I have been glued to reading “The Four Hour Work Week” more so because I finally found someone who identified and clearly described exactly what I work so hard to build my life as. Time Ferris details hot to take a mini-retirement and have the continue throughout life rather than wait to just have one. Here is how to take a mini retirement The 4 Hour Workweek style.
One of my favorite phrases is “the birth of mini retirements and the death of vacations”. Time Ferris says “Why wait until you are 65 to start exploring and enjoying life? Why not take the usual 65 year old retirement and distribute it throughout life?”
That is what I have decided to do and damn it feels good! 
I have always been someone who has had a problem with routine or following under someone else domain. I guess you can say I have always marched to the beat of my own drum. Many times I can say it has lead me to some trouble, but the success and enjoyable life experiences it has lead me to far outnumber the mistakes and failures. At the end of the day it is what you experience in life that you take with you, not what you were able to buy and own.
Mini retirements are reoccurring. Meaning you do not go one- once in a lifetime trip, you go on MANY and for a few weeks or even months at a time!. Many people my age get married and have that one extravagant honeymoon and then they succumb themselves to a mundane life of routine. How can routine be good for anyone??!!! Talk about loss of interest, passion, your brain even goes numb. I will discuss routine later in a different post, but this time I am simply sharing my recently identified title for the life I have chosen and choose to continue to live. 
True freedom is having time freedom. I am not and have never been impressed with fancy title or high salaries. I live in a city full of stuffy nosed wall street bankers and brokers who make “a lot of money”. But I also get to see and witness how they live. Have you ever taken a stroll down through the streets of wall street around 6-7pm? I remember years ago I had a meeting with a friend downtown and I walked through one of the streets. I was in awe by the sheer number of delivery bikes in the area. I glanced one way and saw almost like a scene in the schindler’s List hands flinging open to grab food as money was exchanged. The “rich” wall street folks were getting there dinner delivered.
Rich? Really? Well in my opinion that is far from it.
Everyone is entitled to there lifestyle they choose. I am simply voicing that I think this way of living is rather poor. To restrain yourself to vacationing and having a total of 14 “vacation” days a year or now a days 20 or 22 is not something worth giving up in my opinion the time to be home and have dinner amongst loved ones. Hey I guess if you cant stand your kids, wife, husband and or you don’t have any of this or care for it in your life, then hey, go for it and eat your dinner at your desk too. But not me. I chose not to.
I have not reached the level of success I have plans for, but I have devised a way to live the type of life I love and am happy with now as I only get to add to it. I have been called a gypsy, vagabond, and even was named the little “Travelocity Nome” by a friend. My passion for travel and exploring is what motivates me to find alternatives ways to earn money, build cash flow and focus my time in businesses and careers that can support this addiction. Last year I visited New Orleans twice, spent 2 weeks in Italy seeing and exploring all the areas I had not yet seen in my previous trip to Italy and then 2 months later took an entire month off and traveled across country visiting family with my boyfriend and puppies during the holidays. Having the ability to do this brings me life!
What brings you happiness and life to your days?
Maybe it is the career you have now, maybe it isn’t?
Maybe it is teaching, but you don’t make much money… what is wrong with that?
Not everything valuable in life is measured by your salary. Think about what you are currently doing and what you would like to be doing. Mistakes made because of ambition or acceptable and can always be reversible or forgiven.
Think about what areas of your life need to be remodeled and share with me what are some things you would like to do or change.
No Comments