My Friends' Response on My Early Retirement

I was in very low profile on I resignation. My friends who know understand that I have my own way on financial management. Normally, everyone can see that I am different from the others on handling monetary issues. Because of this, my friends sometimes like to get my consultation on financial questions. However, if they unwilling to reveal more information about their financial status, I could only share general advice. Because I share my personal experience which are somewhat different from what they generally precept, they normally deny my advise. I recognize that there are three types of learners during my sharing:

我认识的朋友们对我提早退休的反应（非常有意思）

我在辞职时是非常低调的处理。认识我的朋友们都晓得我在财务管理有一套自己的方式。在平时，大伙儿都能看出我在钱财处理上和他们的不同。也因为这样，朋友们也不时想我请教财务上的问题。若他们不给于我更多他们的财务状况的话，我至多只可以分享一些表面上的管理建议。因为我分享的是我个人的经验，有些与他们一般所知的有些不同，他们会问我为何不“如此如此，这般这般”。我也乐意分享为何我不“如此如此，这般这般”。我发现在分享后，不同人会有不同的反应。基本上，我可以把他们分类成三大学习者：

Two Weeks After Early Retirement - Commence of Enjoying My Fruits of Delay Gratificatiion

It has been two weeks since I stepped down from full-time job. In this post, I would like to share about the changes to me since then. 

Are You Aiming for EARLY RETIREMENT?

You might have been hearing people keep talking about early retirement for various reasons. Yes, your reasons for early retirement is your motive to move forward. With this motive in mind, you have to consider your path on getting there. In short, you know where is your destination and now you have to consider how to get there.

Start Early

I have friends who wonder how I could achieve financial freedom while my kids may only complete their education in 4 to 9 years to come. They curious about how I am so sure that I have accumulated enough at such a "young" age and ready for foreseeable and unforeseeable circumstances in the remaining of my life. Well, life is indeed full of turbulence and I really have no idea what will be happened in the future. However, it is important to make sure I am ready for these unpredictable future and this "cushion" is ready before I get out from the rate race.

Last Day at Work

I felt great during Lunar New Year break as I did not have any pressure on work after the holidays since I have completed tasks handing over to my successor. Unlike previous years, I slept very well and felt relax. This is the biggest variance that I first ever experienced. 

Today, February 11, 2019, Monday, the 7th day of Lunar New Year, to be marked as an important day to me. This is the final day that I work as an employee for the company that I have been serving for the past 21.5 years. I have been expecting this day for years but my feeling is mixed when this day is finally come.

During my drive for my final day to work, I tried to enjoy all the scenery passing by. I greeted my Chinese colleagues "新年快乐". My Managing Director bid me a farewell early morning due to his busy schedule. My good subordinates and colleagues handed over me some souvenirs and I gave away chocolates with gratitude before I left. 

Starting tomorrow, I'll be entering a new stage of my life. I have totally no idea how it will be looked like even though I have been projecting and practicing my future life for the past two years. Life is full of changes and challenges and I am ready to overcome them.

Yes, indeed my income will be very much reducing as I will be living on my own without any active income. On the other side of the picture, I have more time for myself and family with healthier lifestyle (as a  result of no more work pressure) which is a good trade-off. Reducing in active income doesn't mean that I'll start spending my own savings. As a matter of fact, my passive income has been much higher than my living expenses which, in turn, I could still maintain my current lifestyle without worry about money. 

Yes, my savings will be slowing down without active income. However, I don't think foregoing my health for more savings is a good offset as my health can't be bought no matter how rich I am. I must admit that not everyone could simply take this major move and I am glad that I have taken mine.

I am expecting my new life to come and I wish all my ex-colleagues, friends and their family members to have good life and health. All the best to all of you.

开工大吉

今天是己亥年正月初三。大家还沉醉在农历新年的快乐假期中，而我是这么多年来我第一次这么早“开工”。这也是我这近23.5年的打工生涯中的最后一次“开工”。

戊戌狗年的最后一天

今天，2019年2月4日，是除夕日，戊戌狗年的最后一天，也是立春。这一天对我而言与往年不一样。我今天还是和以前一样开车去上班。好久没在除夕上班了。一路上只看到三三两两的车辆行驶。好久没这种开车一路通的美好感觉了。平时的30分钟车程缩短为15分钟。这种快感难以形容。

今年我将会在年初三开工而年初七将是我在这间我服务了超过21年的公司的最后一天。由于想尽快离开，所以今年我并没有拿新年假期。老实说，太太和家人都有些怨言。他们说难道不能先拿假，再推迟两三天才离开吗？我直接回答我不要。当对这公司的一切感到失望后，根本一点眷念都没有。我不怪我太太和家人，因为他们并不了解我的立场。我跟他们说2月11日后，我有的就是陪他们的时间而这恰恰就是许多人办不到的。

现在我已开始调适自己的步伐，尝试放慢脚步，培养从容的心境来接受即将到来的一切。我不再需要出卖我的时间换取金钱，不必牺牲自己的尊严来得到虚荣。根根本本，实实际际的做自己，过快乐的生活。还有就是去做自己一直想做的事，尤其是看看这美丽的世界。

时钟滴答滴答的倒数着，我已准备好面对一个全新的生活，人生的另一个阶段。在己亥年即将到来的这一刻，在此祝愿大家心想事成，万事如意。