Generation Expat

When I took my midlife gap year at 51, it made me realize what I wanted to do going forward.

Rather than upgrading to another home in Boulder, my wife and I decided we would spend our lives exploring the world outside of the United States. I had the location-independent income down, so we just needed to wait until our kids were out of high school and settled into college and work.

So I can say without hesitation that our desire to be world citizens comes from a positive mental place. But let’s face it, it’s not a terrible time to leave the U.S. — and for many Americans, the reasoning is a bit darker.

A recent survey indicates that 34 percent of Americans would like to settle in another country, which is up from 10 percent of Americans asked by Gallup back in 1974.

Why?

For starters, the political situation is absurd. And while things could get much worse very quickly in the fall, no matter what happens the country looks to be headed for the next big financial crisis, among other ills.

People who desire to leave also point out the high of living, crazy real estate prices, expensive healthcare, guns, and more. This is the bundle of reasons why a record number of Americans want to move to another country.

Ultimately, though, I come back to that positive place. We were all told that if we worked hard, we could retire at 65 and travel the world. I’m just moving that up a bit and leaving out the retirement part.

That’s because I’ve got a lot left to do. And I’ve got a lot to see while I do it.

Further reading:

Americans Increasingly Want to Move to Another Country (Newsweek)

Is 2024 the Year You’ll Become an American Expat? (LA times)

Keep going-

Brian Clark

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12 Good Eggs

Despite the flip flopping on the issue, I think most of us know now that eggs are a wonderful and perfectly healthy food choice, especially for protein. But just in case, this new study definitively shows that eating a couple of eggs a day is perfectly fine.

Eating A Dozen Eggs A Week Doesn’t Hurt Your Cholesterol: Study (GMA)

An Avocado a Day…

Avocados are definitely good for you, but this study has an interesting twist. Basically, adding an avocado a day into a daily diet plan leads people to better follow dietary guidelines and improve the quality of what they eat.

An Avocado A Day May Improve Overall Diet Quality, Researchers Report (PSU)

(Social) Security Issues

Retirement age for Generation X in terms of Social Security is 67. While I have no plans to retire, it just figures that the first year I’ll be eligible for full benefits is the same year benefits will be reduced if the problem is not addressed. I’m not holding my breath.

Here’s What Social Security Could Look Like in 10 Years if We Don’t Fix It (Motley Fool)

Scouting Missions

The best way to get a feel for the benefits of world travel is to… travel! Outside‘s expert travel writers circled the globe to find the next-best destinations to explore — and why to go now.

The 23 Best Places to Travel in 2024 (Outside)

Up-Level Your Life By Downshifting

By Trudi Roth

As we’ve often discussed, our generation isn’t buying into the retirement myth. And why should we? We’re infinitely adaptable and high achievers to boot — ”slacker” is the ultimate oxymoron.

That said, there’s bad news about how hard we grind: new research shows it’s taking a toll not only on our physical and mental well-being but also on our relationships.

Gen X employees were more likely (79%) than any other generation to report that work stress has led to a breakup or divorce.

That’s some bitter irony: aren’t you working so hard so you can enjoy life with loved ones? Plus, the stress of a costly gray divorce won’t help. Perhaps it’s time to shift gears.

Down and Out

Recently, a “letter from the abyss” by David Spinks, iconic community builder and author of The Business of Belonging, caught my eye. I hadn’t realized, but shortly after he presented a guest lecture in our Leading Expert community in 2022 (formerly the Unemployable Initiative), he disappeared for a couple of years.

What Spinks went through was something beyond burnout, as it involved both professional and personal issues. This is something we sandwich generation members know intimately, and it makes us especially susceptible to anxiety and depression.

Spinks says the best way to describe his time in “the abyss” was what change expert William Bridges calls the “neutral zone.”

‘People go through an in-between time when the old is gone but the new isn’t fully operational,’ Bridges explains. ‘It is when the critical psychological realignments and repatternings take place.’

Whether you’re already teetering on the edge of your own abyss or just beginning to realize that your stress is too high, the good news is you don’t have to disappear to improve your life. But you should consider slowing your roll.

Get Down On It

From psychologists to enthusiasts of the slow movement, downshifting is about creating a more balanced, meaningful existence. I like how Spinks puts it:

Downshifting is the process a high achiever goes through when stepping off the treadmill. It’s their journey into a new version of life where achievement is no longer their north star (at least not the version of achievement they’ve known).

This is an introspective process, and practices including meditation and reassessing your core values can help get you through it. Spinks found his journey to be non-linear, sometimes lonely, and often humbling. Together, he and his wife reframed downshifting as an investment, not a cost.

Now, Spinks is less than a couple of decades into his career, so you might think that makes it easier for him to downshift without worrying about being permanently downsized. Don’t be ageist! It’s never too soon or too late to downshift because the upside of a less stressful, more purposeful life is always the best way to enjoy life’s ride.

How to Downshift (David Spinks’ Newsletter)