Younger generations are embracing mini-retirements—short breaks to travel, explore, or recharge instead of waiting until 65 to start living.

For those of us with careers, kids, and commitments, disappearing for months might not be realistic. But the mindset behind it is powerful:

Wealth is the ability to create freedom and flexibility throughout your life—not just saving everything for a distant “real retirement.”

Even a standard two-week holiday can feel different if you treat it as a mini-retirement:

• Do something you’ve been “saving for later.”

• Spend time the way you hope to when you step back from full-time work.

• Test-drive the lifestyle you’re building for the future.

Most people use leave just to recover or catch up on chores. But with a shift in perspective, the same time can remind you what you’re working so hard for—and why aligning your money with your life goals matters.

If you framed your next break as a mini-retirement, what would you do differently?