I was excited to have my first ever guest post published recently, on one of my favourite new blogs: The Fioneers.
Want to skip ahead? Read my guest post here.
I was in the midst of my one-year mini-retirement in USA when I saw the call out for interviewees on the theme of Slowing Down to FI. The Fioneers (aka. Jessica and Corey) wanted to highlight stories of those pursuing financial independence at a deliberately slower pace.
This was a welcome contrast to the misconceived yet stereotypical FIRE narrative: get a highly-paid full-time job, work hard and optimise all expenses to save 50-75%+ of your annual income, incorporate side hustles, stick it out for 7-15 years, then quit and bask in your financially independent early retirement!
I jumped at the chance to contribute, having changed my work schedule to intentional semi-retirement since age 33. After discovering FIRE concepts a few years earlier, I tried to accelerate my progress by taking on too many work hours and side hustles. My work-life balance quickly became off-kilter; I was too stressed and busy to enjoy the little downtime I had. Taking mini-retirement breaks gave me the opportunity to decompress and reassess my approach. I realised what makes me happiest is splitting my year between six months of work and six months of travel – and I haven’t looked back since.
The Slowing Down To FI series now showcases a variety of people who’ve incorporated choices to improve their lives and make their paths to FI more enjoyable – even if those journeys are longer. Whether it be taking mini-retirements or a semi-retired approach, ditching the side hustles, changing to a part-time work schedule, or enjoying a nomadic lifestyle, you can choose your own FI adventure!
I enjoyed the process of writing in this interview format, which helped me articulate my FI philosophy more clearly and explore my “origin story”. Without further ado, check out my guest post on The Fioneers here.
Soon after submitting the article, I was thrilled to meet Jessica from The Fioneers during my USA trip. I was housesitting with two gorgeous cats in Boston when Jessica and I met for coffee, cannoli and a stroll through the Common.
All of the bloggers I met this year are thoughtful, creative and joyful people – and Jessica was no exception. She is practicing what she preaches; working part-time and enjoying the remaining free energy to put into her own projects and financial independence pursuits.
If you’d like to know more, I highly recommend listening to Jessica on the FI Europe podcast or visiting The Fioneers website. Also, a big congratulations to The Fioneers for being finalists in the 2019 Plutus Awards “Best FIRE Blog” and “Best New Finance Blog” categories. See you for the winner announcements at FinCon19!
2 comments
Hi Michelle – I enjoyed your guest post. I agree, certainly a nice contrast from the usual FIRE narrative of making a ton of money and saving as much as you can until you turn into a burnout scene : ) My wife is a teacher so we may be able to use some of the techniques you suggested and use her 3 month summers for mini-retirements. We are going to give the Ecuador chautauqua a try in November and see how we like it! Sounds like you had a blast.
I mentioned in there that my wife was born in Australia and went back a few years ago to solidify her citizenship. I need to get out there and check it out! She is technically Canadian and grew up there. Apparently, she is collecting citizenships because she recently applied for United States citizenship through me : )
Max
Thanks, Max. Yes, The Fioneers are doing a good job of highlighting different paths to take towards FI(RE). That’s exciting that you’ll be heading to Chautauqua! I had a great time during the retreat; really deep diving into conversation on lifestyle design and what happiness means for us.
Sounds like one of your mini-retirements might need to involve a stint in Australia! There’s a lot to see, but if you need any suggestions on the excellent wine country to visit in South Australia, let me know.
Great to hear your wife has multiple citizenship options. That definitely adds some flexibility and freedom.
Thanks for stopping by!