Life After Retirement

For nearly 20 years, I was the queen. Not literally – but close enough. I directed a small but mighty research center at a university, with an annual operating budget of a million dollars. I raised funds, set the vision, networked, hired, mentored…

Don’t break out your disco boots, I am talking about your 70s, not the 70s. Whether you believe that 70 is the new 50, or it’s just 70, it can be a celebration with a positive attitude and plans. It’s not about what happens to you…

My best friend was forced into an early retirement. While she was within a year of wanting to retire anyway, it came as a bit of a shock when her job position was eliminated, and she was faced with trying to occupy the hours in the day…

Many women reach their 60s believing life will finally slow down. The children are grown. Careers may be winding down. There is an expectation that this stage of life will feel lighter, calmer, and more spacious. For many women, the opposite happens…

Most people think of retirement as a financial milestone. You stop working. Your income changes. Your savings become more important. And while all of that is true, it’s only part of the story. What often catches people off guard is that retirement is not just a shift in how money works…

When I was newly retired several years ago, I created a website for those rookies in my cohort, so they could benefit from my experiences transitioning to a new stage of life. On that website, I included a definition of retirement, which felt quite tongue and cheek at the time: “to withdraw to a place of safety and seclusion.”

This morning, a small wave of fear caught me off guard. I’m more than six months into retirement, and I’m enjoying it. I love slow mornings. I love not having meetings. I love the lack of daily pressure. And yet, out of nowhere, I found myself thinking: What if this changes?

I’ll soon turn 79. That means I’m not “approaching” 80 – I’m entering my 80th year. And I’m doing so with energy, clarity, and a sense of forward momentum – not diminishing. For many women, birthdays ending in zero can feel sobering…

By the time many women seriously consider retirement, the financial question is usually already answered. They’ve run the numbers. Met with advisors. Checked the spreadsheets…

You’ve been working for decades with this goal in mind – retirement. It’s supposed to be the finish line. The reward for all the early mornings, late nights, deadlines, juggling work and family, etc. And you’re finally here. You should be thrilled, right? Friends tell you how lucky you are…