Longtime lurker here, so I'm thrilled to report that I **finally** FIRE'd last month! I've dreamed of it for decades, and one part of the dream was being able to make this post. I thought it might happen a few years ago, but the COVID/remote work/inflationary times pushed out that timeline.
First impressions...it's strange how quickly work has left my mind, although it might take months (years?) before I move past the burnout phase. For now, the top feelings are freedom and relief, like a giant weight has lifted. My time, mental energy, and physical energy are finally my own to use as I wish or need to. Post-COBRA life and portfolio management lurk as concerns, and I don't think those will ever fully go away (and probably wouldn't have even if I'd waited until 65 to retire), but I think often about a comment from a couple who posted long ago: that at some point, they started worrying more about running out of life than about running out of money. That comment has haunted me and given me courage and perspective, and it resonates even more as the years go by. I'm very much aware these days that time is scarce, life and health are extremely precious, and opportunities and possibilities can come and go quickly. The decades I spent at corporations were necessary to pay the bills and build the retirement portfolio, but they cost a lot of time and some of my mental and physical health. Still, I've been extremely lucky that the economy, job market, and my health and personal circumstances were generally favorable for such a long time. So...enough. I've been planning for 25+ years, and now I just have to trust that I can figure it out from here and adapt to whatever new twists and turns lie ahead.
Congratulations to everyone who has FIRE'd, and many thanks to everyone for the camaraderie and support along the way...and now post-FIRE! Special thanks for the excellent moderation, too. : )
