Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
|
Life
Lessons I've Learned through Making Art
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Painted fabric with
crushed eggshell
Ever
since Billy and I
retired in 1991, I have had more time to practice my art. This
is a dream come true for me. Many times, it has occurred to me that the
challenges I face in expressing myself artistically are really Lessons of Life.
It’s
that old question “Is art imitating life or vice versa?”
Below, I
share some of these lessons, and hope you find them both fun and useful.
Trust
the process
Creating
art is a process and so is Life.
One doesn’t just sit at the table and
Presto!
The art arrives. And there is no point in getting angry about it – Art is born
when it’s ready. My job is to clear my head and allow the art to come.
In Life,
I can’t push myself or another to do something or be something until the time is
right. I am not the one who decides the timetable.
There is
always a solution
You’ve
heard the expression “Painting one’s self into a corner”? Yes, it really does
happen, but there is always a solution to the conundrum.
Sometimes I have to
wait, sometimes I have to put the canvas away and come back to it another day.
Sometimes what I learn in the meanwhile before I return to that particular
project was exactly what I needed to take this piece to the next level.
Before I
give up on a relationship or a situation in Life, I try to tweak my mind
out of the "problem" mindset and into
the
"solution" mindset. If I learn some more
information it will allow me and the Life challenge to move forward.

Painted, coffee-stained
cardstock, gold embossing
Break
the rules
One of
my favorites.
Being a
mixed-media artist, I am always looking for something new and unusual to combine
together. Sometimes breaking the rules gets me out of the box and something
dynamic and worthwhile is created.
In Life,
routine can be comforting, but getting out of that standard practice brings new
life to something worn out, or something old and familiar.
Know
when you’re tired or need to eat
This one
is seemingly obvious, but not necessarily so. When “nothing is coming” to me as I sit
at the table, I might realize that what I need is to take a nap, go for a walk
or have something to eat.
It’s the
same in Life. We can get grumpy or confused when our bodies are tired or our
blood sugar is down. This lesson is simple, but essential.
Some
people are not going to like your style. That’s ok
Really?!
You mean some people aren’t going to like me?
Geniuses
of the world, whether in art, music, mathematics or science, stand out from the
crowd. It can be a lonely walk, but trying to fit into the crowd feels like a
betrayal of self. In order to soar above the mundane,
we
have to let go and take chances.
We would
never have had Mozart, Jimmy Hendrix, Yo-Yo Ma, Einstein or even Jimmy Buffett if their
first concern was to please everyone and snuff out their own fire.
To be who
you truly are does not mean you need to cancel out everyone else or be rude to
another. It means "Let your own Light shine" and hopefully it inspires others to
add their Light to the world. In this way, everyone gains, and the world is
brighter and more fun.
One of my
favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis is: "When the whole world is running towards a
cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his
mind."
Each of
the above brilliant humans have suffered from the hands of their community,
peers or from those who didn't understand them for being different. But all of us now
benefit from their having been true to themselves and leaving us their gifts.

Cactus painted on fabric
Art can
be messy
Life and
art can both be messy.
For someone who likes things compartmentalized, clean, or
on a certain time frame, this lesson goes against the grain. Let art and Life be
what it needs to be, then simply clean up later.
Start
where you are, use what you’ve got
None of
us begin at the same starting line of Life. Not all of us had a stable home
life, wealth, education or clear direction of our talents. It’s important to
make the most of who you are, what you have, right where you are. Move forward
from there.
In art,
I have learned that I don’t need the most expensive products - and that invention
or substitution is quite rewarding. There is no need to hold myself back until I
have that one thing that I don’t have right now.
Don’t
compare yourself to others.
How many
times have you heard this one? Yet it’s so true.
In High
School there was this fellow student whose parents were artists. She had
training and direction since she was a toddler. We both took courses at a local
art school in the city, and her ability and skilled expression simply paralyzed me.

Painted fabric
Unfortunately, I didn’t allow myself to take advantage of this great opportunity
that my parents afforded me. I was too focused on her, instead of
focusing on my chance to learn
something valuable.
Holding myself back, I painfully missed out.
We do
this in life, too, don’t you think?
You can
make treasure out of trash
One of
my passions is to take something discarded, broken or lost and turn it into an
object of art.
This
skill is effective in Life, too.
Did you know that Billy and I didn’t start to
invest until a “catastrophe” happened at our restaurant? We took that busted
situation and chose to become better because of it. We reordered our lives,
began investing at about age 30, and retired 8 years later.
Know
when you’re done
Instead
of throwing the kitchen sink at your project, realize that there is beauty in
simplicity. Trust your gut
to know when it’s done.
Similarly, trust yourself to know when an old outdated style of life is
finished.
Moving into simplicity can be the best decision you have ever made.

Florals painted on fabric
Believe
in yourself
In art,
in Life, in relationships, in everything - belief in yourself makes it all
meaningful and rewarding. You are YOU-nique – there is only one YOU!
Instead of
tearing yourself down, distracting yourself with needless comparisons, or
lusting after the one thing you don't have in the moment, know
what you bring to the table and know that you have value.
Life will reflect that
back to you, and you will have meaning and satisfaction beyond measure.
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About the Authors



Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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