HEY YOU, I’m JEAN

I became work optional in my early 40s as a single divorced mom, primary caregiver and primary financial provider of a child, still at home.

No alimony, no child support, no lottery winnings, no inheritance, no side gigs, no sugar daddy. I jokingly call myself now a self-funded stay-at-home mom. By the time I left corporate, I had been living alone with my child for 7+ years in a medium cost of living city in the US.

2025-07 Manzanita Beach, Oregon Taking in a colorful sunset after a day of exploring.
2025-07 Manzanita Beach, Oregon Taking in a colorful sunset after a day of exploring.

What’s funny is…

I never aspired to become work optional in my 40s and the decision to leave my corporate career behind with no job lined up was made within a matter of months. I had a promising career, was in my prime earnings years, and still had a child to raise. What I discovered though, was the option to be able to take this leap was only available to me as a byproduct of consistent and incremental actions made over the years around my foundation, my finances, and my pursuit of fulfillment intent.

READ MY FIRST POST

But did you know?

I’ve had my fair share of the “dark ages”. I was the rebellious black sheep of a low middle income immigrant family, a runaway and high school dropout, hung around the wrong circles, racked up credit card debt, didn’t know my spend, didn’t have savings, didn’t know a thing about investing, lacked confidence, partied too hard…you get the drift.

On the surface today, I may seem like I’ve got my s*** together (most days), but man, it was one heck of a tough uphill climb to get here, and I’m sure there is more left to climb (figuratively and literally).

I can tell you no one will know just how much work you put in behind the scenes but you, but if you do, things will slowly come around and you will establish a foundation to continue forward.

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  • I didn’t see much content out there from single moms or single parents who had a rocky start but achieved financial independence earlier than average while their kids were still young and living at home because let’s face it, juggling time while in survival mode can be taxing. I know I would have loved to see more relatable content while I was on my journey so I figured – why not write about it from my perspective so that someone out there on a similar boat might not feel as alone? I am living proof that you CAN get yourself out of a hole, make a ton of mistakes along the way, enjoy the ride, and become work optional earlier than average, even while your kid is still at home, and even if certain statistics (like being a single mom) are stacked against you.
  • I am living proof that while it takes a ton of internal debate and analysis to walk away from your W2, and especially if you proudly wear the golden handcuffs you perhaps invested so much of your time to earn – that with some deep reflections and thorough enough planning (+ a healthy dose of courage), it IS possible.

I have made a ton of mistakes but have also owned up to every inch of my life and held myself accountable. I kept fine tuning, learning and moving forward. Although I plan, I have no idea what the future may hold, but I know I have the resilience to face it. My intent is to share some of my learnings and experiences, old and new, in a way that I hope you find educational, perhaps relatable, maybe even entertaining. I hope to inspire and empower you to take control of your life, your time, and your money. Maybe what I share may help you navigate life earlier and more intentionally than I had. Your past only makes you wiser in the present and your present only makes you more prepared for the future.

I truly believe that with:
• incremental and consistent Foundational Investments in yourself,
• knowledge and steps made towards Financial Independence, and a
• purpose driven ongoing refinement of your life’s Fulfillment Intent
…you can experiment with your limited time on this Earth more intentionally.

If you have the will, there’s a way. This is why I named this site “FI Xperiment”.

Stay curious and develop the courage to experiment. Knowledge is not power without action. Get your FIx. Freedom, amplified.

Yours truly,
Jean