Retire Often launches September 9, 2025
Available for Preorder!
“Retire Often provides a roadmap for ambitious professionals to accelerate their careers — without working nonstop! Sabbatical programs aren’t talked about enough, and Jillian Johnsrud is starting an important conversation.”
— Jason Feifer, Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine
“…But you should read this book, and boy howdy how I wish I’d had it back then. If I had, my mini-retirements (which, make no mistake, were great) could have been so much better. So much less stressful. So much more beneficial. Instead of wandering in the wilderness feeling lost, I would have had this map. I would have had Jillian at my metaphorical side, guiding and reassuring me as I made my way. But I didn’t. She hadn’t written this book yet. But now she has, and now she is here for you…”
— JL Collins, Author of The Simple Path to Wealth and Pathfinders
Interested in Retire Often Group Coaching?
This group coaching is for people who are looking to step away from their 9-5 for a month or longer, maybe even forever. If you are considering taking a career break this year, group coaching will help you navigate that transition more effectively and make the most of your time off.
About Me
I started my financial journey at 19 with $55,000 of debt. Adam and I didn’t have high-earning jobs, but we still had big dreams. We wanted to be able to Retire Often and take mini-retirements to travel the world, adopt kids, and have financial freedom.
Over 20 years we took a dozen mini-retirement. It took over a decade to pay off our debt, pay cash for our home, adopted 4 kids (and had 2 biological kids), bought rentals, traveled to 27 countries, and lived abroad.
At 32, I became financially independent, and we left our full-time jobs. We live in Kalispell Montana, near Glacier National Park with our 5 kids.
I host the Retire Often podcast, where people share their mini-retirement stories. The motivations, struggles, employment strategy, finances, logistics of their mini-retirement and how they Retire Often.
Sample the Retire Often Workbook with
Retire Often Worksheets
Latest Content
See what I’m creating on my podcast Retire Often and blog posts
Seasons of Life with Expiration Dates
Summary In this solo episode, Jillian discusses the necessity of taking mini retirements to engage in meaningful activities that have expiration dates, such as family adventures. Jillian reflects on her own experiences and the unpredictability of life, encouraging...
A Small (and not so sweet) Update
Late this Spring, I walked into a therapist's office. The conversation began as most do, “So what made you decide to start therapy?”“My life is imploding.” I said in a rather dry and unmoved way.He seemed curious but doubtful. “Imploding? Well, let’s start with why...
When the Dream Job Becomes Soul Crushing
In this conversation, Jacob Wade shares his transformative journey from a high-stress tech sales job to a life of travel and family connection through a mini retirement. He discusses the mental health challenges that led to his decision, the planning and execution of...
Embracing the Three Phases of a Mini Retirement
In this conversation, Stacy shares her experiences part way through her mini retirements. She shares how she created distinct phases. While explaining the importance of having a structured yet flexible approach to this career break. We cover how she overcame one more...
Your Guide to Negotiating A Month Off
In this episode, I explain that a month is an ideal starting point due to the ease of negotiation, lower costs, the ability to achieve significant personal goals, and the chance to practice for longer breaks. The conversation then moves into strategies for negotiating...
Building Freedom for Mini-retirements into Your Business
In this conversation, Jillian speaks with Ken and Mary from The Humble Penny about their journey of taking mini-retirements as business owners. They discuss the impact of COVID on their work-life balance, the transition from corporate jobs to entrepreneurship, and the...