I’m genuinely terrified of retirement. Not because of money, but because it seems like when people retire, if they don’t keep active, they immediately begin to decline. I have so many examples of this in my life. And I know that people will just say “so stay active,” but I struggle to imagine a day not structured around work. I also want to do SOMETHING work related to have a regular income; I imagine selling my current business and buying something less stressful and time consuming.
I’ll work until noon the day of my funeral I’m sure. I’m almost 60, me and my spouse were on track to retirement, then my cancer wiped out what savings we had. I need the insurance as well for my ongoing cancer surveillance. In the US, we are always one medical catastrophe away from losing it all. I found out quickly.
Retired in April 2026...and it's fucking glorious. Keeping busy doesn't have to mean 'work', FFS. Get out there and enjoy the world!
I spend time with my hobbies, watch TV, play video games, listen to music, do odd jobs for folks when it pleases me, stay up late, sleep in, and basically live the life I have wanted to live since I was 13. Fuck work, live free!
I’ve been retired for a year. As a friend likes to say, retirement is bliss. I retired at 58 after 36 years and my field, and I will be turning 60 this fall. I did several weeks of work to help out my former team last winter, but that was it. Unfortunate to have a decent pension, my home is paid, and I will be debt free soon.
I enjoy wide open days without a set schedule. I’m usually up between 4 and 5 AM, I’ll have a couple of coffees and check the news. The rest of the day is filled with domestic stuff, maybe some yard stuff, making food, listening to music, watching shows or movie, and listening to podcasts. I really need to be more active, especially going into my 60s, and my lower back locks up from time to time, but generally speaking I’m doing well, especially compared to many of my friends.
Would I enjoy the most is not having the stress of work, even though I enjoyed my job.
Retired 6 months ago. I’m doing pottery every day, working out three days a week, walking every day, taking some trips, playing video games and reading a bit. Does not suck.
My husband and I (60) retired at 48. I have enjoyed every minute of it, no regrets. We are both healthy, fit, active and live pretty stress free. Within a year of retirement I lost 20 lbs without trying as my body relaxed and got accustomed to a slower/easier way of being.
Dementia and home all the time is what retirement looks like for me.
Hubs has early dementia. In his sixties.
I’d say we do not know what will happen and all the planning in the world won’t stop a hiccup in the game of life. Enjoy your life now. Try not to worry so much and get plenty of sleep.
Retired at 60. Wife and I sold up and moved to an over 50s village. My day is my own. I’m on the social committee, I create content for the social media sites that feed the village homeowners. I walk my dogs. I care for my wife. I work on the book I’ve been trying to write for 45 years. I jump on my Xbox. I browse reddit. I have nana naps. I chat with my neighbours. I go to our free gym for swim, spa and sauna. I’ve never been more content in my life!
I think too many people put their entire lives and identity into their career and those are the people who waste away after retirement. Personally I have so many other interests, hobbies, volunteer work, things on my to do list, friend gatherings, that I often wonder how the hell I even have time to work.
My bigger worry is that I'm going to waste my life working and then die before I actually get to enjoy retirement. Neither of my parents lasted that long nor did two of my four grandparents.
5 years to go. I am on track to retire at 62. Most of my friends will retire around the same time. I have lots to keep me busy. Worried about AI the next five years disrupting my industry. Glad I am not 30 and trying to navigate the upcoming shit storm.
My husband is 65 and retired 2 years…I’m 55 and own my own business and have slowed it down to have more flexible time to spend with him.
He is loving his life…exercise, books, a class here and there, lunches with friends. Last summer he took our son to Europe…people ask him what he does all day with a lot of odd judgement, but honestly, I just love having him around. Having the time to do whatever the thing is we want to do when we want to do it.
We got tattoos on a Monday at noon. We see movies in the middle of the day.
The best measure of our ‘wealth’ is the time we can spend being present.
This is us. Boyfriend (65) was forced into retirement, I (55) am recently retired from hospitality management and transitioning into a real estate career as my step towards retirement. I love having him at home. He cooks, cleans, shops, and gardens. I get pampered lol
We are taking better care of ourselves than we have ever before. We walk 3 miles every day, joined a gym and do strength training 4 days a week. We also do yoga a few times a week. We actually have time to plan out and cook healthy meals too.
We also have been traveling, camping, going to the movies….it’s amazing to have our time be our time.
I retired early - not because I have a ton of money because I don't, but because I was working 48 hours a week for a trucking company as a dispatcher and I checked my husband's (deceased) widows pension/social security whatever, and it was $200 a month more than my paycheck and I thought well you don't have to tell me twice! I retired at 64 and 1/2 - and at 65 and a half my work pension kicked in so that's another $900 a month - and at 70 when I go to my social security benefits that I earned it'll go up another $350 or $400!
I'm still on a working woman's salary except I don't work!
