About me

photo of person riding kayak during dawn
Photo by Taryn Elliott

So, about me?

About me is a big subject however, the day came when I woke up on my birthday at the grand age of 50, but I do now have a life plan!!

This was to say a bit of a shock and a wakeup call; a few years ago, a friend of mine once asked me, “what’s your life plan and your goals for the future?”, my response at the time was “no idea, but I have a meeting soon, must go!!”.

Retirement planning was certainly not on my agenda.

As you know you do need to plan your life. Creating a life plan with SMART goals and adding it to a folder called my life plan is something we never do but should. It is the same as doing your end of life plan, we know it needs doing but do not want to admit our own mortality.

During my 49th year, I managed to quit smoking (more about that in the blog). Dad, however, had a massive stroke that kicked off vascular dementia, and mum finally succumbed to the ravages of cancer. To add to that, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and liver issues.  All of this whilst trying to keep sane enough to maintain a high-pressure job in the corporate world, time for a plan!!

So, what’s the plan? You ask.

Moving to the Philippines to retire is the plan! Set up a business in the Philippines with my partner, build a house and retire happy while I am still young enough to do it.  This blog is about me and part of the plan that documents our journey to the final stage.  The stages are:

My Priorities

  1. We need to be healthy as health treatment, and insurance in the Philippines is expensive.  I have quit a 40-60 a day smoking habit, lost a load of weight and cured my diabetes along with my liver issues.  I will document this in blog posts I am working on now.
  2. We need an income.  To build the business and house we want, we need to be financially independent of location, becoming a digital nomad, in other words.  This blog and my photography is part of that.
  3. Get the house and business built to ensure a sustainable income.
  4. Leave the rat race move to the Philippines.
  5. Enjoy a single malt whiskey on the porch of our house, enjoying the feeling of finally being my own boss.
  6. Make life about me and my family with a plan for their lives.

In determining your priorities make them achievable. Throw in some quick wins also to cheer yourself up.

I hope you join us on this journey and let us know what your thoughts are. Subscribe to the site and follow us in life.

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God bless and stay Safe

Darren