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Explore turning points, everyday joys and unexpected challenges after financial independence or retirement, with the date and original source for each account.

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41–50 of 105 posts

Volunteering and travel coexist with missing work

Feb 2023Interview snapshot · published 2023

Life at the time

  • The retired cardiologist walked, attended yoga and potlucks, volunteered at a free clinic and as a gardener, and visited family.

How it felt

  • He still experienced boredom and missed clinical work, while feeling less attachment to managing a solo office. “I do miss work”

Adventure filled their early years. Writing and family made room for a quieter life.

2023 · Year 17

Life at the time

  • Robert had written three science-fiction manuscripts and published a crossword.
  • They divided the year among their Colorado home, family visits and shorter trips.

How it felt

  • Creative work felt rewarding without financial pressure. “the joy of creation”
  • Frequent moves could make life feel divided and friendships harder to maintain. “Sometimes our lives feel segmented”

They retired to travel the world. Then family life rewrote the plan.

Oct 2022 · Year 10

Life at the time

  • Traveled less after the family grew.
  • Reported that many friendships formed through work had not stayed close.

How it felt

  • Did not see retirement as a guarantee of happiness. “Retirement doesn’t guarantee happiness”
  • Found that thoughts of work faded gradually, rather than disappearing on the last day. “By year 3, I didn’t think about it at all.”

Pickleball brought friends. Open time still made motivation harder.

Sep 2022Recalled in 2025

Life at the time

  • Home projects and a pickleball class helped fill the transition.
  • A few coaching hours retained a useful part of her professional life.

How it felt

  • Adjustment was easier than she expected. “easier than I had anticipated”
  • Selective work remained fulfilling. “as long as it remains fulfilling”

The deadlines disappeared quickly. The professional identity took longer.

Aug 2022 · Year 4

Life at the time

  • Walks, speaker-building and family visits filled a loose schedule.
  • A retirement association and old colleagues supplied some social contact.

How it felt

  • A retired identity had taken years to accept. “comfortable with saying”
  • The work itself was not missed, but shared accomplishments were. “sense of pride”

Travel brought joy. Being available for a sick friend made the freedom matter differently.

Jul 2022Recalled in 2023

Life at the time

  • They planned trips and used quieter weekday hours for errands and exercise.
  • She allowed herself slower Monday mornings.

How it felt

  • Leaving work felt euphoric after the uncertain waiting period. “intense gratitude”
  • She noticed less physical discomfort and deep gratitude. “not be chained to my desk”

Retired friends help, but spending still feels difficult

Jun 2022Interview snapshot · published 2022

Life at the time

  • After leaving telecommunications in early 2022, he exercised outdoors and met retired friends. He was considering another job only if it fit his values.

How it felt

  • He missed colleagues and mentoring, and felt less secure spending savings than his already-retired wife. “Being at peace with what you cannot control is the greatest challenge.”

He enjoyed becoming less important. Moving away from friends was the harder change.

Apr 2022Recalled in 2025

Life at the time

  • Both left work, sold their longtime home and moved within seven months.
  • A brief decompression preceded a busy new routine.

How it felt

  • The final work departure was unexpectedly emotional. “emotionally draining”
  • He later wondered whether the changes should have been spaced out. “a longer window”

Monday became welcome. Learning helped keep the rest of the week interesting.

2022Recalled in 2023

Life at the time

  • A home office already used for remote work became his retirement base.
  • Domestic trips and a visit to Australia filled some of the new freedom.

How it felt

  • The adjustment felt smooth. “very smooth”
  • Monday mornings became something to enjoy. “looking forward to Monday mornings”

He left the job. His own projects took over the calendar.

2022 · Year 2

Life at the time

  • Spent substantial time on home projects and an income-producing app.
  • Climbed, hiked, cycled and exercised outdoors.

How it felt

  • Found that making friends after a move required deliberately leaving the house. “I need to push myself to go out”
  • Continued to value the freedom to pursue outdoor activities. “I still love the freedom to climb, hike, snowshoe, bike”

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