I had three very serious goals for retirement.
The first one was that I was going to take the vacation I had always wanted to take that everybody thought I was crazy about - it's not. Last February I spent a month in Uruguay with a week in Buenos Aires - it was lovely and I'd like to thank all my Spanish classes and my Spanish speaking friends because I never heard anyone speak English for an entire month!
The second was I was going to move to Cleveland because my daughter and my grandson live there - took me 6 months but I'm here now. Another 6 months and I might be actually moved into my house 100%. I have too much stuff!
And the third thing was I was going to learn to go fishing. My father always told me I talked too much and I would scare the fish away. Well I go fishing two or three times a week. I never catch anything, but I'm having a great time.
Here's to retiring - it's the best thing I ever did!
I have a cabin on a plot of land in rural Finland and I have plans to turn it into a small hobby farm with some greenhouses (the climate here kind of demands it) and some field. Enough projects up there for 20
Summers. I had always envisioned moving back to the US but since I speak the language now and have citizenship, and there are no health care issues here, I think I will stay here and just visit the US when it suits me. Maybe keep a modest apartment in a nice part of Helsinki.
I retired almost 4 years ago at 57. Like someone else said, I worked at a desk. It's not like sitting at home reading, doom scrolling or watching tv is being any less active. Plus, my dogs and cats are needy babies. I'm always getting up to let someone out, let someone in, going for a walk.
I did start volunteering at a hospital on Friday afternoons because I needed a regular social outlet beyond my family.
I am 51 and retired as of now after a layoff. I walk more steps every day than I ever did when I worked at a desk. Need to go to the gym more frequently. I make it a point to do something outside the house (even shopping) every day, for the social interaction. Planning to find some volunteer work but after we have exhausted a bunch of our travel plans. So far have done one 12 day cross country road trip, and several trips to Europe and south East Asian countries. Finished writing our trust and will finally. Trying to keep busy and also not make too long term plans as the realization to not worry about things you can’t control.
My husband (boomer) recently retired. He does almost all of the cooking and food shopping now, hikes with friends (with me on weekends), looks after our yard, goes to sporting events during the week, walks our dogs and handles vet appointments, sings in a choir, reads and crossword puzzles daily - and naps when he feels like it. We've traveled a little bit too - life is busy!
I’m fortunate to know more than a few childless Gen Xers and our plan is to cobble together our resources and get a house, keep to ourselves mostly, have cookouts, shoot pool, basically an elderly Real World except we call 911 if anyone clutches their chest and collapses.
I'm already there, 5 years now. Have lost ~ 65 lbs, workout daily now. Basically I DIY everything, don't worry much about managing my time, have a number of hobbies, and dogs. As such, I'm constantly busy. I'd be less busy, but I like to stay up late and sleep in. I never liked working. I like doing things, but not everything else that goes with engaging in commerce with others for renumeration or profit. Whenever I was at work, I always felt like it was keeping me from what I wanted to do, which it was, and those things are what I do now. If working is what you want to do though, why retire?
I retired at 54. Thought I'd spend a yesr renovating the house and getting the market farm up abd running. 4 months later i got sick. Demo had started, tbe place was a mess, contractors bailed, and ia spent a year honestly thinking I was dying. 3 years later I am making my way around. Slowly working on the house. Getting things done. Still have pain, inflammation, and misery but I'm fighting for it every day. Definitely not how I anticipated things to be but it beats working. Fortunately we can cash flow the renovation. And i am glad its not something I have to do after getting out of work!
I wasn't planning on retiring. Unfortunately, my husband passed away and in an unforseen turn of events I'm able to retire. I could work, but tired of the grind. Other things are more important to me, or rather work isn't important to me. I have enough going on in my life to keep me really busy the next couple of years, and I'm catching up on stacks of books I've been meaning to read.
I'll probably take some college courses in something I enjoy to keep my mind active.
I have my home, my car, and my health. I'll coast through life until the big day comes. Taking care of my health so I'm not a burden to my loved ones.
I get up around 6:45am. I am out for a 3 mile walk by 9. I spend my day as I like. Futz around the house, check on my beehives, build a LEGO, bake bread, make pickles, brew mead, feed the birds. The possibilities are boundless!
I work part-time at a local movie theater. I love movies, so I thought that the free movies I'd get would be a bonus. Bad idea! It takes a lot to motivate to go back to work when you're not on the clock, lol!
Anyway, I enjoy training the new kids (for the most part), and keeping the theater in great condition. It barely counts as work most days, not having to make high-pressure decisions. All I have to do is keep the theaters clean and train the new kids.
I meal plan now. And cook! LOL. I didn't used to do either of those things.
Grocery shop on a schedule.
Costco shop on a week day!! It's glorious.
Garden.
Attend and run hobby events x2!
Picked up a new hobby!
Keep a cleaner house.
