This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.

Here, previous podcast guest Fritz Gilbert shares his insights from nine years into the retirement journey:

📌 Retirement Complexity: The intricacies of retirement extend beyond financial aspects; non-financial elements like identity and purpose can be even more complex

📌 Preparation Strategies: Effective planning before retirement can ease the transition, emphasizing the need for a balanced focus on both financial and non-financial elements

📌 Evolution of Retirement: Just as marriages evolve, so too does retirement, requiring adaptability and a willingness to embrace change

📌 Fulfillment in Retirement: A successful retirement can be the best phase of life, driven by curiosity, purpose, and strong relationships, rather than financial concerns

📌 Importance of Adaptability: Developing a positive mindset and creative thinking can help you navigate unexpected challenges and find new avenues for fulfillment

📌 Surprising Aspects of Retirement: Shedding past identities and spending money after years of frugality might be easier said than done, but an emphasis on mindset and focusing on helping others can help create a rewarding retirement