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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.

Age
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71–80 of 101 posts

She left her title behind. Time together mattered more as health changed.

Jun 2019 · Year 2

“The decline in my partner’s health was the biggest “bad” surprise”

ESI Retiree 13Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Exercise, cooking, gardening and a book club filled ordinary days.
  • She made time for friendships and caring for her partner.

How it felt

  • His declining health was an unwelcome surprise. “biggest ‘bad’ surprise”
  • Being free to care for him felt especially valuable. “so happy”
IdentityFamilyRoutine
ESI Retiree 13
Read original postesimoney.com

An empty calendar felt directionless. Useful commitments gradually brought him back.

Jun 2019 · Year 2

“I’m still alone quite a bit.”

ESI Retiree 12Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Local committees, triathlon training and beekeeping supplied variety.
  • Occasional consulting and ski instruction retained useful skills.

How it felt

  • Experimenting helped him find activities that fit. “things began to click”
  • He still spent more time alone than he wanted. “I’m still alone quite a bit.”
PurposeRoutineFriends
ESI Retiree 12
Read original postesimoney.com

Flying and service gave an unexpectedly early exit direction

May 2019

“Of interest, I am really surprised how quickly the time passes in retirement!”

ESI Retiree 10Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Runs, voluntary work and legislative meetings structured days.
  • Flying and short road trips supplied recreation.

How it felt

  • He enjoyed choosing his own schedule. “doing what I want”
  • The speed of passing retirement time surprised him. “time passes”
PurposeFreedomRoutine
ESI Retiree 10
Read original postesimoney.com

Family time arrived quickly; a new sense of purpose took longer

May 2019

“My purpose has been redefined and it feels great.”

Phia & Mike · Freedom101Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Mike began a deliberate health routine.
  • Running with friends and writing replaced some aimless browsing.

How it felt

  • He felt better after redirecting his attention from money. “feels great”
  • Reconnecting with others made the change rewarding. “enjoying the process”
PurposeParenthoodRoutine
Phia & Mike · Freedom101
Read original postfreedom101.ca

Losing the job was painful. Life afterward was mostly good—and sometimes boring.

Apr 2019 · Year 4

“My wife is the opposite — she loves not working and has no interest in going back.”

ESI Retiree 4Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Gym visits, friends and outings filled a relaxed week.
  • The couple regularly visited their second home in the Southwest.

How it felt

  • He sometimes felt bored or obliged to work. “there are days I’m just bored”
  • His wife remained content without another job. “she loves not working”
IdentityRoutinePartners
ESI Retiree 4
Read original postesimoney.com

She recovered her sleep and good mood. A bigger purpose could wait.

Mar 2019 · Year 1.5

“My stress level is way down.”

ESI Retiree 2Read original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Breakfast with her working partner anchored the morning.
  • Exercise, housework, photography and cooking shaped ordinary days.

How it felt

  • Lower stress improved life together. “My stress level is way down.”
  • Questions about a larger purpose remained unresolved. “bigger purpose”
RecoveryRoutinePurpose
ESI Retiree 2
Read original postesimoney.com

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

2019 · Year 12

“We have more time to be creative and more quality time with family and friends.”

Robert & Robin CharltonRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Overseas trips had shortened to six or seven weeks to make room for family.
  • They built productive activities and downtime into days without a work schedule.

How it felt

  • They described less stress and more enjoyment. “Less stress, more fun”
  • Choosing their own path felt worthwhile, without regret about leaving traditional jobs. “We have absolutely no regrets”
TravelFamilyRoutine
Robert & Robin Charlton
Read original postretireearlylifestyle.com

They could afford freedom. Agreeing on what it meant was harder.

Dec 2018 · Year 1

“A year after leaving my job, I still feel too busy.”

Chris MamulaRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Left his job and moved across the country, rebuilding routines and relationships.
  • Said yes to social opportunities, sometimes at the expense of time as a couple.

How it felt

  • Still felt too busy a year after leaving work. “A year after leaving my job, I still feel too busy.”
  • He and his wife had different needs for freedom and security, with no settled shared routine yet. “We’re not there yet.”
PartnersRoutineHome
Chris Mamula
Read original postcaniretireyet.com

She quit her career. Years later, she quit performing retirement.

Dec 2018 · Year 1

“I’m a person who’s passionate about too many things and loves throwing myself into projects… and therefore my early retirement looks jam-packed with stuff.”

Tanja Hester · Our Next LifeRead original post (opens in a new tab)

Life at the time

  • Adjusted to daily life with Mark after both left work.
  • Balanced creative projects and social commitments with time together.

How it felt

  • Found that spontaneous days meant different things to each partner. “More time together doesn’t make for instant harmony.”
  • Realized that extra time still did not make every appealing activity possible. “You still can’t do everything.”
PartnersRoutineChange
Tanja Hester · Our Next Life
Read original postournextlife.com

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