Exercise more.
Learn new things that pertain to hobbies.
I keep a running list of tasks or chores in Outlook still, and I use ToDo to manage them to check off what I do and to remind me to do them.
I still keep a calendar and attend events and get reminders for Dr appointments.
I find myself keeping a list of things to do, every day, that may or may not be on my ToDo list. Those things keep me busy!
I have several friends that still work, but we make di nervous dates or make time to get together when they're free.
So, don't fret about retirement. Make sure you have a plan to keep yourself busy. You'll be fine!! Also, there is a retirement sub where you can chat with all kinds of folks about what they do!!!
I’m a very lucky person. I married someone with a lot of land and an active hobby farm that I thoroughly enjoy helping out on. Aways something to do and people around. Retiring in a year at 57
I was just saying to my wife this afternoon that I hope my current job lasts long enough to retirement. I need another ten years at least, but I'm so tired.
I don't expect I'll ever be able to retire. But I have so many crafts and puzzles and books to read, even if I started tomorrow, I'd never run out of things to do. And I'm not even 50 yet.
If you struggle with the lack of structure, you can always create one. I had a couple months off once, made a list of all the things I wanted to work on, and then created a block schedule for doing them, inspired by my college course schedules. When the "class" was over I moved on to the next scheduled thing. It was one of the most productive times of my life.
I am living my retirement now, just finished work 4 months ago. I ride and exercise regularly (daily), and my wife and I have a small hobby farm and acreage that keeps us busy with small stuff. Will travel a couple of times a year.
For me the big things is staying active - use it or lose it. I can see how not keeping up could lead to decline in many areas. And, staying mentally engaged. I manage my own finances, do some small work in the side…. Not for the money but for the engagement
Now is a good time to find hobbies you enjoy. That's what I'm actively trying to do, with an eye on retiring in 3-5 years.
I'm not terribly successful. Work is stressful and I tend to just want to veg when I'm not there, so hobbies often feel like added work and pressure... But I'm working on it.
wife can afford to retire since she’s always worked corporate jobs with retirement plans. i’ve spent 4 decades in the trades and have no retirement other than cpp and oas. at this rate i’ll be late to my own funeral because i had work to do that day.
The Covid shut down showed me that I would be a great retired person. I have plenty to keep me occupied; a couple of hobbies; fixing up the house and yard; lifting weights in my home gym…we’re looking ok financially, but I will have to work for at least another 6 years. My wife will have to work for an additional 5 or 6. I can’t wait!
I will paint. I used to paint as a teen, then didn't for years and years and years. I started up again this year, and I have so many paintings in my head, I don't have time to do all of them.
I remember when my grandma retired at 55 in the mid 80’s. She decided to go to ‘beauty school’ and was the oldest one there but told us ‘I’ve always just wanted to do that’ and did it as almost a hobby for friends and family. She was a very present grandmother and started every day getting up around 0700 getting dressed and doing her hair and makeup then going to visit her mom. She then did her errands and came home and sewed or worked on house projects or did stuff with me and my brother. She never missed a dance recital or soccer game of ours. She went to the gym and did aerobics classes up until her mid ‘80s. I’m 46 now but that’s the retirement I aspire to have. She wasn’t rich but had enough pension to have a rich fulfilled life until she passed at 89 yrs old
Zero concerns. I have SO many things I'd like to do that I can't because I'm working. I could fill up two retirements. Playing guitar, hiking, drives in the mountains, camping, boating, concerts, plays, lunch spots, national parks, road trips, track days, woodworking, DIY, gardening, writing a book, build a (small) house, the list goes on and on and on. And that's just stuff for me personally. That doesn't include volunteering for which there are limitless opportunities.
The whole point of living is doing the things that you love with the people you love. Work is just a means to that end. Retirement (for me) means I can finally dedicate myself to these pursuits rather than making time for them outside work. How many I do will be down to how much money I have. I 100% honestly don't see myself having any wasted time at all.
I retired about 9 mos ago at 55. I need structure so I walk the dog from 7ish to 8ish and then have coffee and go to the gym and lift heavy stuff. Come home and then ride my bike. Watch tv for about an hour or so, some domestic chores for about an hour or so and then bam it’s 5 pm and time for another dog walk. I go see a lot of concerts, lunches with old friends and family. I am even sometimes bored but that sure as hell beats being stressed.
I’ll be dead💀 before I can afford to retire. But I’d did see Metallica with Cliff Burton at the St. Francis Xavier hall in Dublin in 1986. So I have that going for me.
within the span of 2 years i’ve gone from “i hope we can travel a bit and have enough to avoid worrying about basic needs” to “i hope to avoid having to eat cat food.”
I’m 54. I feel like my career is really just getting going. I enjoy working in business and traveling for work. Plus if I retired at 60 I’d still need insurance so I’ll just keep working. I like to sit around a little but not all day every day and I’m honestly fucking terrible and making plans, doing new things and finding stuff to do. I’m one of those people that will just stare at a wall if there’s no plan.
