Like a “choose your own adventure” — but with naps and fewer dragons.
Freedom Looks Like This
A few weeks ago, I took a day off to look after my little one. They’d had their year-one vaccinations, and it had knocked them sideways — clingy, restless, warm little cheeks pressed to mine. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t restful. But it was one of those days where I thought, this is why I’ve done all this planning and saving and spreadsheet-wrangling.
Because I wasn’t scrambling for emergency childcare. I wasn’t apologising to a boss I disliked. I was exactly where I needed to be: with them.
This, for me, is what financial freedom really means. Not yachts. Not early retirement parties. Not passive income pouring in while I drink green smoothies on a beach in Bali (although I wouldn’t say no to that either). It’s about options. Margin. Breathing room. It’s about having a life that fits me, not one I’m constantly squeezing myself into.
Let’s talk about it.
Options Are Better Than Obligations
I used to think financial independence was about being done — done working, done hustling, done budgeting. Turns out, that’s not it at all. If anything, money is just the tool. The real magic? It’s the options that come with it.
I’ve got a revolving holiday fund — about £1,000 I keep topped up — and it means when a friend says, “Fancy a long weekend in Lisbon?” I don’t need to negotiate with my budget or plan a year in advance. I can just say yes. That small pot of money represents so much more than just travel. It represents readiness. I’ve built the margin to say yes without stress.
And now that I’m edging closer to Financial Independence (FI), I’m asking bigger questions about what those options could become. Like:
- Would I take a mini-retirement to travel with my family?
- Could I drop to part-time work and volunteer more?
- Would I start something creative — a blog, a book, a business — without worrying about income?
- Could I use my time to support others — friends, parents, my child’s school?
The beauty of FI is that you don’t have to pick just one. You get to experiment, pivot, try things out — because your life isn’t built on a fragile, income-dependent house of cards.
So, here’s a gentle nudge for you too:
What kind of options do you want financial freedom to give you — and how will you know when you’re ready to try one?
Leaving What Drains Me, Choosing Options That Nourish Me
There was a time I had £50K in savings and investments, and I was working the highest-paying job I’d ever had — around £27K. That sounds like a win, right?
Except it was the worst job of my life. The owners were soul-crushing. Every Monday felt like a brick wall. Every task felt like pulling teeth. I was exhausted in ways I couldn’t explain — because the stress wasn’t visible, but it was constant.
And I stayed longer than I should’ve. Not because of the money, but because of my mindset. I thought leaving would be reckless. I thought earning less meant failing.
Then, over a ‘get shit done’ dinner with a friend, something shifted. They reminded me: You’re not stuck. You’ve got options.
And I had to confront something important: It wasn’t the salary keeping me there. It was fear. Fear of change, of loss, of making the “wrong” move. But once I saw that I had built enough financial safety to try something new, I couldn’t unsee it.
So, I left. I found a new job. It paid less. And I was infinitely happier.
The lightness I felt in that first week was unforgettable. I started laughing more. Sleeping better. Showing up as myself again. I realised I had undervalued the emotional cost of staying — and overvalued the comfort of a bigger payslip.
That was my first real taste of financial freedom, having the options to choose a lower paying job because I had made those savings. While I cant choose to never had to work again — I had the option to choose me in the percent.
Autonomy Over Hustle: Why Work Culture Matters More Than Salary
These days, I work a 10-days-over-9 schedule. Slightly longer hours, yes — but every other Friday is mine. That’s the day I spend with my little one. Not rushing, not side-hustling — just being.
And let me tell you something I’ve learned firsthand: the environment you work in is worth more than what’s printed on your payslip.
A kind boss. A flexible schedule. Colleagues who respect boundaries. The ability to say, “My child needs me today,” and hear “Of course.” That’s gold.
High-income burnout is real. And no number in your bank account can undo the damage of constant pressure, micromanagement, or a culture that doesn’t see you as a whole person.
When I left my old job, I traded money for autonomy — and it was the best swap I’ve ever made.
Biggest Return on Investment: Margin
You don’t need to hit a perfect FIRE number to feel the difference. Just having some margin — a few hundred pounds of breathing room — has changed how I live.
It means I don’t have to take every job or say yes to everything. I can step in when my little one needs me, take an unplanned day off, or just go slower when life gets full. That space isn’t just about money — it’s about mental space, too.
The best margin I’ve built is rest.
It’s not something I try to fit in after everything else. It’s part of the plan. I don’t need to work more just to earn the right to slow down. Having time to breathe and not be productive? That’s real wealth.
These days, rest looks like slow mornings, time offline, finishing the chores, then settling in with a podcast or book. Nothing fancy — just enough. And that’s something money now helps me protect.
I started with a tutti frutti piggy bank as a kid. Then a savings account, a mortgage, investments. But the real shift wasn’t about numbers. It was realising that money is a tool — one I use to protect my time, my energy, and the life I actually want.
Different Options, Different Freedoms
One of the most beautiful things about financial freedom is that it looks different for everyone. Here are just a few directions people take once they build some margin into their lives:
- 💼 Downshifting careers — choosing less stress, even if it means less pay
- 👩🎓 Going back to study — finally pursuing that qualification or passion
- 🧳 Mini-retirements — taking 3–12 months off to travel, care for someone, or just reset
- 🧒 Prioritising care giving — for children, ageing parents, or yourself
- 🧘 Working part-time — and using the rest of the time for hobbies, community work, or pure rest
- 💡 Starting something new — a business, blog, art project, or social venture
None of these paths are “better.” They’re just different ways of answering the same question: What matters most to me now — and how can money help me live that more fully?
You Don’t Have to Wait to Feel Free
Here’s a little psychological truth: people thrive when they feel agency. Even small choices — like picking what to eat, how to dress, or when to rest — increase our sense of wellbeing. It’s called perceived control, and it’s strongly linked to lower stress and better mental health.
Money can amplify that sense of agency. Not because you have unlimited choices — but because you can start choosing what’s right for you.
On the flip side, when we’re living paycheque to paycheque, even small decisions feel high-stakes. That’s decision fatigue. And it’s exhausting.
But freedom doesn’t always need to be grand. It can begin with a tiny “yes” to yourself — a £10 buffer, a day off without guilt, a mental shift from “I can’t” to “I could.”
The moment you stop letting fear make all the decisions — you’re already free.
Gentle Questions for the Road:
Right now, freedom shows up in my life through choice. I could, if I wanted, take a three-year sabbatical. I choose not to — but the fact that I could changes everything. It makes every “yes” feel deliberate. It makes every “no” feel powerful. It lets me design a life that prioritises my peace.
So, wherever you are on your financial journey, here are some gentle questions for reflection:
- Where in your life do you already have more freedom than you give yourself credit for?
(Even a little margin counts.) - What’s one small money choice you’ve made recently that brought you peace — not just progress?
(Maybe saying no to something. Maybe saying yes.) - If you didn’t have to work for a living, what would you do with your time?
(Not in a dreamy, retire-on-a-yacht way — but in a Tuesday-afternoon kind of way.)
You don’t have to have it all figured out. Just start where you are. Build a little space. Give yourself options. And remember: freedom doesn’t shout. Most of the time, it sounds like a quiet “yes” to the things that matter.