There was a time when early retirement felt like the goal.

The number.
The milestone.
The exit.

I built spreadsheets around it.
Ran projections.
Calculated Coast FI.
Modeled timelines.

And I still believe in financial independence.

But something has shifted.

I don’t care about retiring early the way I used to.

🧠 The Old Version of Me

The old version of me thought:

“If I can just hit the number, then I’ll be free.”

Free to travel.
Free to slow down.
Free to choose.

There was this subtle belief that life would begin on the other side of a portfolio balance.

That happiness was delayed gratification.

Work now.
Live later.

🌱 What Changed

I became an entrepreneur.

And somewhere in building this business, something unexpected happened.

I started living now.

My schedule is flexible.
My work is creative.

My income is aligned with my values.
I take trips.
I rest when I need to.
I structure my weeks intentionally.

In many ways, I already feel retired.

Not because I don’t work.

But because I choose my work.

💰 Am I Still Investing?

Yes.

Absolutely.

I’m still contributing.
Still building.
Still thinking long-term.

But it’s not from urgency anymore.

It’s from stability.

I don’t invest because I’m desperate to escape.

I invest because I like optionality.

That feels different.

The Subtle Burnout of “Escape Wealth”

I think sometimes the early retirement narrative can quietly carry burnout energy.

“If I can just get out.”
“If I can just stop.”
“If I can just escape the system.”

And that’s valid if you hate your job.

But what if the goal isn’t escape?

What if the goal is alignment?

Feeling “Retired” as an Entrepreneur

Retirement, for me, used to mean:

Not working.

Now it means:

Working in a way that feels chosen.

That feels spacious.
That feels creative.
That feels sustainable.

I still have ambition.
I still have goals.

But I’m not waiting to live.

🐢 Slow Wealth, Lived Now

This ties back to something I’ve been thinking about:

Wealth is not just a future event.

It’s a present structure.

If you:

• Control your time

• Align your work

• Live below your means

• Build margin

• Invest consistently

You can experience elements of freedom long before the official “retirement date.”

💗 A Different Kind of Financial Independence

Maybe financial independence isn’t about stopping.

Maybe it’s about choosing.

Choosing:

• Who you work with

• How many hours you work

• When you travel

• What stress you tolerate

That feels more interesting to me now than a hard stop at 42.

🌅 Where I Land Today

Do I still want options?
Yes.

Do I still believe in investing aggressively and wisely?
Yes.

Do I still care about compounding?
Of course.

But I’m not postponing joy.

I’m not delaying living.

And I’m not treating my current life as the “before” version of something better.

This is it.

💌 NurseMoneyDate® Bottom Line

You can build wealth without living in financial purgatory.

You can:

• Invest consistently

• Plan responsibly

• Work toward long-term freedom

While also:

• Traveling

• Resting

• Enjoying your current season

• Designing your life now

Early retirement is powerful.

But feeling free before you retire?

That might be even better.