Latest Posts

Free At 50 Interview: Tom Werkman on Escaping the 9-5
The first Free At 50 interview is with Tom Werkman, founder and owner of Werkman Outfitters, a business he is enjoying in partnership with his son Max.

Short Update on the FreeAt50 Move to Groove
If you’re wondering what’s taking so long, 2 things: I’m enjoying my FreeAt50 life! The move to Williamsburg has been fantastic. Obviously I’ve been putting out posts (and also typing them into Groove as I publish on WordPress). But I’ve been enjoying my “free time.” Even being healthier overall. My step count has gone fromContinue reading “Short Update on the FreeAt50 Move to Groove”

ESCAPING THE 9-5: IMPORTANT LIFE-CHANGING MOMENTS
Pastor Natalie gives a thoughtful perspective on examining moments that can be life-changing regarding leaving the 9-5.

10 Coaches Share the Value of Working with a Coach: Supporting Escape of the 9-5
Investing There are a lot of great free resources out there and I’m not saying to ignore them. There are ways to use them in your journey to professional freedom. -For initial research. -Once you know what you need to focus on, be selective and use them to enhance your work education and reach yourContinue reading “10 Coaches Share the Value of Working with a Coach: Supporting Escape of the 9-5”

Why Discovery Calls are Important in Hiring a Coach
Discovery calls explained. They are vital in the decision to hire a coach.


How Do I Retire Early-or Ever? Is Quitting Corporate Life an Option?
If you’re questioning whether or not it’s possible to retire early, you’re not alone. As I was talking to my financial advisor Sara this morning, whose been focusing on this topic quite a bit lately on her Linked In messaging, it reiterated my decision to emphasize the value of understanding your financial needs (specifically howContinue reading “How Do I Retire Early-or Ever? Is Quitting Corporate Life an Option?”

What is the Difference Between a Business Coach and a Consultant or Strategist: An Online Entrepreneur’s Guide
Understanding the difference between coaches and business consultants can help guide your success.

5 Lessons from Leaving the 9-5 and Creating a Location Independent Lifestyle
Success is right in Victoria’s job description. Victoria J. Watson is a Success Coach and NLP Practitioner working with early stage female entrepreneurs living her dream being based between the city of Malaga in Spain and the UK. As you know, I believe a coach is a vital part of leaving the 9-5 and designingContinue reading “5 Lessons from Leaving the 9-5 and Creating a Location Independent Lifestyle”

Getting A Coach: A Vital Step on the Journey Out of Corporate Life
Understanding the value of a coach can be a big step in successfully quitting corporate life.

Building Your Life Outside of Corporate: 6 Steps to Finding Your Passion
Use Rebekah’s tips on finding your passion. Rebekah Gamble figured out during the pandemic (and early in life!) a way to re-ignite her passions to use them to her advantage. Her blog to support others in getting organized financially (which by the way, is vital to those seeking to get out of corporate life andContinue reading “Building Your Life Outside of Corporate: 6 Steps to Finding Your Passion”

The Transformation From Invisible Powerhouse to Visible With Gratitude
Joyce’s story about following what was expected then breaking free from corporate and into a life as a coach, full of gratitude.

How My COVID Layoff Was Actually A Blessing: It was The 1st Step of 6 In Escaping The 9-5
The foundation and cornerstone of the FreeAt50 concept and resources to escape the 9-5 trap and quit corporate life.

My Journey to Leaving the 9-5: Leaving the Corporate World to Build your Dreams
Guest author and life coach Stacie Sadek shares her story of quitting the 9-5.

Building a Business Online and Moving Across the Country: 4 Tips for Productivity
4 Tips to be productive with your online business while you are moving across the country.

Seizing Career Ownership To Attain Professional Freedom
Shane, the Country Executive tells his story of how he both defines and lives his version of professional freedom.

Eliminating the Groundhog Day of Professional Life and Creating Professional Freedom
Planning professional freedom and getting rid of the feeling that your work life is like Groundhog Day.

Ultimate Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for Bloggers and Online Entrepreneurs
Valentine’s Day gift ideas for the blogger/online entrepreneur in your life.

Going Cold Turkey from Quitting 9-5
Marinella Yule’s story about leaving the 9-5 life and becoming an entrepreneur.

How to Quit Corporate Life: 10 People Who Left the 9-5
Stories and advice from online entrepreneurs’ about escaping the 9-5.

5 Tips to Organize Your Life for the Better
5 tips from an event planner to help organize your life and time.

What is Cornerstone Content and Why Do New Bloggers Need it?
The value of creating a cornerstone post.

Facebook for Bloggers and Entrepreneurs: Why I Love It and How I Use It Daily.
1 If I’m honest with myself, I miss people. If you’ve read the “about me” section on my homepage or scanned some of my posts, you know that I quit corporate life: happily. I don’t miss it. What I do miss about having a traditional “job” so to speak: day-to-day contact with people because it’sContinue reading “Facebook for Bloggers and Entrepreneurs: Why I Love It and How I Use It Daily.”

