My Next Chapter: A Retirement Journey - Latest Posts

My First Stock Market Downturn as a Retiree

News

Reflections

Retirement

I knew the market would drop at some point after I stopped working full time. But I was kind of hoping there wouldn’t be a major market panic in my first year of retirement. (And I certainly didn’t expect our government would cause one on purpose.)

A Couple of Contrasting Retirement Weeks

Reflections

Retirement

If I was worried that every day would be pretty much the same . . . not yet!

I’ve been freelancing again in retirement

Profession Post-Retirement

Retirement

Weather was cold and I had a couple of ideas, so . . .

I’m glad I didn’t follow my original plan to retire later

Reflections

Retiring

Retirement

If anything, I wish I’d done it sooner

The High Cost (in Hours) of Self Maintenance

Reflections

Retirement

Retiring

Taking care of oneself always involves effort, but it can take even more time as we age. Retirement helps!

‘Type A’ Retiree Gets a Taste of Buddhist Meditation

Retirement

I had time to attend a four-session workshop . . . so I did.

Half a year of retirement!

Reflections

Retirement

Some thoughts looking back on my first six months as a retiree.

Are there really ‘4 phases of retirement’?

Retirement

Retiring

So posits a TED talk viewed more than 3 million times. But I’m not so sure that’s true for ‘most’ people.

Is it Scary to Be Alone With Our Own Thoughts?

Reflections

‘The unoccupied mind can be a feral beast,’ writes Chris Hayes. While not about retirement, his article raises some interesting points for people either considering leaving the workforce or newly retired.

Hating winter less as a retiree

Reflections

Retirement

So far this has been one of my biggest surprises in retirement

2025: More self care and gratitude (I hope)

Reflections

Retirement

As a retiree, I have the luxury to think differently about my annual rite of New Year’s resolutions

Missing work-related holiday things

Reflections

Retirement

No one was more surprised than me to find that I actually missed getting-ready-for-the-holidays comradery at work – and I don’t even celebrate Christmas.

My First Freelance Articles Are Live!

Profession Post-Retirement

Reflections

Retirement

I’m a ‘contributing’ freelance writer now, with a bio befitting a retiree. But I can’t check traffic to my stories.

Back to my regularly scheduled retirement (mostly)

Profession Post-Retirement

Reflections

Retirement

After working a nearly full-time schedule for a week, I returned to my retirement routine.

Sooo I’m doing some freelance writing (just a bit!) in retirement

Profession Post-Retirement

Reflections

Retirement

That didn’t take long 🤣

There’s One Advantage to Getting Sick on a Holiday When Retired

Reflections

Retirement

At least you’re not blowing scarce days off from work.

Thanksgiving Week is Different Post-Retirement

Reflections

Retirement

It’s somehow less of a ‘landmark’ break in the year. But still great!

Settling Into a Retirement Routine

Reflections

Retirement

Some thoughts three months after leaving work behind

Work As a Distraction

Reflections

Retirement

When I had high stress in my personal life, my job sometimes served as a helpful diversion. It’s time for other coping mechanisms.

Welcoming Autumn as a Retiree

Reflections

Retirement

It’s been my first change of seasons in retirement, and I’ve been able to pay more attention.

My First Post-Retirement Professional Deadline (and Event)

Profession Post-Retirement

Retirement

An opportunity came earlier than I expected, and I wasn’t sure I was ready.

Settling into Retirement

Reflections

Retirement

A few thoughts after 10 weeks of no longer working full-time

Missing Work Friends in Retirement

Reflections

Retirement

What if anything should I do about colleagues I no longer see?

Racing at 60+ is Different

Reflections

Vibrant Aging

Now that new personal bests are unlikely - or even doing better than last year - it’s time for some different running goals.

Ageism Watch: Atlantic Article on Hearing Aids

Ageism

People are repulsed by the idea of needing hearing aids because they’re associated with age, the author explains, as if of course this is totally understandable. ‘Geezer’ is mentioned twice.

What do you DO all day? (once retired)

Reflections

Retirement

Vibrant Aging

I was asked that recently in a social situation. Turns out, quite a bit.

