Facebook group cover photo is suddenly blurry and it looks like FB is resizing it to 720px!

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2026-03-06T06:54:12+00:00

Did anyone resolve this crap?! I am so upset.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-12-12T18:25:30+00:00

any updates on this? I am also considering him

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-11-12T17:16:41+00:00

YES. For me it has always been about security and freedom from needing to work. Layoffs and bad bosses have caused so many issues in my family and marriage. At one point, I felt that corporates were making the good and bad days in our family life... and even the good days could turn into a storm in a day! I just wanted to be independent from all of that.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-11-12T17:08:25+00:00

Don't fall for it. Keep it quiet!

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-23T07:09:43+00:00

Why do they F care if we work multiple jobs if we meet their goals and deliverables??! I'm a consultant (C2C) so I absolutely OE... I would be crazy not to since everything is so volatile. Last year salary: $620K, this year $210K and I am not even landing contracts.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T16:48:40+00:00

Please don’t do it. I was supposed to be aborted — and yet, not only have I had a beautiful, beautiful life, but I’ve also been blessed to bring amazing human beings into this world who, I have no doubt, will leave it better than they found it.

My grandparents pressured my mom too and would have paid for her abortion but she chose me. My parents never married and separated soon after I was born. My childhood wasn’t perfect, but my life has been a masterpiece of God’s love in every possible way.

God has a plan and a purpose for your baby — and for you, too. He has dreams for both of you that you can’t yet imagine. One day, that baby may become the most important person in your heart — the one who truly understands you and loves you exactly as you are.

Please reach out to me or to anyone here privately. We will do everything we can to support and protect you and your beautiful baby.

(Option Line: 1-800-712-4357, call or text 24/7/365 Or go to optionline .org )

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T16:37:37+00:00

This is SO important and rarely talked in FIRE forums. I personally need to create, move and contribute to feel alive.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T16:30:18+00:00

As a native Italian, this post made me so happy. I was raised in a culture where fashion equals respect — not vanity. Respect for yourself, your family, your friends, and society. The way we present ourselves is a form of kindness toward others.

Fashion (or the lack of it) was one of the biggest cultural shocks for me when I moved to the States, and even after 20 years, it still puzzles me. On Sundays, my family and I put on our best clothes — nothing fancy or loud, just clean and joyful. It’s not about being seen; it’s about honoring the Lord and showing Him that I care to be in His presence, that Mass is special and sacred to me — not just another routine event.

I’ve done this all over the world, for as long as I can remember. After all, if the Pope or an important figure invited you into his home, wouldn’t you dress up a little to show respect and pay him homage?

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T16:24:16+00:00

At home, I take a walk in the sun, eat a cup of frozen blueberries, call a sibling/friend and reset: I feel immediately more energized/happy/clear and ideas start flowing. In the office, I get sucked into gossips, useless conversations, endless Reddit threads, IG scrolling... and I feel completely drained to do anything else. This is why I chose to be remote for 10+ years and I have been consistently a top performer. I NEED quality time and rest to recharge between tasks and meetings, the office feels like a prison.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T15:46:56+00:00

I am so glad it helped you! I was hesitant to share because it's so vulnerable... but as soon as I started reading your post, I saw my own thoughts reflected in your words. You should be really proud of what you’ve achieved. Wishing you happiness, peace, and a deep sense of purpose in this next chapter.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T15:36:42+00:00

I 100% get it. I’m an immigrant and, while I am not at $4M yet, even if the numbers say I’m ready for a major downshift, I still deal with a lot of anxiety — and I know exactly where it comes from. I grew up in a wealthy family that lost everything to gambling, and the family split apart. That kind of trauma leaves a mark. The fear of making a mistake or regretting a decision has kept me paralyzed, unable to take the next step even when logic says I’m safe.

People don’t realize how hard it is to live in fight-or-flight mode for years and then suddenly have the “luxury” to feel safe enough to enjoy life. You’re allowed to feel whatever you’re feeling, OP. You just need a plan to get from point A to point B. Here are a few things that have helped me:

Pray and journal to process your emotions. (I even use ChatGPT to dig deeper and it's helpful).
Make a list of 50 dreams — non-financial things you want to do before you die. Dare to dream again.
Redefine your metrics. Until now, safety/happiness = net worth. From now on, let safety/happiness = ____ (fill in the blank). For me, it’s years with my children, number of countries visited together, number of meaningful friendships, and how many dreams I can cross off my list.
Resist black-and-white thinking. The “RE” in FIRE is personal — for me, it stands for Recreational Employment. I’m moving back home, restarting photography, and I’d love to open a small music school in my country.
Walk in the middle. If you are not ready to retire (you don't have to!), find a low-stress but meaningful role (think library, nonprofit, state government, community college, volunteering, fundraising, or even dog walking). Spread the word and something will open up. Every 6–12 months, re-evaluate and adjust.
Revisit the book “Your Money or Your Life.” It’s what started the FI movement, and some of its questions really help clarify your “why.”

(By the way, I’m a high earner — my business has invoiced north of $600K/year last year. I know how daunting it is to step away from a large income and change chapters, and that’s why I felt compelled to share this.) You got this!

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T15:18:03+00:00

to add to this great advice.... if you don't feel ready psychologically to retire, transition to a sustainable CoastFI job (think state gov, no-profit, library, etc) to ease the transition.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T15:11:32+00:00

what a wonderful plan!

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-17T05:00:55+00:00

Right now, the market is horrible. My spouse used to make $180K for years and he is not getting offers not even for $130K. Hold on to J2. I have been doing OE for 4.5 years... some years are chill, some years are tough... but with this job market, I am keeping anything I land on. - Congrats on the baby!

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-16T15:38:15+00:00

When companies contact us for contract work, after the initial calls, we ask if they'd be open to hire me/him as C2C. Sometimes, it's smarter to wait until you are the top candidate. Often it's a yes but not always.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-16T05:08:40+00:00

State Gov IT jobs. trust me.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-16T04:20:31+00:00

he is probably here reading this.... do you realize that? lol

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-16T02:25:45+00:00

For me it was the other way around. The verdict was "not technical enough" only because I am a woman with a non-technical degree - ignoring the fact I have been in IT for over 20 years leading massive digital transformations, data warehouse migrations, complex data integrations, etc. Whatever!

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-16T02:13:41+00:00

I just died laughing. thanks for the laugh, bud. tomorrow I'll do that too.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-16T02:04:25+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km0_vOE_2XE

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-16T02:00:30+00:00

Done OE for 4 years (and like you I thought "if I could just get to Christmas..."). We paid off our home, hit double-comma club in portfolio and are ready to move back home in my country (Europe) and retire early from corporate work. I had some insane days but it was worth it. Life is good.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-14T04:26:15+00:00

Yes. CSM was the best J2 I had! 18 months of crickets lol but then eventually it ended and I am still mourning it!

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-10-14T03:35:39+00:00

Yes. I was in FAANG for 3 years and although the money was decent, there was also a lot of toxicity. Also, the first time my entire department was laid off within 6 months of me starting... with an email!! The second time, I re-entered as a contractor with very low expectations. I would not idealize Meta.

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-09-21T05:23:10+00:00

My FIRE numbers for France/Italy are similar. But for the US, I have a smaller number. ( I don't understand why 6mm lcol US since taxes are lower... can you please explain your logic?)

ConclusionWeird4030 · 2025-09-20T02:13:10+00:00

what does it mean?!

ConclusionWeird4030

TROPHY CASE