People

A former CEO’s intended break became retirement once he saw work was optional. More time with his children and improved happiness held up, but five years later he was trying to reduce business commitments that had recreated exhaustion.

After leaving project management, he worked about ten hours weekly at a golf course while his wife changed jobs following their move. He described both partners as more relaxed, while losses among friends and family tempered the new stage.

A psychologist’s retirement mixed coaching, new friendships and long trips with her husband. The freedom was welcome, but she also had to learn that a less pressured day did not always feel productive.

Sam Dogen left banking in 2012 and gave writing a scheduled place in his new freedom. More than a decade later, parenting and social commitments kept him constantly occupied, illustrating how the challenge can shift from finding purpose to managing abundance.

A trial leave helped confirm his decision to retire at 52. Travel and walking made the first year rewarding, but turning opera into a large self-assigned curriculum showed that enthusiasm also has limits.

After leaving salaried work, the couple's days filled with their children's activities and physical activity. They valued freedom from scheduling conflicts, while keeping travel and a possible future work or volunteer role open.

After leaving daily work in June 2023, he spent summers at a mountain home, played golf and coached his children's sports. He enjoyed the new balance while continuing to manage two industrial properties.

Justin McCurry retired at 33 and found satisfaction in school-age parenting, books and days without a Monday looming. His wife joined him later; their children grew, and the trips grew longer. By 2025, money looked less restrictive than the calendar. The recurring question had become how to enjoy an increasingly busy retirement while preserving the unstructured time that made it worthwhile.

Chris Mamula’s exit and move to the mountains brought skiing, writing and unexpected strain. Years later, he described how different expectations and dependence on his wife’s happiness had complicated the marriage. More time together exposed questions that a shared savings goal had left unresolved.

After a short decompression, retirement suited this active couple. Their move to Florida brought visitors and new opportunities, but stacking several life changes together made him reconsider the pace of the transition.