Having a birthday recently, I stepped up my game by consciously appreciating events, people, and interactions more. It’s a lot tougher than appreciating material things that one can see and touch. It’s a work in progress with plenty of room for improvement.
I’ve been saving this quote from a blog:
“Humans don’t prosper without a positive way to spend their waking hours. Children, family, exercise, and chores can take up a few hours, but without something else, it can be brutal.”
The quote comes out of this blog and I implore you to read it.
https://www.urgentcarecareer.com/2017/03/stories-of-an-early-retiree/
While this article focuses on retirement, it was pretty easy for me to re-align it to my very own happiness meter. The financial part of retirement was an easy but long process.
Bottom Line #1.
Never during my quest for FIRE did any of my personal goals, planning, and financial models ever account for my happiness for myself or Mrs.Fromthebachrow.
That is why the quote above resonated with me. It’s what needs to get worked on while enjoying an encore career.
Bottom Line #2.
The quote listed above helps connect another set of dots for me. If I keep connecting the dots, the picture of a well-lived life will eventually come into focus as I appreciate the process.