Perspectives on Retiring

Retiring

Retirement

Some interesting newspaper reader comments about ending their paid careers. Plus: I couldn’t resist asking a couple of generative AI chatbots for some retirement advice.

Adding a Bit More Structure to My Retirement Life

Reflections

Retirement

The end of summer feels like a signal to ramp up activities and get an earlier start to my days.

Retirement at the One-Month Mark

Reflections

Retirement

How this former Type A would-be overachiever is handling no longer working full-time 4 weeks in

My First Trip as a Retiree!

Retirement

Travel

Not worrying about work awaiting me was one big difference. The return home was another.

My First Conference as a Retiree was . . . Different

Reflections

Retirement

Going to a professional event without a job title is definitely not the same as when I was a journalist (duh). There were pluses and minuses to the new experience.

Am I ‘Busy’ Now in Retirement?

Reflections

Retirement

Life’s pace is starting to feel different.

Doing Professional-Type Things – But for Fun

Reflections

Retirement

Having more time to learn and create solely for the joy of it is one of the greatest privileges of retirement.

Summer Seems Like a Great Time to Retire

Retirement

There are lots of options this time of year for a To-Do List of Fun.

It’s a Wrap! My full-time paid career, that is

Reflections

Retirement

Retiring

Just like that, the end of my nearly 45-year paid professional career has arrived. Hello, retirement!

A Week of Lasts

Reflections

Retiring

Yesterday marked my final return to work from a weekend, and my last few days on the job. It’s really strange.

Flipping from Retirement Saving to Spending

Retirement

Retiring

It’s starting to sink that I’ll no longer be getting a salary – which will mean dipping into our savings. That feels a little uncomfortable.

‘But I don’t feel old!’

Ageism

That phrase says a lot about our culture’s negative views of aging - views that were front and center this week.

Six Working Days Left!

Retiring

The countdown gets serious – but it still doesn’t feel real

My new question: ‘What interesting things have you been up to?’

Reflections

Retiring

I need to stop myself from asking younger people about their employment plans and mid-life adults about their jobs. They aren’t their career choices either.

Quotes of note on retirement and aging

Ageism

Reflections

Retirement

Retiring

Vibrant Aging

Some of the interesting passages I’ve encountered in reading about my new stage of life

Breaking the retirement news (publicly)

News

Retiring

A month after telling my boss and co-workers, I posted on social media that I’m leaving my full-time career. That felt harder.

I’m retiring!

News

Reflections

Retiring

After more than 40 years of full-time work, I’m excited for my next chapter.

When to go public with my retirement date?

Reflections

Retiring

If you work in a public-facing job, there are two parts to announcing retirment: telling 1) your boss and co-workers and 2) your broader professional circle.

The problem with ‘over 65’ as an age category

Ageism

Reflections

Does a 66-year-old really have so much in common with a 96-year-old?

‘Anti-aging’ is a stupid phrase

Ageism

Reflections

The alternative to aging is death.

The joy of relaxed scheduling

Reflections

Retiring

Not feeling compelled to make the most of every ‘vacation day’ is letting me make the most of time not working - in a different way than before.

The weirdness of tapering down

Reflections

Retiring

Working ‘part time’ in the weeks before retirement seems like a good idea. But it can be jarring.

Weaning myself off of external validation at work

Reflections

Retiring

Even annoying tasks can be gratifying when I’m helping someone solve a difficult problem. But while I enjoy praise and thanks that come from my job, I don’t want to be beholden to it anymore.

Is [insert negative thing here] really because you’re older?

Ageism

Reflections

Vibrant Aging

When you live in an ageist culture and have internalized the deeply negative views about getting older all around you, it’s common to attribute things to ‘getting older’ that are actually normal for people at many stages of life.

My (probable) last big scoop as a full-time worker

News

Reflections

Retiring

There’s little quite as exciting as being the first to break news on deadline, regardless of the beat

I’m leaving in a month and there’s a company strategy meeting. Should I go?

Reflections

Retiring

It feels odd to attend when we all know I won’t be around for those strategies to unfold. On the other hand, I am still an employee and may still have ideas to share.

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