Ha I almost chickened out of posting in public yesterday that I’m retiring. Don’t misunderstand that, please: I don’t regret deciding to wind down my full-time career, and I’m still looking forward to my next chapter. But I see now that I haven’t completely come to terms with losing my identity as a “real” working tech journalist/data science professional. That’s been a big part of how I’ve seen myself for decades. It makes sense it could take more than a couple of weeks to adjust and create a new sense of self.
However, with just 10 more days left at my job and emails going out at work about my last day, it was time to let people know outside my company.
The day went a lot better than I expected. People were extremely nice about it – lots of congratulations, some advice from those already retired, and a few lovely comments from people who told me that my work was useful or meaningful to them.
Everyone wants to know that they’ve mattered in the world. And we all do matter to the family and friends who know and love us! It’s impossible to overstate how important family and friends are in our lives. Still, considering how much of my life has been spent on the job, it was a good feeling to know that some of what came out of all those hours meant something to some people.
It’s also been great to hear how my already-retired friends are happy with their new lives. One big takeaway from the private advice I’ve gotten: Expect the transition to take some time. Which makes sense. You can’t just switch off something that you’ve been doing for a good chunk of your waking hours over four decades in a couple of days. But everyone tells me it’s worth it.
Hopefully I’ll find out soon for myself.
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