September FIRE Lifestyle Metrics That Matter: Part 2 - Values Alignment, Finance, and Stuff Metrics

Yesterday I covered September results for the One Hit Wonders and key health metrics.

Today, I will cover how I want to align my life with my core values, which I discussed back on September 1 (see “It’s In The Cards: Core Values I’ll Embrace This School Year”).

Also, any progress I made in September doing so.

First, let’s start off with a quick recap of key financial and stuff metrics for September.

Stuff Metrics

Bottom line, I am overwhelmed by stuff.

I have too much of it sitting in too many piles, in too many corners of my house.

Plus, I didn’t really make a dent in it like I thought I would this summer.

It’s horrible. It’s got to change.

And it’s not just physical stuff. There is also too much digital stuff.

However, I did make some good progress on the digital side in September.

Since last April, I have successfully reviewed and decluttered all my photos and videos on my phone for the month.

I continued this again for September.

The goal is that I continue this through March of next year.

Then in April of next year, all I will need to do is review the previous years’ photos and videos to determine if I want to keep or trash.

I also had 220 website tabs open on my phone. I reduced them to 12.

My email inbox is out of control.

I am holding on to stuff I have absolutely no business holding onto. It’s a jungle in there.

And that is after doing a complete review less than two years ago.

What is my problem?

I am using it as a filing cabinet. That is ridiculous. I decided to give this more time in October.

Then there are tasks.

Oh man, they just keep coming. And I put them on a list of things to do someday.

Someday? Which day?

Exactly. They will get done on no day in nowhere land.

Let them go, dude. Just let it all go!!

Financial Metrics

September was kind of brutal.

Net Worth was down 2.2%.

It’s starting to come back up today, so that is good.

Withdrawal Rate was a bright spot, coming in at 3.68%.

On track for 4.03%, but will likely increase this with pre-purchased vacation expenses and charitable gifts at the end of the year.

Cash Flow was okay, but I had been miscalculating where I was as a percentage of my goal.

I am now at 50% of my goal to grow it by 20% in the year.

As I have stated elsewhere, I don’t expect to hit this goal.

By the end of the year, I expect to be at about 80% of goal.

Those are three of the 7 FIRE Financial Metrics That Matter.

You’ll notice I don’t cover the other four: Savings, ROI, Bare Necessities, or Cross-Over.

Saving Rate doesn’t really make sense post-FIRE, unless you are earning an income.

Cross-Over Point doesn’t either. It’s already been reached.

Bare Necessities and ROI are still important, but … not this month.

By having a test apartment, I increased my Bare Necessities metric by the amount of rent, utilities, and other expenses associated with it.

I just got back to the apartment last night.

It is good to be here. It’s a great apartment.

And I love the minimalist nature of the place.

Less stuff, more room to breathe.

Do I really need it, though?

I have until the end of March 2027 to decide if I want to extend the lease.

So, I will be taking a very hard look at whether this is a keeper or not.

Values Alignment

To improve my life, I decided I want to prioritize these five values over others.

What did I do to make that happen in September?

Adventure

I signed up for a year-long dream certification program with the Institute for Dream Studies.

This is an organization that has the support of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, and so far it is going well.

My biggest concern was that it is all held over Zoom.

We had our first class a week ago. I think it will be a fine experience.

My biggest concern going forward is that it will all be held over Zoom … and on a learning platform, and WhatsApp.

More “digital” living is not the type of adventure I want, but I will roll with it.

It is a step in the right direction, and I expect I will learn a lot.

And even though it is online, I definitely will get the chance to interact with some of these people at future IASD events.

All good.

They are very nice and knowledgeable folks. I am sure I will enjoy it.

Bottom line, it’s a start, and I felt called to do it.

Trust the process, be the Fool, see how it goes. That’s the idea.

Play

I am having a hard time distinguishing Play from Adventure.

I may collapse these two into one.

You see, I don’t just want to play, I want it to be meaningful in some way.

Right?

Or is that just my cultural conditioning talking?

I’m not sure.

Worth meditating on some more.

And I don’t just want adventure for the sake of adventure.

It’s not “cowabunga” time I am after.

I equate that with “seeking danger” by doing “daring” things such as skydiving, swimming with the sharks, or such.

That’s not what I am after.

I want to have fun experiences, and am okay getting a bit out of my comfort zone.

But no, I am not an adrenaline junkie.

And I am really not good at being spontaneous.

Do I need to be? Do I want to be?

When have I been? Have I been lately?

And just what exactly does it mean to be spontaneous?

I mean, I used to spontaneously decide to play hooky from school. That led to trouble and bad grades.

The other day I spontaneously decided, F’it, I’m getting some dessert tonight. That has led to more calories and elevated weight from my target.

Why is spontaneity prized, and why would I want it?

I don’t know.

These are really good questions.

I will explore this More in an article later this month.

Beauty

This is focusing on what I love and bringing it into my life.

It should be things that make me yearn, almost a love connection in a way.

I am also having a hard time with this one.

What do I love?

I am not sure.

I can push myself to say it’s x, y, and z.

But is it really those things?

Or have I been conditioned to think I want some types of things, and I like to avoid and distract myself with other types of things?

Perhaps I got a glimpse of it a couple of days ago.

A couple of days ago, I drove through Rapid City and spent the night.

I felt yearning and love while I was there and as I drove away the next morning.

Partly this is because I spent a summer there in college.

I also had a girlfriend there who really captured my heart.

But this was not just nostalgia.

It was a real feeling of love in my heart. I wasn’t making it up.

Yes, it was tied to the time I spent there, but it was simply a felt memory, a recognition, and being able to access the feeling in my heart.

That is good.

I know what the feeling is I am seeking in regards to “bringing beauty into my life.”

And since then, I have been able to tap into that feeling a couple of times by simply paying attention and focusing on my heart.

I’m even able to do it right now as I type this update.

Is this the beauty I am seeking with this value, though?

Is this alignment?

I don’t know.

Deep and Joyful Connections

Well, I did go see a concert with one of my former work colleague friends, her husband, and one of her other friends.

That was a good time.

It is a good example of the types of events I want more of in my life.

But dang, I have a hard time prioritizing and making time for these.

So, yeah, I’m not sure how I will approach it going forward.

It will be a focus in October articles, for sure.

Total Freedom

Yes, I would say I am living this value the most as compared to the other four values.

However, I still feel like I am on a treadmill.

My experience of psychological freedom has a ways to go.

Yesterday, as I was driving back to my Southeast apartment home, I felt like I was behind.

That was accompanied by a low-level anxiety.

Why behind? What is the rush? Why so anxious?

Well, I wanted to get back before the sun set. That’s about it.

I guess I did it to myself.

And I suppose this is normal, but dang.

Is this the alignment I am seeking?

I don’t know.

All I know is that I am still 100% committed to my five One Hit Wonder goals.

And frankly, I am somewhat shocked to find that I am at times struggling to simply meet them.

I mean, so far, so good, with the exception of too many sweets and too many podcasts.

But right now, it feels tenuous.

As I write this, I am worried that the day is getting away and I need to get another walk in to get my steps up.

Is that what I am supposed to be feeling?

I see I am doing it to myself. How can I modulate this?

Meditation? Breath work? Drugs? Get off the coffee?

I jest a bit, but yeah, it’s interesting.

Perhaps better ideas will emerge as I continue the daily blog writing?

I don’t know.