In 2011, I walked away from a six-figure law career and retired at age 41. I thought I was prepared financially. But emotionally? Not so much.
After decades of working, I was used to the sense of purpose that came with a career, and I assumed I'd have to give that up once I stopped working. My biggest fear took the form of one major uncertainty: What would I do with all that unstructured time?
Fast forward 14 years later, and my days are anything but idle. My wife and I now live in Portugal, the No. 1 country Americans want to move to. I spend my free time enjoying local food with friends and hiking the wildflower-dotted coastal trails. Retiring early is one of the best decisions I've ever made ... but I remember how overwhelming it felt at the start.
Here's what I've learned so far in early retirement, and why I don't regret it.
I followed a predictable path for most of my adult life: law school, summer associate gigs, and eventually a stable legal career. Then came the 2008 financial crisis. The firm I worked for collapsed — and with it, my sense of direction. I couldn't picture myself doing anything other than practicing law.
