One Year Anniversary of My Early Retirement is Coming Soon

By mid-February 2020, I will celebrate my first anniversary of my early retirement. My friends keep asking me questions like:

1. How do I feel for the past one year? 
2. Do I feel bored? 
3. How do I spend my ample time? 

I believe my friends are expecting my negative answers so that they feel better on having full time job, even though they hate to do so as, the fact is, most of them are still having a long way towards their financial freedom. They are seeking for consolation if I tell them my early retirement is not so exciting. However, they are wrong, very wrong. I can't find any better way to make me happy than early retirement. However, they still look at me with doubt.

Well, I would like to share with everyone about what I have been doing for the past one year on my early retirement. First, I become the owner myself as I am no longer selling my time for money. My financial backup is working according to my plan and is generating more than I need. So, beside using what I have budgeted, I add on  the remaining into my original fund to generate more income for me.

Now, I have ample time to do what I like. In March and May 2019, I self drove to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Gopeng, Kampar and Klang for vacation with my wife and kids. In November 2019, I brought my family to Taiwan for 12 days. It was impossible for me to do so when I was an full-time employee. First, as a Head of Department, it was impossible for me to leave my work position for more than 3 days or else I had to face endless meeting and spent lots of time to settle those pending issues (things that need my approval to go). Now, I have no such worry anymore and I no longer have the uneasy feeling after holiday / before going back to work. No work related pressure is really fantastic. In 2020, I am planning to go more places, both local and overseas while I am still able to.

I also have been spending lots of time on reading. I have read more than 30 books in 2019. Some of them are new while most of them are old books which I reread them at ease. I gain more insight view after rereading those old books. I feel enriched.

Further, I play around with my flowers and plants. Observing them in order to understand how to make them growing better. I harvest my grown vegetables and peas. I fertilize my flowering plants to make them bloom. Spend time to clean weeds and leaves. Life could not be so easy before.

I also get around with my wife, just the two of us, whenever we want to as we are not tight up by those stupid full time job. We feel easy and happy when getting around less crowded places while others are busy with their jobs.

In short, I don't feel bored as my free time is filled by meaningful activities. You guys should also develop your hobbies before your retirement or, otherwise, you will be bored.