Retirement Countdown 2025

I'm literally 5 months away before I pull the trigger. I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel on this retirement journey. Looked at my finances as usual, looks like I'm in rather good shape; budgeted for a couple of trips I'll be taking before my retirement and after.  Next week will be my 60th birthday and that number, 60 is quite large and intimidating. I never thought I'd see myself being 60, I always thought it was someone else, but wow, I'm going to be there soon. What I also looked into was my health. I've lined up a couple of yearly medical routine check in with my primary doctor and also schedule an eye check up.  All usually around my birthday. Cross fingers I won't encounter any significant changes in my health. I do admit I've gained quite a few over the years. Not sure if was due to getting older or I'm less active these days. I've been doing free weights, some running, and strength training but not at the level I was whe...

I'm taking in the stormy weather we've been having in the Northern California area to stay in to do a little writing. It's been a few days after Christmas and I'm really feeling the sense that my desire to retire in 2025 is literally around the corner!  As I select July 1st as my last day in the office, standard protocol in submitting a retirement/resignation to my employer is generally 3 months. This allows all the paperwork to be processed just in time before I walk out the door. So starting in April I'm letting my director know I'm leaving.  Personally, I still feel the anxiety and wonder if it's the right time, will I make a mistake by retiring too early, all these crazy thoughts start to surface in my head and making me second guess my decision.  But as there is constant rain pouring outside my window, I'm given some calmness that all my preparation has been more than enough. I've crossed all my T's and dotted my I's, and it's really...

Well, it's confirmed, I'm fully engaged in planning to retire in 2025. Why 2025? Well, I'll hit 60 and I think I've worked long enough to really take in the moment to call it quits. I'm excited, it's surreal, and at the same time I'm afraid and hopeful that this move will be what I hope for. I'm surrounded by a number of friends and colleagues who have left the corporate, job, world to pursue other passions or adventures. I've thought about it for a few years now and it's slowly becoming a reality for myself. I know I'll have to figure how to navigate this route to get there. I have a feeling, I have to deal with finances, where to live, how to adjust a new life after working for so many years. I'm not sure where to begin, but I'm hopeful writing this blog helps be sort things out in my head and putting it in perspective on a blog to document my journey.  Cross fingers, I'm doing this right. It can be lonely, but hopeful again the...