How do you spend your time? Is there any friction with your still employed friends and family? Do you miss work?
Thanks :)
When they are in school I study (Korean these days) or build stuff for the fun of it. I'm not really social or anything. I simply like being home and doing the same things that got me FIRE'd to begin with.
I don't have any friction with random people, but I have felt some... resentment/spite/jealousy from friends. I don't know the cause or origins of it.
I noticed them speaking to me less and eventually they stopped messaging me at all. If I messaged them they would respond but would never hold a conversation. I tried for a while and then let them go.
I've had another friend I lost touch with suddenly "reconnect" with me post-FIRE only because he wanted to leverage my network/clout/whatever. So, yeah... I've had to deal with that too.
Well, only some part of it is spite. I think many people associate jobs with identity, so not having a job is like not having a name. Batman has an alter ego for a reason. He can't just meet family and friends as Batman.
I travel on the cheap (2-3 months per year), volunteer at a museum a few times per month, spend gobs of time with my spouse, and work on various artistic/craft projects.
Friendships have been challenging. I have less in common with people my age now. Long time friends are still friends. Coworker-friends drift away once you realize they weren't really friends at all, just colleagues.
No real friction except with super spendy friends (who are still climbing the ladder I jumped off of) who want to make spendy plans. No, we aren't going to drop 10k on a Greek Villa this summer. They have limited time and lots of money, for me, the opposite.
I don't miss work. At all. And I was passionate about it while I was in. Life has its seasons.
Worries in FIRE are mostly related to inflation. Healthcare costs have skyrocketed, and so has the cost of food. We planned a generous buffer and are fine, but the trend line is a bit concerning.
Time: Coding, taking walks, reading, hanging with friends
Friction: Not that I can see. My lifestyle hasn't changed.
Miss work: Nope. I keep in touch with the coworkers I liked to socialize with. I can do the best part of work -- making things -- without the worst part: meetings, perf reviews, political BS, etc.
If you are a creative person, it's the best. Become your own patron.
Note: People who are "doing FIRE right" spend less time online so you won't see their replies. I specifically made an effort to comment on this, if it helps motivate you to pursue it. Best thing I've done for myself.
My partner is on 5 days a week, so I'm a househusband on my "day off".
The main friction seems to be with me. I always attempt to spend the long weekend doing hobbies and having fun, but more often than not I end up doing a bit of consulting for old and new clients.
Hobbies are play, but play is a simulation of some other thing. If you're crafting something but not selling the crafts, you'll hit a point where you question your ability with it.
Tournaments are a nice hack around that, and usually what the financially independent have historically done. You compete for a prize. The prize closes the hobby loop.
But once you start doing tournaments, that draws you back into commitments.
The only way I got FIRE'd was by building a successful business as a solo person. I can't imagine doing it any other way...
TLDR, focus on the big stuff (rent, vehicles, wage increases, etc) and don't sweat the small stuff, within reason.
