Now that I have been retired for over a year and I can reflect…………………I find myself ruminating and circling back to the best things in life ARE FREE. 

I already know a good majority of what makes me happy. I’ve done all of the things. However, being totally transparent here; a few years before I early retired, I came to a place where I honestly felt like “been there, done that” and why am I doing this?

Experiencing things I’ve always wanted in life, having my dream career, and being in a healthy relationship, what more could I have asked for? Or so it seemed.

What was it that I really wanted? Happiness, contentment, a good night’s sleep?

Naturally, I then wrote down everything I could think of that made me happy and/or content. More specifically, what directly increased my endorphins. Sticking to things that are truly free, I intentionally left off anything ingested, injected, inhaled or cost money. My list (several mentioned below) comprised of the typical things on everyone’s list.

-Hugging

-cuddling with my grand baby but mostly my husband

-sleeping

-meditating

-sex

-updating my net worth (at least in the accumulation stage of my life)

-laughing with friends and family

–dancing to Disco (or head-bopping if too tired)

-helping someone else (the more random and interacting with the recipient, the better)

-the feeling I get after I exercise

-exposure to the sun

-making a hard diagnosis (took the longest, but the endorphin boost lasted the longest)

-looking at old photographs and reminiscing (even better with others)

-Saving a patient’s life

and

-counting the waves

D2D, can’t I just do the things stated above and go on about my life in pure bliss? Not that simple.

Been there, done that. Eventually became not worth it.

Hence why incorporating many things into my daily working life was F-ing borderline IMPOSSIBLE and obviously not enough. Not saying no and spreading myself too thin when my body begged for a physical and especially a mental break for so many years clouded my GPS. I couldn’t see true-north. I suspect a lot of you reading this may feel the same way.

What I continually but unknowingly gave up in my later career such as peace of mind, true rest and the over-all sense of feeling well seemed much more important for me to address.

Inevitably, I asked myself a very over-looked question……….

If the Best Things in Life are Free,

Why Did I Choose to F.I.R.E.?

………..and why are all of YOU pursuing financial independence?

My Answer:

I wanted the FREEDOM to CHOOSE

how I spent my TIME.

Yes, that’s it! (in my Lucy voice thinking she’s got an original concept, but not so original). As simple as it gets, and so eloquent too (just like the Krebs cycle-simple and perfect). The effects of financial security in perpetuity allows for the FREEDOM to CHOOSE how I spend my TIME.

But there’s a catch……..you knew it was coming, I’m sorry to say…

Pursuing happiness might be a hedonic treadmill all unto itself, and indeed may be hazardous to your health.   “Say whaaaaaat DocToDisco, you’re telling me NOT to pursue happiness?” Whew! that’s a lot to take in. Yes! I agree with you, I have the same question. It’s a conundrum I haven’t quite figured out for myself either (insert question arms emoji here). Don’t hold it against me, I’ve only been a civilian for a little over 1 year, I’m still an infant; all I want is to sleep, be fed and play (hehehe).

Maybe this entire notion of round-the-clock endorphin boosts aka happiness 7-Eleven style is not so good for us after all. Word on the street is that instead of pursuing happiness, we should be pursuing contentment. Semantics?

Even further, we should be doing “hard things” consistently so that we appreciate those free best things in life that much more. Elizabeth Dunn in Happy Money goes as far as electing for dopamine breaks. Hmm, is this why Mr. D2D readily invests in and orchestrates residential renno projects when he doesn’t have to and transports his own garbage?

Is this the answer to the Key of Life? Doing hard things?

My left eye is squinting right now because my lazy-ass gene is not buying it. I’m looking at the kool-aid – not ready to drink.

I don’t know if giving myself a dopamine break is the solution for me. Because I feel like I’ve had a lifetime of work packed into 20 years and now I’m ready to par-tay.

For now, the jury’s out on dopamine breaks and doing hard things. Check back with me later (subscribe here). Maybe I’ll change my mind.

In conclusion, the obvious, not so obvious moral of the story is that the best things in life are indeed free, but more importantly having the complete FREEDOM AND THE TIME to do what ever you want, when ever you want, and with whom you want to do them with (even if they are hard things-eye roll emoji) is why most people STILL choose to F.I.R.E. Yup…..

When left to your own devices what will you pursue? Or will you ALSO produce an over-abundance of lazy-ass gene product?

Almost forgot, one more thing that seriously boosted my endorphins recently ——–>>>>