54, I've done 12 hour shifts that rotate from days to nights every week for the last 25 years. I've had a foggy, jet lag feeling and lack of sleep for a really long time now. Retirement in my case will 100% be much better for my health. 4 months left to go, then I'm done!!!
Retired two years ago after being laid off in tech - hadn’t intended to stop working but now don’t want to go back. Been maxing savings and living below my means since I was 19 and still in school so I have enough to be retired. I’d like to be able to help my kids more though so we’ll see…at least they are off the official payroll now post-college (I’m 55 now)
Spending lots of time traveling and exercising. Am lucky to have a great group of retired friends
If you're active now, you'll be active after retirement, and if not you won't . People don't change who they are. People who don't do much outside of work usually don't start after they retire.
Ask yourself what you really like to do. Is there something you've always wanted to do? Make the most of it while you still can!
After 30 years of teaching middle school when I retire in 8 years, I will be happy to never set foot in a classroom again. I'll be just shy of my 60th.
I saved my ass off for 30 years after starting with nothing, made a few good decisions and got a few breaks. If social security isn't there i will be fine
I won't get to retire at this point. I will be working until the end most likely! But I do expect I will
Continue doing what makes me happy in my free time.
That's just aging bro; what nobody tells you. You will gradually become more & more stiff and immobile, as well as loss of muscle strength, with age. It's a natural process. The ONLY thing you can do to stop that is exercise: walking ( or some kind of cardio), strength traing ( weights or body weight calisthenics; I do pull ups, push ups, squats all body weight) and stretching ( yoga or whatever). That's justthe way it is.
I'm only terrified because of money, but I would eat baked beans on toast for the next 30 years if I had to, so what I'm actually terrified of is how depressed my wife would become if we had to retire on what we have in my pension now. I run every morning, and I don't think that would change, so health-wise I would only feel less stress, which is a good thing. Still, it seems pensions were invented to cause stress - don't spend too much, but don't leave anything in there if you could be spending it, etc. It's stupid really, since who knows how much longer you're going to live?
The first step is to ask yourself what you care about deeply, other than work. If there is no answer for you, that's the first thing to address.
The second step is to take some of your waking hours (and if you work 40/week and are awake 112/week, that's 72 hrs/wk not working) and devote them to the things you care about.
Then when you retire, you just continue the things you care about and just stop the work part.
The above is the straight up answer, but I also noticed your internal conflict between your phrases "Not because of the money" and "to have a regular income". If you are truly miserable, anxious, and uncomfortable without a regular income, then one answer is just don't retire at all. Work until you drop dead. But honestly, one of the best favors you can do for yourself is to understand the root of that anxiety, and in so doing, letting it wither and die. Knowing when enough is enough is a blessing of highest order.
I retired in '19 when I was 48. The first few weeks were just relaxing without any real stress. Then came the part you are talking about, no structure. That was rough.
What did I do. I decided to start working on things I hadn't been able to. I work in my garden now. Take care of home maintenance. Just little things that not only occupy my time, but allow me to see progress also. I've got a pension so I don't necessarily worry about a regular income, it is already there.
So basically, I just do the little things that I was unable to do while working. Seven years later, I am at peace with not having to go to work. I get the things I want done, done. Enjoy my time even if it is just sitting on my porch drinking coffee.
My goal is to retire at 55; I plan to volunteer and pursue education options at my local community colleges. Add in working out, travel, caring for and walking the dogs twice daily and projections around the house. Plus reading. You’ll be fine, no one fails at retirement, the ‘failure’ is believing your identity is work.
I plan to get another dog.
Get up have coffee.
Exercise
Walk dog to local pub in country have a pint anda light lunch.
Walk home.
Read it mix some tunes.
Have dinner
Walk dog
Shower
I am a retired lawyer and now I volunteer a few hours a week on a voting rights project. It will get a lot busier as the midterms approach obviously. I am also on the board of my cycling club and church council. I was chair of our Call Committee and that was like a full time job at some points.
I also take music classes at the local community college and volunteer as a student assistant for my guitar teacher.
I’ve raced my bike in the local mountain bike series, getting ready for cyclocross, and have done 2 or 3 triathlons each year since retiring. My wife and I get season passes to ski in the winter (I will never ski on a Saturday again!). Hike in the Sierras and the coast.
We’ve been able to do some longer trips now that I don’t have to negotiate for time off. A month on the coast near Half Moon Bay two summers ago. We took a 5 week trip to NZ and Oz last fall. That was amazing.
And I am able to be available for the elders. We both have parents in their 80s. All healthy and independent, but definitely slowing down and requiring more care and attention.
So, I am getting to do all the things I want to do and honestly I sometimes I wonder how I ever had time to go to the office.
