Jona Dunning spent years climbing the corporate ladder and saving aggressively to retire early. He worked in finance in Seattle, living with his wife and two kids. The job was demanding but well-paid, and he saw it as a path to financial independence . "I realized that the paychecks aren't making me happier, but they are a vehicle that can help me to really accelerate things for my family and for me," Dunning, now 40, told Business Insider. This story is part of our Retirement: Chiang Mai