Let's start with the basics.
The basics
Personal
- 28-year-old American male
- Single, no kids
- Currently living in Seattle, WA, USA
- Net worth ~240k, depending on stock market fluctuations
- Yearly income ~180k pre-tax (software developer @ E-corp)
- No debt
- My only "long"-term financial commitment is a lease on a one bedroom apartment through July 2023 @ $1900 / month
ERE strengths and weaknesses
I'm stealing this framing device from someone on here whose handle I don't remember. Sorry anonymous poster; I would credit you if I remembered who you were.
I like it as a way to provide a snapshot of my current state. Hopefully it will break down a big wall of text describing my situation and make it a little more legible.
Strengths
- I care about the environment, and I hate waste. The "closing loops" piece of ERE appeals strongly to me. I'm highly motivated to reduce my overall levels of resource consumption.
- I like learning for the sake of learning. Before I knew about ERE, I dreamed about retiring early and taking random college classes for the rest of my life. The "renaissance man" lifestyle is basically a more practical version of what I wanted to do anyway, so it seems like a good natural personality fit.
- I have supportive friends and family. Some of my closest friends live "alternative" lifestyles (e.g. living out of a car, living out of an old bus and fixing it up, that kind of thing) so I'm maybe more familiar with the feasibility of those lifestyles than your average salaryman. My family also thinks it's cool when I talk about doing ERE-type stuff, rather than weird. Taken together, you have an environment where it's emotionally easy for me to move in an ERE direction, while it might be harder for other folks who face resistance from their loved ones.
- My exercise routine and diet are already dialed in. In my early twenties I was a big gym bro, and in those days I spent a lot of time learning about dieting and working out. While I'm not really into that culture any more, I internalized enough of that stuff that I don't have to spend many mental resources on maintaining a healthy routine. It's on auto-pilot. I also spent a lot of time learning how to cook and meal prepping, which translates nicely to an ERE lifestyle.
- High-income job. Seems weird to have this in the weaknesses section, but I think this is the right place for it. ERE is about skills (among other things), and It's easy to get lazy about developing skills when you can throw money at any problem with impunity. This one dovetails nicely with the next point...
- Lack of practical skills outside of my area of employment. This point can be taken together with the previous as "the salaryman trap," which has been discussed extensively elsewhere on the forum. I won't rehash it here.
- Chronic injury. I herniated a disc in my lower back deadlifting in my early twenties (very dumb, big regrets on that one). My specific injury manifests as difficulty and pain when I hinge forward at the waist. A non-exhaustive list of activities that involve hinging at the waist includes: sitting at a desk, driving a car, flying in planes, riding a bike, most variations of manual labor, and more... so it's not great. Thankfully, when my upper body and legs are aligned, I'm mostly pain-free, so I can stand, walk around, and sleep fine. Possible focus for this journal will be what the DIY aspects of ERE look like when you're physically limited in your ability Do It Yourself.
The intent of this journal
I don't really have a specific intent in mind for this journal. I just want to start engaging with this community more actively because I've gotten so much value out of being a lurker here for the last few years. To begin with, I'll track progress toward the goals listed below. Folks can chime in as they have input, and we can see where it goes. The goals in question:
- I want to wean my brain off of its need for constant digital stimulation. The first step here is self-ban from reddit. God knows how much time I've wasted scrolling the front page of reddit over the last decade... Longer term success in this realm will look like cultivating the ability to focus on singular tasks, without the need for a constant firehose of stimulation. Basically, it's mindfulness, though "mindfulness" as a modern western buzzword is annoying.
- I want to sell or give away a bunch of junk that I've accumulated over the years that I don't use. Pretty basic ERE 101 but still valuable, especially since I eventually want to move towards more alternative housing arrangements. The more I can get rid of, the more flexible I should be on that front.
- I'm working on various skill development projects. My current focus is on learning piano. I'm using a site called Pianote (lol) and I'm about halfway through their main program. I love this instrument. I should have taken it up years ago.
- I need to figure out what a more intentionally-cultivated version of my social life will look like going forward. I struggle to find the correct balance between not enough personal space and too much isolation. I've put in a lot of work on this topic in the last few years, but there's still plenty of room for improvement.
Next up: more detailed posts for each goal