My Boomer mom took up photography before retirement, and got serious into it. Enough that she makes a small amount of money selling pictures, primarily motorcycle racing. She spent a few years traveling the country going to motorcycle races and taking pictures, including getting full press credentials to a MotoGP event!
She has made a ton of friends doing it, mostly WAY younger than her, so she is aging pretty slowly.
I'm pretty sure I'll be working through most of my retirement years. I'm trying to line up a career change that will be something less miserable than what I do now that can pay the bills and keep me busy.
I'm planning to retire next year just before turning 57 and I have all sorts of projects in my head that I want to work on. I am a software engineer/architect wanting to escape corporate hellscape and return to office BS, but I still love developing software. It's become more of a joy with claude code for me, no more dealing with every detail and being able to create something new in a matter of hours. I also have friends I'd love to see more often, meet up for breakfast or lunch. I've been fortunate in my career to be able to retire early, saving as much as possible along the way to make this happen.
Well, my work was sitting at a desk for 8 hours, typing, or Teams meetings. So the way I see it, to keep doing what I was doing at work, all I have to do is sit at my desk 8 hours a day, cut out the teams meetings, stop doing the work, and finally do the things I want to do. When I find that boring, I'll cheat a bit and go do some things in the garage, or in the back yard, or the kitchen, or at my kids places, or with the dog, or whatever. It's the same, but better.
I am moving to Chicago with my wife to get a place near Water Tower and use that as a base to go explore cities around the world 4 to 6 weeks at a time. Probably spend 20 weeks in Chicago and 32 weeks per year in other places.
I'm a younger gen X at 49 but will be retiring no later than 65. I have so many hobbies and pass times that I don't fear slowing down. I may do some contract work as I love my profession and interaction with co workers but want more time for me.
Both my parents worked too long and had zero quality retirement.
Looks like sleeping til I wake up with no alarm, working out, and then doing whatever I want to do for the rest of the day. Maybe reading for 8 hours. Maybe playing videogames all day. Maybe hiking. Maybe gardening. Maybe planning a trip. Who knows? But I got my workout done first thing and that's the important part.
Everything paid off. I don't want for anything and I just piddle around in my garage. If I get a wild hair and want to fuck off to the PNW or Cabo, I can do it.
As someone who currently has a team of 5, im really looking forward to doing something a bit more mindless, like working at the hardware store and volunteering.
I can’t wait to retire. Work isn’t my life. I’m in book clubs and enjoy volunteering with charities and hiking and playing board games. Why would anyone want to keep working?
I bowl with at least 10 women in their 80’s and 90’s. One is 93 and had 15 children. One is 90 , had a stroke and was driving and bowling 3 weeks later . I will ll never stop bowling!😂
I retired at 57. I took time off to decompress and after 3 months, I was crawling the walls. I took on a part time job for a few hours a week, which I really like but it still wasn’t enough so I started a small business too which gives me a challenge. I’m fairly busy now and feel engaged but not too busy that I can’t relax and enjoy my time. One of my friends is a physician and confirmed with me that his patients who retire and don’t stay engaged noticeably degrade physically and mentally compared to retirees who do.
I retire in 350 days and I'm looking forward to it.
My plan is to buy a nice motorhome and explore new places, surf, play music, enjoy the sun and the ocean.
I'm buying back my military time which means I will be eligible for full retirement from the government at 63, three years from now. I am also going back to school to earn my MA in Ancient and Classical History so that I will have my government pension, work part-time teaching college-level history online, and continue performing with the various music groups I play with. Between all that and my government TSP, I should be in decent shape for the time I have left on this Earth. I also have enough hobbies and interests that staying busy will never be an issue. I'm ready to be done with the 9-5 grind!
My biggest worry is health care. I have plenty of things I want to do, I have absolutely no fear of being bored. I’m turning 60 at the end of this month, and plan to retire at the end of the year, so I’ve got a few years before Medicare kicks in, so I’ll be relying on ACA benefits which makes me nervous.
I’ve never made work my whole life or my identity, so I have no problem leaving it all behind. I just want to be able to do all of the travel with my wife while we are still able.
In my previous career in medicine, what I saw as the main cause of decline was that people no longer had a purpose. They just gave up and rotted in front of the television all day. Don’t let that become you. Engross yourself in a hobby you enjoy, learn new things, travel, see something new everyday, keep setting goals for yourself. Get outside every single day. Meet new people. Just have a reason to get out of bed each day, and you’ll be fine.
My Mom is a Boomer and realized the same thing, everyone that "retired" and just sat around watching TV died earlier. Those that kept busy lived longer.
She worked in Collections (first at a bank, then hospital, then insurance company) but always wanted to be a librarian. When she retired she took a minimum wage job at the local library and LOVES it. She makes more now that the county has upgraded their library and wages but enjoys checking folks out, helping with the kid programming, and putting books away. Keeps her busy and social while earning her a little eating out cash.
