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Financial power to live our values and change the world // Blog by Tanja Hester, author of Work Optional and Wallet Activism

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OurNextLife.com blog header image — retiring late 2017 at the ages of 38 and 41 // early retirement, adventure, mountain living

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Am I annoyed that we just had a 26° hard frost a couple of days ago, and here I am, being forced to harvest a whole bunch of choys, Asian cabbage and spinach early because they’re bolting from the heat? Nope! Because I reminded myself how far ahead of last year I am. I’m already not buying green vegetables, because this is not even close to my first harvest, and it’s June 14. The second picture is of last year‘s very first harvest only a few days earlier on June 10. Hooray for learning and improving! (And for chicken manure. 😂) 🥬🥦🌱 [Image description: first is a basket full of cabbage, bok choy and spinach, second is a few small bok choy leaves stacked on my hand.]

I’ve done very little this year and last that felt accomplishmenty. I joke that gardening is my only hobby, but that’s really not even a joke. But one thing I have done is some language learning every single day of 2020 and 2021. A lot of it has been on Duolingo, hence this streak, but also audiobooks, podcasts, a little bit of written stuff. Expanding my language skills is something I hope I always do. [Image description: Duolingo screenshot showing 500 day streak.]

New on Our Next Life today: It’s time to retire FIRE (and to split it up). “At the very least, we should ask why people who claim to offer a path out of the hustle can’t seem to escape the hustle themselves.” Link in profile and stories! [image: screenshots of blog post headline and the pull quote in this caption.]

If you are charging people for your “how to be rich like me” content, you are not as rich as you say. I don’t make the rules. 🤷‍♀️ [Image description: Tweet with text in this caption]

Now that we are starting to venture out into the world again, it’s definitely tempting to engage in a little retail therapy. So here’s a helpful reminder I need as much as anyone. Don’t be fooled by all of the greenwashed eco-claims out there. Remember: The most sustainable anything is the one you already have. 💚 [Image description: text on a green background included in this caption.]

He’ll rampage around the garden, ripping up flowers and digging up sprouting vegetables, but before I can get mad, he’ll do this. How is a nine month old puppy such a skilled manipulator? 🤔😆

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Best New Personal Finance Book and Community Builder 2019

Best New Personal Finance Book and Community Builder 2019

Blog of the Year 2018

Our Next Life, winner of Blog of the Year at the 2018 9th Annual Plutus Awards

Best FI/FIRE Blog 2017

8th Annual Plutus Awards Finalist

Disclaimer

Everything on this blog is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining professional financial advice. Nothing contained here or in the book Work Optional implies a consulting or coaching relationship. Please consult a licensed financial or legal professional for advice on your own situation.

Copyright and permissions

All photos are original and copyrighted by Our Next Life unless clearly noted. All rights reserved.

Linking encouraged with brief excerpts only, but posting photos and/or full content allowed only by express written permission.

Copyright 2015 – 2020 Tanja Hester / Our Next Life. All rights reserved.

Our Next Life income policy

The books I recommend include affiliate links, and the revenue from them ($.50 or less per book purchased) covers a small fraction of the out-of-pocket costs of providing ad-free, unsponsored content to you at no charge. In any calendar year in which affiliate income fully covers the cost of web hosting, photo editing and email list maintenance (currently $150/month+), I will donate all earnings above and beyond expenses to charity directly or to our donor advised fund for charitable giving, for the remainder of that year.

Affiliate link fine print

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. (These fees cover blog expenses only, and do not net a profit for us.)

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