can you retire early

 How can you retire early and what do you do with all the time?

Retire now, right this minute.

You do not need a fund of a million whatevers sat in a bank earning you money.

Retirement is not stopping, it is starting to be free and doing what you want. Where, when, how, what, why. 

We are sold this mythical vision of endless money and doing nothing for the rest of our lives.

Well sorry it is bull and a fantasy and you will last around 6 months before dying of boredom.

I ‘retired’ about 14 years ago, I cannot remember exactly when and am busier doing my ‘stuff’ now than I ever was when I had a job.

The trick is to get into the right frame of mind and feed into your life those things you enjoy doing and monetise them to provide a passive income.

It does not happen overnight and retirement should not be viewed as a cliff edge over which you fall at some point in your life.

● I retired at 43 from a successful military career albeit a very mentally and physically demanding one. Once I left the Army, I decided to take some time off to travel extensively and also reconnect with friends and loved ones. I needed time to reflect, recuperate, and recharge for the journey ahead. I am grateful to receive a modest military pension and also almost free healthcare that allowed me to focus on enjoying myself and having not to worry about how I was going to make ends meet. During that time off, I got to enjoy many things that I didn’t have as much time for when I was soldiering. I camped underneath the stars all throughout the US, fished albeit not always successful along the coast, binge watched TV shows that I hadn’t seen in awhile, and also road tripped through the southeast playing tourist at many locales. At about the year mark, I got tired so I decided to start applying for jobs and begin a new career. I had missed the camaraderie and kinsmanship from my active duty days so I ended by taking a job in the defense industry. It still allowed me to work with fellow military retirees, government civilians, and duty service members. Also, I only work 40 hours most weeks and still have time at the end of each day to enjoy the sun, shore, and surf in Hawaii. One lesson I did learn during my self imposed sabbatical was the importance of taking time off for yourself and trying to strike as best of a work-life balance that you can. Although I can probably retire and live a simple lifestyle in most of the US or abroad, I don’t even plan to retire till I am in my 60s. I do however plan to take a sabbatical every seven years to travel, further enjoy the hobbies I’ve taken up, and visit those I love. Best wishes and aloha on your journey to retirement. Mahalo for reading.