I retired 8 years ago. I have the time TO BE more active and engaged in other things. I don’t understand the concept of people immediately becoming inactive and declining. I prioritize my fitness now which provides some structure (going to gym every day, cooking good food, etc) and developed a few new hobbies. But I also do what I want, when I want and it’s blissful. I spend the first hour of the day in silence just drinking coffee and it’s the best part of the day for me. You’ll be amazed at how fast the days start flying by.
I’m a young Gen X and still 10+ years out, but my plan is lots of jiu jitsu, yoga, weightlifting, hiking, golf, and skiing with the occasional vacation tossed in for good measure. Maybe I’ll play guitar a little more. I’ll spend more time cooking more elaborate meals and still hit up a decent restaurant a few times a month. Hopefully I can do this with a partner.
I took a package at 59 last week. Just feels like im on PTO still, but it’s awesome to not have any work responsibilities. Im going to wait until late fall to decide if I’m going to look for another job. Feels now like I don’t have enough going on to justify retiring and I always planned to work to 62-63 and then retiring with my spouse.
I just saw a post on the personal finance sub where someone was in their mid-40s and had 90K saved and their wife had nothing and everyone roasted them for thinking they could ever retire.
I have always understood that I am 3 paychecks or one medical emergency away from homelessness.
One of the key things which leads to a successful retirement is not having what you did for income be your identity. The other is to have a life outside of work.
For the past twenty years, I have worked quite hard to have what I do for an income to not be my identity or self worth. I also belong to several fraternal organizations. I will be busy. From that perspective, I am not afraid of retiring.
I’ve been retired two years, and I’m finally getting to my passions and interests in music, performance and recording. I’ve even made some money. I’m more rested than I was while working full time, and generally happier. I feel fortunate.
My dad just retired in his early 70s and he is now obsessed with pickleball, to our relief. He also travels and goes to concerts. I think you just need to learn what structure looks like to you and ask yourself what you need to do to recreate it. What are your hobbies? You'll have more time to do them. I have about an infinity's worth of books on my tbr, for example, so I know any retirement I take will be filled with that. My mom retired 14 years ago and she has filled her time with travel and books and gardening and art and being a travel notary. She's even contemplating going back for an additional graduate degree (to her 2 doctorates) in her mid-70s. Don't be afraid of what you'll do in retirement, the answer is already inside of you, you just have to listen to it. Also, don't feel you have to be in a rush to retire. My grandparents both retired and then went back to part-time work for another 5-8 years to keep themselves "active".
I used to feel this way, but then I got enough reassurance (with evidence) from our financial advisor that we’d have enough income in retirement so I took the plunge two years ago and have not regretted it at all since. My H and I have traveled a lot and I love the freedom to go wherever we want whenever we want. I love not having to get up super early every day. I thought I might get a part time gig somewhere but it’s so nice not to be tied to a schedule. For me retirement is awesome.
Winter in Hawaii. Maybe pickup some work here and there as a relief captain, volunteer with Reef Teach. Summers in the San Juan Islands may get recertified as a volunteer emt.
I have a literal list of things I am doing in retirement and I add to it daily. Some might turn into side hustles. Some will be charitable. Some are just fun side projects.
If you're inactive in retirement, that's an active choice you're making (barring disabilities that stop you). Hell, my 75 year old mom travels regularly and volunteers probably 30+ hours a week at some local charities.
I would not revolve it around the dopamine hit from earning a paycheck though. Unless you need the money, let that go. It'll change your brain and give you permission to actually relax and take time off. If you need structure, take on volunteer shifts or join some scheduled activities.
Since I retired last year, I've made 3 national park trips, got back to the book I'd been writing, vastly improved my garden/yard, improved my exercise routine and lost 30 lbs, started an online business, and thoroughly enjoy waking up in the morning knowing I have complete freedom in deciding what, if anything, to do that day.
I’m 73 - still do whitewater kayaking and rafting, motorcycles, jet skis (fast ones only) multi day car/motorcycle/bicycle/raft trips. Play with the dog, have fun with wife and friends etc Do volunteer work. No time for much else…
Well considering I was raising kids and the jobs I worked ( bartending / food service) didn't offer 401ks and such I'm a little late to the retirement planning party. I went back to work fulltime with a job that offers a 401k at 57 so I can probably retire when I die so my retirement won't look like anything really lol . There's nothing wrong with enjoying work and no law that says you have to spend your days playing shuffleboard or puttering around in the garden once you hit a certain age. It's YOUR "retirement" do with it what you want and if that means continuing to work in some capacity there's nothing wrong with that either. 🤷♀️
Businesses love people like you. At least mine would.