Getting in the Groove: Blogging for Life. And Business.
Getting Groove to support you and your business while the time is right.

The Modern Midlife Crisis Goes Online
A blogger shares her mid-life perspective of life online.

Taking the Leap on LinkedIn – My Gift to Myself.
My gift to myself publicly changing my profile.

Productivity Tips for Entrepreneurs Working from Home
How to be productive as a blogger or entrepreneur

Blogging as an Income Generator
Anjali of This Splendid Shambles shares tips on successful blogging.

How to Start a Blog. Or Some Kind of Online Self Employment.
Tips on how to start a blog and get in the right mindset.

Best Gift Ideas for Bloggers and all of us Online
Gift guide for bloggers and online business owners.


Learning from Others: At Least 9 Resources for You!
business resources on learning from others

Making SEO and Increasing Traffic Easy- Yeah right!
Learning SEO and being productive in building traffic.

Positivity + Motivation = Productivity: My 5 Tips for Success
Being productive while working from home, owning your time.

This is 50 Y’all!
It is here. The celebration of my 50th year. I just called my parents to say thank you, something I do every year on my birthday- my mom went through the pain of bringing me into the world and my dad had a pretty big role to play. They gave me a life that wasContinue reading “This is 50 Y’all!”

Frazzled But Hopeful- Building My Toolkit
My quest for self-sufficiency continues and thanks to a new friend in Australia, met through a supportive Facebook group we both are members of, I found what could be an amazing tool and hopefully this is just the beginning. When it comes to technology and all the “things” I need to build my online businessContinue reading “Frazzled But Hopeful- Building My Toolkit”

Budget Matters if You Want to Quit Corporate Life
Planning to escape the 9-5 and quit corporate life includes taking time to figure out your budget needs.

Life, Death and Positivity Through Grunge
Even before Eddie Van Halen passed a few days ago, this was gnawing at me. My original idea for a title was “Life, Death, Inspiration and Motivation.” My internal need was to honor the GenXers who died too young like Kate Spade, Prince, Chris Cornell and Anthony Bourdain (OK a couple were born in theContinue reading “Life, Death and Positivity Through Grunge”

Own Your Time- Don’t Manage It
The ultimate liberation: owning your time. Whether it is about going on a weekend hike on a trail without cell service, taking half a day to shop and prepare a new recipe with your significant other, or binging Netflix with the family, there should be no guilt and complete, focused happiness. This page is aContinue reading “Own Your Time- Don’t Manage It”

Blocked
Having Writer’s Block I’m having a moment of “writer’s block”- or maybe if I’m honest a week or so of it. As part of my learning process into reaching the goal of “living the dream” (mine anyway) I’ve sought out the knowledge and experience of others, especially regarding writing. One expert blogger said there’s noContinue reading “Blocked”

Not-So-Alone on the Island: Leaving Corporate Life
Building a Blog It is 1:28pm. At 1:10pm I began an effort to “verify” freeat50.blog with Google. It was a LONG 18 minutes, however, it was only 18 minutes. The price of professional freedom is that you are on an island. You are the one ultimately responsible and you need to figure “it” out. ThankContinue reading “Not-So-Alone on the Island: Leaving Corporate Life”


Lipstick On
I just set my Zoom camera for optimal viewing, added notes to my desktop whiteboard, lit my Island Air scented candle and am getting ready to put lipstick on for only the 3rd time since mid-May. One time was to get on a Zoom call with a friend, the next was a mistake (duh, theContinue reading “Lipstick On”

Early Girl Writing
5am or Midnight? 5am. It used to be midnight for sure but the last 15-20 years have not only brought age and wisdom but a shift in my internal clock. I wake up early, sometimes super-early. My partner in life is a combination of annoyed and astounded that my brain seems to be on overdriveContinue reading “Early Girl Writing”

Tentative Adventure During the 9-5 Escape
My Facebook post around 8am on August 7th 2020, the year of everything wonderful, terrifying and confusing, showed a photo of Exit 133 on Michigan’s I-96. The caption was about this being the furthest I’d been since March 4th, my last travel experience. As we all know, COVID happened and travel as we knew it,Continue reading “Tentative Adventure During the 9-5 Escape”

You Got This…Really!
Every year I get my professional life started with two things: a calendar (usually bought in the fall) and a notebook to record conversations, tasks and decisions resulting from “meetings.” Live or over the phone. Life pre-COVID had been WFH (working from home) for me for about a decade so this notebook, which lived inContinue reading “You Got This…Really!”
About Me

Hi, I’m Daphne. After 30 years (I started my first job during college at 19) working for others, I decided to put freedom first. I built up incredible skills over the years, but I want to enjoy EVERY LAST MINUTE I have left on this earth. When I’m not spending time with my amazing partner in life (especially cooking and traveling with him), I love writing about my fascination with food, history, and culture!
Let’s hang out
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