Are you higher off than 4 years in the past? That is what we hear each presidential election. Nevertheless, it’s actually a trick query. Everybody needs to be higher off after 4 years regardless of who the president is. Nevertheless, the final 4 years are a bit of totally different. All of us went by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a once-in-a-lifetime traumatizing expertise. The pandemic set all of us again vastly. Was 4 years sufficient to regain some floor? Let’s take a look at 3 essential sides of life to see if we’re higher off – well being, wealth, and happiness.
The RB40 household has achieved fairly properly over the past 4 years, however we’ve some points too. Personally, the final 4 years felt rather more troublesome than any earlier 4 years intervals. Nevertheless, we nonetheless got here out forward. I encourage you to do the identical and take my ballot.
 Loading …Well being
Well being is a giant subject. It’s more durable to take pleasure in life if you happen to aren’t wholesome. Sadly, I’m 50 and my well being is in decline. That is totally different than the earlier 4-year cycle. In 2020, I felt more healthy than ever. Now, I’m rather less wholesome in virtually each approach.
Understanding – I began understanding on the fitness center repeatedly late final yr. It felt good at first, however I developed joint ache in my knees and elbows. Evidently, I can’t work out like I used to anymore. My joints are a bit higher after 2 months of trip. Nevertheless, they’re nonetheless not 100% again to regular. I nonetheless really feel some ache once I carry heavy gadgets. I’ll proceed to reduce stress on my joints and discuss to my physician quickly.
Eyes – My eyes are drying out a lot faster. I can solely work on the pc for about 2 hours earlier than it turns into troublesome to see. The attention drops assist a bit, however not for lengthy. I had this downside since I used to be an engineer. In 2012, I couldn’t learn by the tip of the day. That’s one cause why I needed to retire early from my engineering profession. Sadly, the dry eye downside has worsened over time. I feel residing in Portland exacerbated it as a result of the heater is on continually. The air is simply too dry. My eyes felt significantly better in Thailand and Japan. It was much more humid there.
Common well being – My common well being is okay. The numbers obtained a bit worse over the past 4 years, nevertheless it isn’t too unhealthy. The physician modified my meds and elevated the dosage a bit of. I really feel okay about it. My blood strain and triglyceride stage are a bit of excessive. Â
Psychological well being – The final 4 years have been powerful. We have been very fortunate to maneuver into our home earlier than the lockdown started. We had a yard and didn’t thoughts staying at residence. It was nice. Mrs. RB40 loved working from residence. RB40Jr appreciated distant education. It wasn’t a troublesome interval for us. The one huge downside I had was my mother’s well being. She had Alzheimer and it worsened dramatically through the pandemic. She handed away final yr and I had a troublesome time with it. She deserved a greater retirement. However that’s life. You by no means know what the long run holds. A minimum of she shouldn’t be struggling anymore. I’m okay with it now.
Total, I’m rather less wholesome in virtually each approach. That isn’t good, however I assume that’s a standard a part of ageing. Hopefully, the speed of decline is steady for a protracted whereas.
Wealth
It was a tricky 4 years for a lot of households. We have been lucky to outlive and thrive. Most of our wealth is invested within the inventory market. It took a success in 2020, however got here again strongly over the past 4 years. I held on and invested extra each time we had extra cash. That’s the key to investing. It’s a must to hold investing by the thick and skinny.
We did fairly properly as a result of we have been already established and didn’t have a lot debt. The one debt we had was a low-interest mortgage. My investments have been largely in index funds and dividend shares. Positive, we had some dangerous investments, nevertheless it was a small share of our portfolio. We have been able of energy earlier than the pandemic and we pulled by fairly properly.
It’s essential to notice that Mrs. RB40 had a steady job and we didn’t have to attract on our funding over the past 4 years. This made it a lot simpler to develop our wealth. We wouldn’t have been capable of do as properly with out her revenue.
Happiness
Happiness could be very subjective. Personally, I really feel extra content material than ever at 50. Life goes properly and we don’t have any huge issues to take care of. My mother’s well being downside prompted some unhappiness, however that’s up to now.
My dad helped me understand this era in all probability would be the happiest time in my life. My marriage is nice and RB40Jr is rising up in a cheerful family. We now have quite a lot of enjoyable as a household. Life is nice now and we’re having fun with it.
Are you higher off than 4 years in the past?
All in all, the RB40 family is healthier off than 4 years in the past. The one downside is my slowly declining well being. However that’s simply part of ageing. Hopefully, I can keep at this stage for just a few years.
I really feel very lucky. Many households struggled over the past 4 years and haven’t recovered but. In distinction, these final 4 years have been good for us. We had fun and we’re wanting ahead to the following 4 years. I hope everybody does higher over the following 4 years as properly. Good luck and hold at it!
Alright! I managed to write down this publish with out touching politics till the tip. An important factor about this election is to vote. Billions of individuals world wide don’t have this fundamental proper. It’s our obligation to vote and assist democracy.
How about you? Are you higher off than 4 years in the past?
When you’re curious, right here is the 2020 version of this publish and the results of the earlier ballot.
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