CoastFIRE: Time to go slow

For me CoastFIRE is a time to slow down. Anyone can plow coffee into themselves and work 60 hour work weeks, make money and be miserable. It takes more effort to go against the grain and slow down. Hustle culture, never take vacations and work to a slow death has become so engrained in capitalist culture. Yet are we happy? Did you appreciate your coffee this morning? How was the alarm when you woke up? Part of CoastFIRE, at least for me, is a chance to slow down, to enjoy simple and small pleasures. I want to appreciate a beautiful bird, a great bike lane and a sunny day.

I bought a 35 year old bike, its slow, its heavy, it cruises and I am having more fun than I had on any of my faster road or gravel bikes. It was cheaper, it is probably bullet proof and I get passed by everyone in the bike lane. Yet I am having the most fun. I am enjoying the sounds, smells and views of the city as I go at a leisurely pace. My bike is beautiful but the best part of it is it gets me to slow down, it makes biking not a race to get miles but a chance to just be outside and go to for stroll. To me this is the core of CoastFIRE, making it so you can live, you can do free activities and appreciate the world at a slower pace knowing that you are not hustling for more all the time. Maybe it’s more frugal than some people would want but unless you want to work forever being frugal is a part of financial independence.

Maybe biking is not your thing, but there are so many other ways to enjoy a slower pace of life. Start to meditate, read more books, cook intricate meals, go birding or just a long walk, drink coffee on your porch or balcony. The amount of underutilized balconies and porches are a wonder to behold.

“Modern luxury is the ability to think clearly, sleep deeply, move slowly, and live quietly in a world designed to prevent all four”

We have been built to think the only way is to go, go, go. We think we should stay out late, work long hours, pay for people to clean our house, do our garden and walk our dogs. If you take the time to adjust your view of the world, if you appreciate the moments of humanity that come outside of the office and earning more money, your needs become much less.

The key to CoastFIRE is to create a life you love. You won the game, well technically, you are gonna have to sit on your hands in the stock market for 20 or 30 years. So why not spend that time crafting a life you love. The key to this is simple, we know what makes people happy, its strong relationships, a sense of purpose, and engaging in activities that bring enjoyment. Basically become the kid version of yourself again.

Find a partner, talk to an old friend, create friend dates, call family members, build your relationships. Find work that has a purpose. Teaching is obvious, working in food service is interesting because people get so much enjoyment and happiness from food. There is purpose in that. Find hobbies that get you outside, that make you creative, that make you feel whole. This is happiness. You will find yourself in time relaxing. I left corporate America, and everyday I find myself taking myself less serious, searching for fun activities, thinking of different creative projects. This is life, not the grind.

You need to do it correct though. We all followed a path to success, it was defined for us in the corporate world. Remove your views of the correct path and start to search for YOUR path. It is important to really look inward, to adjust your view of the world and understand there are no rules you can do whatever you want. Once we understand that, you can start to look at what will make you happy and adjust to that. Take your time, slow down, and find ways to enjoy moments throughout the day.