 07:12:19 AM »
Congrats on the new life direction! Make sure you take advantage of the solo 401k options if that meets your financial needs--for example if your consulting ends up bringing in a lot of cash you don't want to pay taxes on all at once.

Retire-Canada

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2015, 07:23:53 AM »

2. Hiding my FB app in a folder, adjusting the settings so there's no notifications, and otherwise making it less obvious to me.
3. Scheduling phone and forum time into my day. This will be at my least productive part of the day.

I worked at home for most of the last 20yrs and when I have been in an office I'm unsupervised so the same distractions are at play.

What I do is to create a to do list for the day and for the week. I read it in the AM. It really keeps me focused and I get the pleasure of scratching stuff off the list as the day progresses.

Since there is no start or end time working for yourself I know that if I goof off in the day I'm going to be working on that To Do List at night. That can be a good trade off if it's a nice sunny day and I want to go ride my bike.

Sometimes I roll the other way and start at 5am and I'm done work by 9am with the day free to do what I want.

That's the joy of being self-employed. Stuff has to get done, but it can get done in the way that's the most positive for you.

Congrats!

-- Vik






KMMK

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2015, 07:26:24 AM »
Congratulations, Kestra!  Very happy for you.  Hope to join you soon in "not quite sure I'm FIREd but sure as hell glad I left that last job" land.

lhamo, I can't wait for you to join me in quitting. It's great. I've been following your story since the old SL forums - not sure if you know that- so it's great to have a long time compatriot in the FI thing.

And to everyone else, thanks so much for your support. I'll share more details of my story later. Life is so strange - you think that it will never be you, then suddenly it is. My life has changed completely over one month. More on that later.

Cougar

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2015, 08:14:36 AM »

congrats, but i have no idea why you need fb or the internet anymore if you dont need a job. whatever happens in the world or social world essentially means nothing to you unless it affects you directly.


if i were in your shoes, i'd check them maybe every 3 days and spend time instead going places or at least on a golf course. when its my turn, i may not be home but two weeks a month and i'll miss the news of the day a lot; but i wont miss many sunrises and sunsets over the mountains.

Cookie78

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2015, 08:46:23 AM »
Congrats! So exciting. I'm very impressed and look forward to hearing more of your story and to see where life takes you next. I'm thinking of doing something similar in the next couple years.

KMMK

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2015, 05:08:16 AM »
Sounds good.

yoga mama

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #12 on: April 02, 2015, 10:05:33 AM »
Congrats!  Re: Facebook - I have almost completely stopped using it and am just as happy.  Can you delete the app from your phone?  It is such a time-suck, as you know.  I just check in once every couple weeks on the computer (if that) and read the first few posts to find out if anyone had a baby or got engaged etc. 

I too am way addicted to the internet.  You have some great tips here - I like the idea of rewarding yourself with quiet time, reading, etc.  I am going to try to adopt that.

AlwaysBeenASaver

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #13 on: April 02, 2015, 10:08:01 AM »
Congrats!

KMMK

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #14 on: April 02, 2015, 10:25:39 AM »
Congrats!  Re: Facebook - I have almost completely stopped using it and am just as happy.  Can you delete the app from your phone?  It is such a time-suck, as you know.  I just check in once every couple weeks on the computer (if that) and read the first few posts to find out if anyone had a baby or got engaged etc. 

I too am way addicted to the internet.  You have some great tips here - I like the idea of rewarding yourself with quiet time, reading, etc.  I am going to try to adopt that.

Unfortunately with FB it's really the best method I have for keeping in touch with my friends, who all have jobs still, and for learning about local events. There's a lot of crap to flip through, but I find FB messenger useful for contacting people locally about getting together (I hate talking on the phone) and connecting with my several good but unfortunately long distance friends. It's mostly the notifications that I need to ignore. I don't care about scrolling through the stuff.

It's hard to not get isolated when working from home without using some type of technology. I'm hoping to office-share eventually but for now my phone is my connection device.

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Re: I'm done! My semi-retired, random life has begun.
« Reply #15 on: April 03, 2015, 11:30:35 AM »
Congrats.  That had to be such a super feeling. I am so jealous. I always wanted to retire at 35 but was far from focused on it, quite the opposite.  Ah, regrets.  But, moving on. LOL.  Yes, I am addicted to the internet and I can't seem to pull myself away. It is all mindless stuff.  However, since April relatively just started, I want to restrict my time surfing the web.  I cant believe how hard it really is.  Crazy.  However, this is my goal for the month of April. Good luck and best to you in your random living. So nice not to be tied to a 9 to 5.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!