Any struggling to actually slow down?
Need some perspective. We passed our coast FI number but I am having trouble slowing down at work. There are lots of reasons: I actually like my work (healthcare), even though it is incredibly stressful and physically demanding. There is a shortage of people in my field and I feel a sense of obligation both to patients and to my colleagues. The money is very good right now so it feels dumb not to tick off a few more goals like saving for kids college, paying down mortgage etc.
All this said, I would very much like to slow down and actually coast. It isn’t just that I would like to work less. I feel like I need to re-learn how to relax and enjoy life after grinding for so long. Would like to put more effort into maintaining relationships with kids/husband, friendships, neighborhood, community, etc. Would also like to dedicate more time to exercise, sleep, time outside etc.
A bit of background for context: Our FI path started with the diagnosis of some health problems. FIRE goals were entirely motivated out of fear of me getting too sick to work and being a financial burden to my husband and kids. We had a negative net worth at the outset due to educational debt. Health wise things have stabilized but there’s always the fear things could take a turn for the worse. I plan to continue working in some capacity beyond my full FIRE number probably at roughly 2 to 3 days/week.
For those who are truly coasting - how did you make the mental leap to actually let yourselves slow down? Any regrets or things you wish you had known?