Many people dream of becoming financially independent. I am also one of them. It seems that as soon as this goal is achieved, all dreams will certainly come true, and life will begin to shine with all the colors of the rainbow. But it turns out that nothing of the kind happens. A woman blogger who prefers to publish her posts anonymously, achieved her goal several years ago - she became financially independent, but did it make her happy? Read on her story.
The race for financial independence
The desire to never need money again is very much like a race. This is a sprint in which we strive to finish as fast as possible.
“I worked more, saved more, struggled to concentrate on my goals and tried not to be distracted, I thought that this was not the time to buy a big house, the car I dreamed about, and my favorite coffee. I avoided ads and social media accounts that demonstrate an ideal life, - the heroine of the article talks about her path to the goal. “I kept spreadsheets to track my movement and control myself.” And then came the day when the goal was achieved. At first it’s a very vivid and thrilling sensation, joy, delight, happiness, but pretty quickly they dull. ”
As the blogger notes, such a serious long-term goal as achieving financial independence, oddly enough, makes a person somewhat myopic. This is similar to how the newlyweds feel after the wedding. They spend months planning their ideal day, then the wedding party passes, and the next morning a strange sensation of emptiness catches up.
What is the goal of financial independence
“Why are you trying to increase your income or are trying your best to save? - the heroine writes on her blog. - Perhaps you want to quit your boring job from 9 to 18, maybe you want to forget about a bad career or leave a toxic environment. This is all important, but what else do you want from life? What will you do after you come to financial independence? What do you do with the rest of your life? This is a very important issue. ”
The blogger writes that she did not realize before how much work is closely connected with her personality and self-esteem. When she stopped working, from a professional who was valued, turned into a housewife with two children, she was lost, she began to feel mental discomfort.
No more excuses
“Let's be honest,” the blogger continues. “Many of us use work as an excuse.” We sincerely believe that it is our work that prevents us from living a better life. We say something like: “I'm too tired to cook, just buy ready-made food” or “I'm so tired at work, I can’t walk, I just watch TV in the evening.” But now you achieve financial independence, you no longer need to go to the office in order to make money, all the reasons to continue living an unhappy life disappear. But nothing changes. My husband and I have achieved financial independence, we no longer need work, and now I feel strong internal pressure, obliging me to use the days to the maximum, because this is what I dreamed about. ”
What next?
“Now that the goal is achieved, I have no more excuses. I can travel, chat with friends, blog, it seems wonderful at first glance, but I don’t think that is enough for me. Therefore, every day I look for new opportunities and new ways in life. And this time, my success is not measured by the size of wages, ”summarizes the heroine of the article.
Does this mean that striving for financial independence is not necessary? Of course not. But do not assume that achieving this goal will magically change your life radically and make you a happy person.