In recent years, the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement has captured the imagination of those seeking to escape the traditional work-life trajectory, promising a pathway to early retirement through disciplined saving and aggressive investing. Traditionally, FIRE advocates a life where work becomes optional at an unusually early age, allowing individuals the freedom to live on their own terms. However, as the movement matures, many who have reached this coveted financial milestone are finding that complete disengagement from work isn’t quite the utopia they envisioned. Instead, a new concept is emerging within the FIRE community—Financial Independence, Recreationally Employed (for the lack of a better word, let’s call it FIRE 2.0)—which reflects a more nuanced understanding of ‘retirement.’ While I am only on a career break and not retired, I can resonate with this because now that I have a lot more free time on my hands, I would look for...