I was thrilled to be interviewed recently for the Life Outside The Maze blog, exploring how I’m creating freedom along my financial independence journey.
Can’t wait to read it? Click here for my interview.
I was fortunate to meet Mr LOTM in September when attending FinCon, a US conference for financial bloggers and content creators. I was already a reader of his blog posts, enjoying the creative themes such as rational optimism and happiness return on investment.
When he invited me later to join his new Living Outside The Maze interview series, I agreed immediately. It helped that his brief mentioned talking to “free thinking voices” who are “living interesting lifestyles different than the norm”… shucks!
We had a great video chat over 90 minutes, just chewing the fat and pondering how to design a personalised, intentional life. Throughout, I enjoyed sipping a flat white coffee before starting my Friday workday in New Zealand, while he was calling from 20 hours behind during Colorado’s Thursday afternoon.
His thoughtful questions helped me articulate some philosophies and values I hadn’t realised I held. Feeling a little isolated in my temporary home of Auckland, it was cathartic to chat at length with someone familiar with financial independence ideas. Plus, it was great practice for some upcoming podcast interviews I had scheduled (stay tuned for those!)
Mr LOTM recently celebrated one year “outside the maze” in October, after leaving his job in 2018. I appreciate the honesty that comes through in his anniversary post: “I feel like I am living my life the best that I can today. Even if I still have a long way to go to improve and iterate in my life, this feels like a well spent year.”
I always find it interesting to read post-FI life reports by those who opted-out of the traditional workforce. It is obvious that financial independence doesn’t solve all problems; personal growth and lifestyle design are on-going processes, even once money needs are satisfied.
This is clear in Mad Fientist’s reflections on Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 of freedom, plus through his thoughts on the best and worst thing about financial independence. Our Next Life also shared the biggest lessons from her first year of early retirement and her reckoning with existential questions. I hope to learn from their experiences.
Thanks again to Mr LOTM for including me in this interview series, in excellent company alongside Michael of Uncommon Dream and Airbnb queen Zeona McIntyre. I look forward to finding out who you’ll have next on Life Outside The Maze.
Read the full interview here – Building Freedom: Michelle from Frugality and Freedom