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<title>My Next Chapter: A Retirement Journey</title>
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<description>One woman&#39;s experience entering a new stage of life after decades of full-time work. What&#39;s it like leaving a professional identity (partly) behind? A blog about retiring, vibrant aging, and fighting ageism.</description>
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  <title>You Can Improve - Physically and Cognitively - As You Age, Yale Study Shows</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-04-06-you-can-improve-physically-and-cognitively-as-you-age-yale-study-shows/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ Getting older doesn’t always mean steady, continuous decline! ]]></description>
  <category>Vibrant Aging</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-04-06-you-can-improve-physically-and-cognitively-as-you-age-yale-study-shows/</guid>
  <pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Building (Software) Things in Retirement</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-03-30-building-software-things-in-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ More time + wildly better AI tools = A LOT of new projects ]]></description>
  <category>Profession Post-Retirement</category>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-03-30-building-software-things-in-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Attending a Conference As a Retiree (this time with former peers)</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-03-15-attending-a-conference-as-a-retiree-this-time-with-former-peers/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ My first post-retirement conference was an event I might have covered while working. This one was a gathering of journalists - and that was different. ]]></description>
  <category>Profession Post-Retirement</category>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-03-15-attending-a-conference-as-a-retiree-this-time-with-former-peers/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Returning to a Former Hobby in Retirement</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-02-22-returning-to-an-old-hobby-in-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ Something else I wasn’t expecting after leaving work! ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <category>Retiring</category>
  <category>Vibrant Aging</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-02-22-returning-to-an-old-hobby-in-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Grappling with social media (and news) in retirement</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-01-18-grappling-with-social-media-and-news-in-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ It can take effort not to get sucked into endless scrolling. ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-01-18-grappling-with-social-media-and-news-in-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 18 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>The Rhythms of a Year</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-01-04-the-rhythms-of-a-year/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ The ebb and flow of a calendar year feel different when you’re no longer working. But they’re definitely still there. ]]></description>
  <category>Holidays</category>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2026-01-04-the-rhythms-of-a-year/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>What Makes a (Reasonably) Happy Retirement?</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-12-21-what-makes-a-reasonably-happy-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ A couple of thoughts almost a year and a half in ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <category>Retiring</category>
  <category>Vibrant Aging</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-12-21-what-makes-a-reasonably-happy-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 21 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Rethinking Winter in Retirement</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-12-14-rethinking-winter-in-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ Maybe it’s not the season for ‘maximum productivity’ ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-12-14-rethinking-winter-in-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Retirement Isn’t Always a Work On/Off Switch</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-11-30-retirement-isn-t-always-a-work-on-off-switch/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ For some of us, it’s more like easing out of our professional roles ]]></description>
  <category>Profession Post-Retirement</category>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-11-30-retirement-isn-t-always-a-work-on-off-switch/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 30 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Gratitude, and Loss</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-11-23-gratitude-and-loss/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ There can be much to be thankful for at this stage of life – especially if your health is decent. But aging also brings loss. How to honor both? ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-11-23-gratitude-and-loss/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Work-Adjacent Projects (Cont.)</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-11-16-work-adjacent-projects-cont/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ Hobby projects aren’t like a full-time job, but they can still be a bit intense. ]]></description>
  <category>Profession Post-Retirement</category>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-11-16-work-adjacent-projects-cont/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 16 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<item>
  <title>Career-Adjacent Hobby Projects</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-11-02-career-adjacent-hobby-projects/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ Doing job-similar tasks in retirement doesn’t necessarily mean you’re bored or can’t think of anything else to do. It can be a sign that you liked your career and want to repurpose the best parts of it. ]]></description>
  <category>Profession Post-Retirement</category>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-11-02-career-adjacent-hobby-projects/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<item>
  <title>Setting and Achieving Goals in Retirement</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-10-26-setting-and-achieving-goals-in-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ When you’re no longer being ‘graded’ in the workplace, might you want to come up with some goals of your own? ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-10-26-setting-and-achieving-goals-in-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 26 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<item>
  <title>Retirement Rhythms: Moving Into my Next Phase</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-10-13-retirement-rhythms-moving-into-my-next-phase/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ After 4 full seasons of retirement, I no longer feel ‘newly retired.’ It’s time to plan for what’s next! ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-10-13-retirement-rhythms-moving-into-my-next-phase/</guid>
  <pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Does Traveling to a Professional Conference Make Sense if You’re Retired?</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-09-28-does-traveling-to-a-professional-conference-make-sense-if-you-re-retired/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ Attending in person isn’t a trivial expense, and some usual rewards like ‘career growth’ no longer apply. But I decided to go to a data science event in Atlanta anyway. ]]></description>
  <category>Profession Post-Retirement</category>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-09-28-does-traveling-to-a-professional-conference-make-sense-if-you-re-retired/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 28 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>No more need for ‘a vacation from my vacation’</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-09-07-no-more-need-for-a-vacation-from-my-vacation/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ Some travel can be exhausting as well as fun – which is a problem when you’re working and have limited time off. But not when you’re retired! ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <category>Travel</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-09-07-no-more-need-for-a-vacation-from-my-vacation/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 07 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<item>
  <title>A Year of Retirement!</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-08-10-a-year-of-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ It’s time to admit I’m no longer ‘newly retired’ 😅 ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-08-10-a-year-of-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 10 Aug 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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<item>
  <title>Planning vs Spontaneity in Retirement</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-07-27-planning-vs-spontaneity-in-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ Feelings about how to best balance those may change when more of your time is your own ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-07-27-planning-vs-spontaneity-in-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 27 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Retirement and the Sabbath</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-07-13-retirement-and-the-sabbath/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ If you work fulltime, you definitely need a day of rest. But what about us retirees? ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-07-13-retirement-and-the-sabbath/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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  <title>Rethinking My Mornings Almost a Year Into Retirement</title>
  <dc:creator>Sharon Machlis</dc:creator>
  <link>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-06-29--rethinking-my-mornings-almost-a-year-into-retirement/</link>
  <description><![CDATA[ I may finally be getting ‘I can stay in bed as late as I want!’ out of my system ]]></description>
  <category>Reflections</category>
  <category>Retirement</category>
  <guid>https://NextChapter.machlis.com/posts/2025-06-29--rethinking-my-mornings-almost-a-year-into-retirement/</guid>
  <pubDate>Sun, 29 Jun 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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