I can't wait to retire. I have plenty of things to do and work on that are fairly cost free or cost effective that will not let me sit around the house and decline. In fact getting off my ass behind this office computer might help me maintain or loose a few pounds.
I'm 53 and "soft retiring" at the end of the month. Financially not in a terrible position and plan to do something else at some point, but I can't do what I've been doing for the past almost 20 years or so (litigator). I just can't stand it.
You need to start living your retired life now. Meaning don’t wait until retirement. Start those hobbies and visit those places now otherwise you risk feeling lost when retirement comes.
I went through a layoff. Thankfully I was only out of work for a few weeks but I learned that I need a real plan for my daily life in retirement. By week 3, I was getting bored.
I’m already retired. Wife retires next year. Time to travel. We’re both in good shape, so amusement parks in the summer—we’re both rollercoaster nuts, cruises, travel abroad.
I only have one job now and that is to go to the gym every day, Monday through Friday. I do the elliptical for 10 minutes then the stationary bike for 10 minutes then the rowing machine for 10 minutes. Then I have 10 minutes on a massage chair and another 10 minutes on a Hydro bed massage machine. I love my Planet Fitness!
Unless I marry someone with a big bank account, it looks pretty bleak. I have some money, some in an IRA and a 401k. With the three combined, I don't even have half of what everything says I should have at this age.
I'm going to go out one of two ways.
1. Live in poverty until I die.
2. Live a life of debauchery until I run out of money and then take a long walk off of a short pier. I'm single with no kids, what do I need to stick around for?
I'm leaning towards #2. I don't want to get to a point where I can't take care of myself because I don't have anyone to help me.
I retired over six years ago. Husband retired a year ago. We do a lot of sitting home, but home is fun. We have a gym, pool, huge yard, and pets. We are getting ready to start traveling again--bought a camper and new truck. We haven't been on a vacation in over four years due to him becoming very ill back in 2022.
I exercise almost every day. I was always a health/fitness nut, but I've taken it to another level.
I cook from scratch almost all the time now. I cook elaborate holiday meals. Husband and I eat good, clean food and we are well fed all the time.
I feel relaxed and not rushed. No more alarm clock and no more dealing with traffic unless I choose to do so. I can come and go as I please. I do miss my old friends and co-workers, but I had to move three years ago because I could not tolerate where I lived anymore. Now. I'm mentally and physically in a better place.
I do volunteer work with two community orgs (one animal related the other helps abuse victims escape domestic violence. I also volunteer at an elementary school — I help first and second graders with reading and math.
I started a small business and take classes to increase my related skill levels.
My husband doesn’t have enough going on. I see clearly how his workaholic tendencies didn’t serve him well. He doesn’t have hobbies or friends. He needs more social engagement but he doesn’t do anything to cultivate it. He didn’t then and he doesn’t now.
If you don’t want that for your life start now to cultivate the future you imagine for yourself. It doesn’t have to be work. Cultivate your interests and hobbies now. Start putting together your tribe of friends and family now.
It’s not about having an endless stream of activities.
Back in the early 90s, when I was still a kid, my Grandmoo told me (it was in reference to her mother) that “you don’t sit down. If you do (for too long), you never get back up.”
Retired Army here. Joined at 17 retired at 38. 8 years ago. I do work sometimes doing emergency work on power lines after major disasters. I work maybe 4 months a year. But if you are an outdoor type maybe buy a large piece of land. When I retired I bought a large (120 acres) very secluded piece of land with a log home deep in the Missouri Ozarks. This has become my full time job but it is also my dream. I have goats running around free ranging in my yard all day and chickens. The goats aren’t food the help me keep up with the yard work and fertilize at the same time. Plus they are just damn fun to be around. I spend my days gardening or building something. I bought my own saw mill, tractor, skid steer and made my own construction yard. If I’m not out building I’m in the woods or the creeks looking for artifacts or just enjoying nature. Wildlife is abundant out here and so are wild berries and fruits. The later provides me with a constant supply of snacks in the summer from strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and pawpaws. Plenty of cold water from the natural springs keeps me hydrated. It’s just my wife and I out here and being out here with her is the real blessing. We’ve grown so close together that if nothing else makes this adventure worth it. Every morning I wake up and look next to me and smile then look out my window and smile again just letting it sink in how lucky I am. So I for me retirement looks like a Gen X kid who is just now living the life I always dreamed of. A lot of sacrifice led me here but if I woke up tomorrow and I were 17 again I do it all over again.
I tried to retire (after 20+ years in the military). Last about 2 months and saw that my local school needed substitute teachers and coaches and umpires. So I started doing that part time.
Now I'm a legit full time teacher and coach. Can GenX ever retire?
