'The six surprising habits only the happiest retirees get right' in this weekend's newspapers. And Michelle Bridges talks on Prime Time about meno-fitness for the new year.
I am in a different situation in that I am 56 years old and have worked for the past 15 years bookkeeping for my husbands two building companies. Prior to that I was a teacher. Now I find myself in a tough journey of life where my husband has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Stage 4 so it is instant retirement for him, which means instant shutting down of one of the businesses. The other business is with a partner so I will continue on in this bookeeping role in the future but it's hard to know now what my life looks like going forward. With his life insurance I will be ok but I want to keep working in my part time role so that I am available for my Mum as she ages & my mother in law. Then I want to be available for the upcoming wedding of my middle son and for my other 2 sons who will also have a wedding in the near future then hopefully comes grandchildren. I can't wait for this stage of life but I also will be losing my life partner and already feel very lost. How will it be on my own at such a young age? I have close family and friends but it will be hard being in a house all alone. I am trying to live in the present and enjoy each day but it's tough trying to be normal when nothing is normal at the moment. I enjoy reading and listening to the Epic Retirement weekly and look forward to hearing about what is next. It helps me keep up to date and decide what is next.
Jennifer 🥰 How tough is your situation! I feel for you extraordinarily. One day at a time, one stage at a time is all you CAN do. And, read the lesson in my book on transitions and expect to have to go through them. Endings are tough, and when you have to go through multiple endings at once, then you need to be as prepared as you can be. With bookkeeping skills there's always part-time work out there I think (or there always has been in the past). Its more about finding your picture of life at each stage and shaping what that looks like for you. That's tough when life is packed with uncertaintly so just hold onto the reality that that's normal, and you have to live through this as calmly as you can, and find all the joy you can in these moments. Thank you for finding light and sharing your tough times! We can be here with you
I stopped working in March 2025. The hardest thing for me is 'what is next' .... a lot of social groups for retirees are a demographic that involves people 10years or more older than myself. Non retiree groups such as "MeetUps" involve people who are a lot younger. I've worked full time, studied part time and travelled all of my life. What's next is my biggest dilemma.
I have had many different “careers” during my life, including a ski instructor and running my own business. I currently work in the public service in a job that I have loved. But I’m so ready to move on. I have never made work my identity and I am 100% sure I will when I quit this job I will be making a community and making friends and routines and a life similar to what I had when I was working, I will just have a much greater say over how I spend my time and with whom. I feel really lucky to be able to say that each job I have moved on from, it is because I squeezed alllllll the juice from it and now I am ready for the taste of something else.
The question around no longer feeling needed, relied upon, or wanted, is an interesting one.
I find it very sad when people make work their whole identity, yet I also got sucked into it in my 40s.
Highly recommend changing the 'work is my life' dynamic in the last few years of working life. Makes you realise that work is just one facet of a well rounded life and becomes much easier to walk away and embrace change without feeling like its all over.
Im on sabbatical after surgeries and family stuff. I don't miss the stress, the hustle and the long work days but I thought I'd miss being an important cog...and I don't.
I'm now venturing back to paid work (if there is any)but with a different view on what work will look like for me.
All of the above! Who am I without my identity as a forty year plus healthcare worker? I can call myself a Free Woman but how do I fill the hours? I dislike many of the traditional things retirees seem to enjoy, am still recovering from Burnout and often feel all I can achieve is getting out of bed!
An early January birthday (and turning 58)makes reflecting on this question even more poignant. The answer is no and am taking on more responsibility and a bigger team than I ever have. And looking forward to the challenge. But also know I don't want to sustain this new pace/way of working for years to come. It will be a long time before I stop working all together - I l love what I do.
To be honest, the fear that I'll not be able to meet ever rising costs. Therefore not being able to live to the standard I currently do, which is not over the top. But I've worked hard not to worry about having money to cover the bills and still take holidays every couple of years.
I am in a different situation in that I am 56 years old and have worked for the past 15 years bookkeeping for my husbands two building companies. Prior to that I was a teacher. Now I find myself in a tough journey of life where my husband has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Stage 4 so it is instant retirement for him, which means instant shutting down of one of the businesses. The other business is with a partner so I will continue on in this bookeeping role in the future but it's hard to know now what my life looks like going forward. With his life insurance I will be ok but I want to keep working in my part time role so that I am available for my Mum as she ages & my mother in law. Then I want to be available for the upcoming wedding of my middle son and for my other 2 sons who will also have a wedding in the near future then hopefully comes grandchildren. I can't wait for this stage of life but I also will be losing my life partner and already feel very lost. How will it be on my own at such a young age? I have close family and friends but it will be hard being in a house all alone. I am trying to live in the present and enjoy each day but it's tough trying to be normal when nothing is normal at the moment. I enjoy reading and listening to the Epic Retirement weekly and look forward to hearing about what is next. It helps me keep up to date and decide what is next.
Jennifer 🥰 How tough is your situation! I feel for you extraordinarily. One day at a time, one stage at a time is all you CAN do. And, read the lesson in my book on transitions and expect to have to go through them. Endings are tough, and when you have to go through multiple endings at once, then you need to be as prepared as you can be. With bookkeeping skills there's always part-time work out there I think (or there always has been in the past). Its more about finding your picture of life at each stage and shaping what that looks like for you. That's tough when life is packed with uncertaintly so just hold onto the reality that that's normal, and you have to live through this as calmly as you can, and find all the joy you can in these moments. Thank you for finding light and sharing your tough times! We can be here with you
Thank you so much. Those words mean a lot and give me a sense of calm to take it as it comes.
I stopped working in March 2025. The hardest thing for me is 'what is next' .... a lot of social groups for retirees are a demographic that involves people 10years or more older than myself. Non retiree groups such as "MeetUps" involve people who are a lot younger. I've worked full time, studied part time and travelled all of my life. What's next is my biggest dilemma.
I have had many different “careers” during my life, including a ski instructor and running my own business. I currently work in the public service in a job that I have loved. But I’m so ready to move on. I have never made work my identity and I am 100% sure I will when I quit this job I will be making a community and making friends and routines and a life similar to what I had when I was working, I will just have a much greater say over how I spend my time and with whom. I feel really lucky to be able to say that each job I have moved on from, it is because I squeezed alllllll the juice from it and now I am ready for the taste of something else.
The question around no longer feeling needed, relied upon, or wanted, is an interesting one.
I find it very sad when people make work their whole identity, yet I also got sucked into it in my 40s.
Highly recommend changing the 'work is my life' dynamic in the last few years of working life. Makes you realise that work is just one facet of a well rounded life and becomes much easier to walk away and embrace change without feeling like its all over.
Im on sabbatical after surgeries and family stuff. I don't miss the stress, the hustle and the long work days but I thought I'd miss being an important cog...and I don't.
I'm now venturing back to paid work (if there is any)but with a different view on what work will look like for me.
All of the above! Who am I without my identity as a forty year plus healthcare worker? I can call myself a Free Woman but how do I fill the hours? I dislike many of the traditional things retirees seem to enjoy, am still recovering from Burnout and often feel all I can achieve is getting out of bed!
An early January birthday (and turning 58)makes reflecting on this question even more poignant. The answer is no and am taking on more responsibility and a bigger team than I ever have. And looking forward to the challenge. But also know I don't want to sustain this new pace/way of working for years to come. It will be a long time before I stop working all together - I l love what I do.
To be honest, the fear that I'll not be able to meet ever rising costs. Therefore not being able to live to the standard I currently do, which is not over the top. But I've worked hard not to worry about having money to cover the bills and still take holidays every couple of years.