Money and death. Sounds kind of morbid, right? But, that’s exactly what we are concerned within the financial independence community. We like to talk about the former and avoid the latter. Make no mistake, however, that all of our conversations have subtly interlaced the topic of mortality. Our time on this earth is limited.
No matter what your specific why of financial independence, we all want to find identity, …
If my medical training taught me one thing, it was how to recognize the destructive nature of fads. They pervade our health care system. Most center around medicine, vitamins, and herbals. Though there also is no shortage of treatments and procedures that become popular very quickly and flame out over decades. Although one would think these spurious “advancements” would be pushed by a fringe agenda, it is actually commonplace for …
Something funny has happened over the last year. I used to self identify as a physician. It was a large part of who I supposed myself to be. Of course, I was more than just that. I was a spouse and father, a brother and a son, and all the various other ways in which we see ourselves. But reaching financial independence and pursuing half retirement has sparked a …
The solution to most of my work related problems was half retirement. By leaving clinical practice and taking a less arduous administrative role, I was able to divorce myself from the worst part of doctoring. Being financially independent helped, but wouldn’t have been the complete solution. I am not ready to retire. I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t also point out the downsides. The part-time blues …
There seems to be one question that drives the financial independence community. Not for everybody, but a large percentage of the group are chomping at the bit. The question is simple yet infinitely complex. It drives at the heart of what it means to be financially independent and evokes our greatest hopes and fears. It is often the reason we stumbled across the idea of financial freedom in the first …
I used to loathe being an employee. I felt like I was always a slave to the whims of my employer. Exposed. So it was with great excitement that I started a business of my own. Yet, it took only a short period of time to realize that being your own boss carried it’s own perils. The buck stops with you. And so does the …
Being a physician has served me well. It has given me purpose and identity throughout my career. It has also provided me with a stable income. I knew, however, from the beginning that things were changing. From the earliest days of practice, I pursued lazy side hustles and real estate. I learned about investing. You might suspect that I did this …
It is not easy being a professional woman, spouse, parent, and content producer all at the same time. The superwoman phenomenon is real.
We are surrounded by a community of superwomen. While I find this quite awe-inspiring and cool, I can’t but also wonder if it is truly fair.
Do we ask the same out of men?
I was listening to the Hippocratic Hustle Podcast episode with …
Proof of concept is important because accountability is a tenuous thing. One can pretty much say whatever they want on the internet. They can boast. Spin half-truths. Tell a tale. The most deadly of these are the ones that are just a slight variation of reality. Personal finance is no different. Net worth projections, budgets, the acumen of a business venture or …
Reaching financial independence is no small feat. One has to turn inward and explore personal habits, goals, and rebalance value systems. These are somewhat introspective topics. Indeed, they require quite a bit of self-focus. This, I believe, is good. If we don’t continuously re-evaluate our beliefs and actions then how are we going to grow? On the other hand, such thinking leads to another critical question. Is financial independence selfish?
Are …
There is a lot of grousing in the financial independence community. Especially from those of us above the age of thirty. We look at the young people in this community and shake our head knowingly. We grumble some version of the same slogan. If I only knew then what I know now. We repeat this refrain often but put little energy it to consider if it is true. Would I do …
You wouldn’t have known it by looking, but Viktor had once been on several modestly successful television shows. He lived for acting. It brought him joy and purpose. So much so that it was the first thing he mentioned to any who happen to pass through his single room next to the nursing station. Viktor was almost famous, definitely broke. His little space in the nursing home …
There is no doubt about it, I am my mother’s son. What would you expect? My father died when I was eight years old. During my formative years, I was brought up solely by my mother. I believe this is a unique lens in which to see both life and financial independence. As the years pass, I feel lucky. The importance of female role models cannot be …
This weekend was bliss. I went from Friday night to Monday morning without a single phone call. No nursing homes were needing to send a patient to the emergency room: no new fevers or unexpected falls. I can honestly say that it is the first time in more than a decade that I have gone a whole weekend without doing some work. The thing about my half retirement is …
It must have been about a decade ago. It was another snowy day like today. I awoke at the break of dawn, and rushed out the door to the hospital that was several miles away. Leaving so early in the morning, the expressways hadn’t even been plowed yet. I did this often. Jumped into the car during inclement weather. While most were waiting out the storm, I was cruising to …
I like to think of myself as a relatively optimistic person. If you have ever met me in person, you might think that I have a pretty sunny disposition on life. And for the most part, I do. Since I write every day, however, there are times when my posts may start going negative. Not for an extended period, but long enough for my readers to wonder if am just a touch …
Retirement, or half retirement in my case, is a major life change. Transitioning from the accumulation phase, to the maintenance stage, and eventually to the deaccumulation phase can be daunting. These transitions are accompanied by a series of losses. We all understand the loss of income. But there are many other changes we don’t often talk about. There is loss of social interaction. Loss of purpose. And …
She had everything she needed. Her husband had died long ago. But the fortune he left her would suffice. She had given up on mansions long ago. There were no children, so who needed the space? She was happy as can be in her little condo in the city. The building had the most lavish pool, exercise room, and views. She absolutely adored the doormen. They would let …
I like work. I really do. Although I have been talking up my half retirement, there is a reason I am not going the full monty. I derive pleasure from being a physician. The ability to reach out and help other human beings, and get paid for it is amazing. Not only the work itself, but the human interaction is also quite gratifying. I look forward to years of …
I have two Achilles’ heels. Two mental health issues that continually challenge me no matter how introspective and self-aware I become. One is food. I have talked before about how food was my money. As annoying as that can be, I feel like I have a good hold on that one. With the right intentions and self-control, I no longer have to wrestle with this demon as frequently. …
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