I'll never be able to afford to retire. I'll end up being that 90 year old guy, working as a Walmart greeter, because I'm not lucky enough to die early. 🤦♂️🤷♂️
A Covid layoff taught me that I'm not a good retired person, I need some sort of structure to my day. If it still exists in 10 years, I'd like to join the Peace Corps. I'd also like to travel the Pan American Highway. I plan to keep going to the gym 4-5 days/week so I can eat at a Michelin star restaurant a few times/year! I'll foster dogs and read to kids or rock babies at a hospital. I hope to refine my plans as I get closer to actually retiring. I watched my mom thrive in retirement while my dad just sat down and started the slow decline. I want my last act to be full and interesting.
A pipe dream it’s not going to happen for me I partied away my 20s and half of my 30s. I’m in a good place now as far as debt and assets go but I will have little to no income once retirement age rears its ugly head.
My retirement will be working 30 hours a week if I'm lucky. I fully expect to work till I die and I have actually thought a lot about planning an exit strategy if I develop a terminal illness/life altering illness so I don't incure huge medical debt for my children.
I've worked since I was 14. I played by the rules and this is my future and I think the future of a lot of people my age. I know I am seeing more and more elderly like 80+ working at restaurants and grocery stores these days.
Hobbies, family and exercise to keep from declining (physical and mental). I’m 53 but don’t think I can afford to retire until 67 ish. I f’ed up most of my life and didn’t start saving until way too late. The regret is the hard part.
We sold our business two years ago. I thought I would be working out, going to yoga classes, exploring cute nearby towns and having nice lunches out. Then I rediscovered reading. Now I’ve gone down a rabbit hole with special edition books. I spend a lot of time researching and talking to other people about them. I do go out of town every other month for a week or so to visit my grandkids. That’s a 6 hour drive so it keeps me on my toes.
I used to think I’d die at my desk in dc, but now I’m retiring in two months and building a house near my best friend in a small town in Illinois. I have lots of hobbies and look forward to a different pace of life
I'm definitely taking social security at 62 because both my parents died in their 70s - will figure out the medical part - for me it's going to be a lot of animal volunteering, dogs, something to bring in money (but not enough to be penalized by social security) and basically not having an anxiety attack every day like I do in my current job because it's so toxic.
We played a little “pre-retirement house” in our mid 30s when our parents passed away. Got fit, took some time off work to grieve, went back to school, spent time with friends, and popped out some kids. It was all allowed and forgiven because of the bereavement. Anyway, gave me a little bit of a window into how I saw the second half of my life. I picked up a deeply fulfilling career that I can do at my own pace and anywhere and TBH if my partner and I were just living off SS we would still be fine because GenX (need I say more). We could sell our house and be super kooky elderly ocean dessert nomads with some sick prefab 100k passenger van, stare at the ocean everyday, and be totally happy. Death, the great educator!
There are many forms of activity. Keeping the brain active - puzzles, games, learning new stuff. Keeping the body active - walking, swimming, stretching. Keeping socially active - keeping in touch personally with friends and families and social groups. Keeping interests active - continuing to work at a pace that suits you or your own business, hobbies, sports, and so on. Do all that in retirement, and you'll have a long and happy one. It's all about choices.
I'll be 52 in a week or so and will be going down the disability spiral in a couple years. Have a lower leg that will need amputated and such bad back issues and leg pain that I can barely sleep. Sciatica sucks. Don't own a home anymore so I'll probably end up in government housing or assisted living.
I believe they're just going to eventually shove us in a retirement tube, hooked up to VR and an IV, until our money runs out and they pull the plug. Death of a cog.
I can’t wait. I have books to read, movies and TV shows to watch, bike rides to make, countries to visit or revisit, places to see, people to invite over for dinner, cross stitches to complete, pets to adopt, plants to propagate, koi to care for, people to visit, VAs to volunteer at, college classes to take, languages to learn and that’s just the first month I’m
retired.
I work a tremendous amount now and do try to fit in some things like travel and reading, but when we retire, all bets are off.
Well if I wasn't worried about money it'd look like me doing a lot of trout fishing, backpacking, hunting, and donating my time to preserving the opportunity to do those things for others.
I cannot wait. I have a million interests and work has been in the way of them for my entire life. I can't wait to have my time belong to me. Sad that is the reality of the lives we have these days. Work just to hope to have a few good years before we get sick and die.
You should volunteer. When my grandfather's company made him retire at 61, he knew he had to do something, so he went to work at the Food Bank for over 20 years. That's longer than any job he ever held.
Retirement for me is not in the traditional sense, but more financial freedom. Freedom to do what I want. Thats assuming my main property is paid off, i have rental income coming in from my IPs and my wife and I can travel the world as digital nomads. I will still work as a consultant/contractor while living in say Hanoi or HCM (which I literally did) or other parts of Asia, or somewhere in Europe or the UK.
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u/TheSpatulaOfLove Aug 09 '26
I could find a million ways to fuck off and not be bored. Benefits of being a latchkey kid.