[laveer]

6 years in, no regrets.

I travel on the cheap (2-3 months per year), volunteer at a museum a few times per month, spend gobs of time with my spouse, and work on various artistic/craft projects.

Friendships have been challenging. I have less in common with people my age now. Long time friends are still friends. Coworker-friends drift away once you realize they weren't really friends at all, just colleagues.

No real friction except with super spendy friends (who are still climbing the ladder I jumped off of) who want to make spendy plans. No, we aren't going to drop 10k on a Greek Villa this summer. They have limited time and lots of money, for me, the opposite.

I don't miss work. At all. And I was passionate about it while I was in. Life has its seasons.

Worries in FIRE are mostly related to inflation. Healthcare costs have skyrocketed, and so has the cost of food. We planned a generous buffer and are fine, but the trend line is a bit concerning.