Welcome onboard! And congrats on your early start - which almost no matter what will bring you to FI sooner than you think.
I guess my FI(RE)-walk was taken in steps:
I was 26 and had just sold an apartment - with a profit of around $25K when I started truly saving. Besides that I had done the usual consumer mistakes - especially drinks/dinners out. From my parents I got the attitude of no debt, and I generally bought things on sale/used whenever possible, so the $25K jump started the savings process beyond my emergency fund.
I have since worked abroad for 8 years and a combination of LBYM and no taxes/good company package increased the savings rate dramatically.
That lead me too spread sheets/targets and more investments (and study of same).
Only within the last 3 years did I realize that my efforts were paying off and that FI(RE) suddenly became a very realistic possibility soon. That realization speeded up my efforts even further in both the LBYM/saving department as well as the investment department. - The shark smelled blood!
One thing I did(and do) was to celebrate each stepping stone somehow - E.g. each $10k or $50k or $100k or whatever is within realistic time frame should be celebrated with a beer/wine/champagne and a cigar - with 1 of my good friends having same targets.
I target to reach my FI-target end this year - fill the cooler with champagne, pull out a Romeo and Julliett no.5 and celebrate! Will keep you posted on this board when/if the day comes!
RE not in the cards yet for me - but who knows...? It is the FI that is important for me.

Normal; to put on clothes bought for work, go to work in car bought to get to work needed to pay for the clothes, the car and the home left empty all day in order to afford to live in it...