The Monday Read: The load lifts

RetireJapan Monday Read logo and illustrative photo of newspapers and coffee.

You don’t know how heavy your boots are until you take them off I’ve been sick for a couple of weeks now. Caught some kind of cold at the tail end of being in Shikoku, then had a sore throat, mild cough, and general achiness/listlessness for a couple of weeks. It hurt to swallow, and […]

How will you spend your time?

George Kinder’s Three Questions I came across these three questions in a blog post by Blair Duquesnay. They are designed to help you focus on your values and what you want from life. Spending a bit of time really thinking them through can help you notice things you are missing or not doing. The Questions […]

The Monday Read: Starting to feel like summer

RetireJapan Monday Read logo and illustrative photo of newspapers and coffee.

Enjoying all seasons There is a bible verse I really like (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). It’s the ‘there is a time for everything’ one. I’m not in the slightest bit religious, but I do appreciate a good bit of writing. And that one has a lot of wisdom packed into a few lines. From the benefit of […]

Magic Pills and Outcomes

Too good to be true? I enjoyed this conversation about weight loss drugs. I found it interesting because the guy being interviewed has written a book about Ozempic after taking it himself. It’s a nuanced, thoughtful discussion. Worth checking out if you are interested in it (and it seems like these drugs are going to […]

The Monday Read: Finding Peace

RetireJapan Monday Read logo and illustrative photo of newspapers and coffee.

Sometimes you just need a bit of a break Well, I am back at home and enjoying gettting back into my regular routine. It’s amazing how much difference a week or so off can make. The trip was great, I had a really good time in Shikoku and will certainly be going back again. Shodoshima […]

Your goals will change

(and that is okay) Something surprising happened on this trip. I realised two things had changed. First, I don’t enjoy traveling as much as I used to. Seems like 10 days to a couple of weeks is my sweet spot now. My day to day routine is fun and enjoyable, so I miss it after […]

The Monday Read: Cross that Bridge

RetireJapan Monday Read logo and illustrative photo of newspapers and coffee.

Screw your courage to the sticking point Was in Shikoku this week and it turns out I like it a lot here. More details in the video below, but it’s been a great trip so far. Have also managed to talk with my wife about what we’re going to do going forward, and am much […]

Search for Meaning

The key to success with personal finance I became very interested in personal finance in 2008, when I lost my job. It was a huge shock, it was extremely stressful, but it put me on the path to financial freedom. And for some reason, I never found saving and investing difficult. There was no sense […]

The Monday Read: Off to New Waters

RetireJapan Monday Read logo and illustrative photo of newspapers and coffee.

Ten days in Shikoku might be the cure Just finished work (Saturdays are brutal in the eikaiwa world -for most schools that is by far the busiest day). Heading off to Shikoku tomorrow morning. Back in a week and a half. See you then? YouTube Thank you for your support of the RetireJapan YouTube channel. […]

The Future of RetireJapan

Where do we go next? I started RetireJapan in 2013. It’s been an amazing 10+ years. I have learned so much and gotten so much value from running the blog, then the focum, the social media accounts, and now the YouTube channel. Hopefully I have helped some other people along the way too. The last […]