I spend a lot of time thinking about what comes next. Like many aspects of my personality, this is a pathology with utility.
It has served me well in personal finance. My preoccupation has resulted in early financial independence (FI), which is a boon for our family.
At other times, however this laser-focus on the path ahead causes me to miss the present path. My wife, who is tied with my daughter for being my most honest critic, is also my Oracle. Her eyes help me see what mine cannot.
Digression break: Back in 2026, when I started this blog, I was deeply immersed in the FI blogger world, and befriended a few notable folks in the mainstream FI community. One such couple were Mindy and Carl Jensen, aka, Mr. and Mrs. 1500 days. Carl continues to blog when the spirit moves him, while Mindy found an encore career (not to mention an independent fan base) as a host at the Bigger Pockets Money podcast.
We met back in 2018 at FinCon, and met up a year later as they road tripped through my area. We have been out of touch since, although if we saw one another we'd likely pick up where we left off with ease.
As an "I wonder how they're doing now," I'll listen to a podcast or catch up on blog posts once or twice a year. My most recent catch up included listening to a podcast they hosted as a couple. It gave me joy to hear them both thriving.
It also got me thinking about what my post-work life routine might be like. Today over lunch, I was describing it to my wife his routine (and how I might emulate aspects of it), when she gave me a reality check.
Wife: I worry you spend so much time thinking about the future you are missing the present.
Me: Do you think I'm in my head too much?
Wife: (without hesitating) Yes.
Her feedback: I need to do more concrete planning of activities and social time with people I care about, and less daydreaming about the future. I need more regular social time with people I cared about.
I looked back over this summer and realized she was right. I've traveled six of the last nine weekends, and as a result I have not maintained connections with local friends and community.
I got to work - I extended an offer to play dominoes with friends who share that enthusiasm, made plans for a coffee with an old friend after work, confirmed a game night I'll be hosting, and made lunch plans with another friend all for the coming week.
Launching back into the real world and out of my head.