Begin By Quitting
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.
Weekend Reading
Whether you’re already retired or preparing to retire, chances are, you have experienced one, several, or all of what previous podcast guest Dr. Riley Moynes refers to as the non-financial “four phases of retirement.”
READ THE ARTICLEThey are followed by author Sundar Mohan Rao’s two final stages here:
📌 Stage 1 – Honeymoon: New retirees enjoy freedom and travel but may find this period disrupted by health issues or caregiving responsibilities
📌 Stage 2 – Loss of Identity: Many retirees struggle with the loss of routine, social connections, and professional identity, sometimes facing depression and health issues
📌 Stage 3 – Trial and Error: Retirees search for new ways to find meaning, experimenting with hobbies and new social networks
📌 Stage 4 – Reinvention: Retirees reach a phase of personal fulfillment by pursuing purposeful activities, like volunteering or creative projects
📌 Stage 5 – Routine: As energy levels decline, a simpler daily routine becomes the focus, with emphasis on health, relationships, and planning for future needs
📌 Stage 6 – End of Active Life: This inevitable phase involves a decline in independence, where help is required for daily activities
Key takeaways: Your retirement can involve unexpected challenges, but it can also bring a renewed sense of purpose and fulfillment. To find satisfaction and meaning at every stage, it’s vital to plan for the non-financial aspects too.