FIRED Today

[fisherman]

Today was my last day with MegaCorp! I have been planning for this day for years and in all haste for the last year so I feel good about the move overall but what a bunch of different emotions this change brings on. I am very happy to be finally free and to have the time to spend with family now but I guess it will take a few days to get use to the change and I really hate goodbyes.

I have several things lined up with family and friends to do for the next several months and I am sure that by then I will have no desire to ever go back to that place. Maybe it is the Stockholm syndrome that I am feeling!

Any suggestions on how to make the transition as easy as possible?

[Lusitan]

No suggestions (still a young working stiff here) - only congratulations!

[Purron]

Fisherman,

I just recently retired after working for about 35 years. My last day was this past Friday. It's great to be free but is a somewhat daunting experience too. My best advise is just give yourself time to adjust and resist the temptation to fill up your free hours too quickly. Take each day as it comes and enjoy what you have worked so long and hard for.

[Caroline]

If it's suggestions you want, well... you could come do my job for a day any time you get nostalgic... ;-D

Seriously, congratulations -- good for you! Check back in in a month and tell us how well you've adjusted to the change!

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fisherman I have several things lined up with family and friends to do for the next several months and I am sure that by then I will have no desire to ever go back to that place.

Just make plans for the above.

Congrats on retirement!

[Arc]

I'm jealous! Congratulatons and Enjoy!

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fisherman .................... Any suggestions on how to make the transition as easy as possible?

Congratulations, Fisherman. My suggestion is to really, really acknowledge that you are retired and you don't have to w*rk anymore. Period.

[DangerMouse]

Congratulations on your escape. I can't make an recommendations on how to handle the transition period, but all I can say is enjoy.

[Achiever51]

Congratulations! Welcome to the club...and remember that retirement is not a destination, but a journey for the rest of your life. Enjoy the ride!

[megacorp-firee]

Congrats and welcome to the club. Jump right in ... the waters fine.

[nicedream]

Congratulations! One question: Why make your last day of work fall on a Monday?

[bssc]

Congratulations. Good luck in the next phase of your life.

[SteveR]

Congratulations on your ER! It is a huge milestone but not the last one in your life.

Getting used to living a new life takes time. It has been almost 8 months for me and I still have not adjusted fully to not being a worker bee anymore. I know once we get out of the house to a new place and out of the city it will make a difference. I still feel I am on an extended vacation (without pay) and I will have to go back in a few weeks. The feeling is slowly fading but is still there.

Plan time with your family for sure but also plan some "alone" time for yourself to get your head around what you just did. Retiring from a career after 30+ years is a BIG deal and requires some psychological changes for your mind and body to adjust. Don't rush them.

Look at your initial early retirement time as one of adjustment and purging. Some folks find a rigorous work out schedule during the day helpful to help sweat out the w*rkplace toxins from Formica desktops and "Putty" Steelcase furniture. It takes time to heal up all those paper cuts and staple pricks (no, not the guys you worked with) and bad coffee, waxed cups, dirty coffee pots, w*rkplace chemicals, and mostly toxic stress caused by the j*b itself. You are sicker than you imagine so let your body purge and start breathing in the fresh clean air of retirement.

You made it! Welcome to the club....your special packet with the decoder ring and diagrams on the secret handshake should arrive in a few days.

[Khan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveR Congratulations on your ER! It is a huge milestone but not the last one in your life. Getting used to living a new life takes time. It has been almost 8 months for me and I still have not adjusted fully to not being a worker bee anymore. I know once we get out of the house to a new place and out of the city it will make a difference. I still feel I am on an extended vacation (without pay) and I will have to go back in a few weeks. The feeling is slowly fading but is still there. Plan time with your family for sure but also plan some "alone" time for yourself to get your head around what you just did. Retiring from a career after 30+ years is a BIG deal and requires some psychological changes for your mind and body to adjust. Don't rush them. Look at your initial early retirement time as one of adjustment and purging. Some folks find a rigorous work out schedule during the day helpful to help sweat out the w*rkplace toxins from Formica desktops and "Putty" Steelcase furniture. It takes time to heal up all those paper cuts and staple pricks (no, not the guys you worked with) and bad coffee, waxed cups, dirty coffee pots, w*rkplace chemicals, and mostly toxic stress caused by the j*b itself. You are sicker than you imagine so let your body purge and start breathing in the fresh clean air of retirement.

I hadn't thought of it just that way, but SteveR is absolutely right. For a while, I found myself sleeping 10 and 12 hours a night with strange dreams; and all sorts of emotions and memories bubbling up.

Let it happen; your mind/body is trying to find a new equilibrium. Even the good things require adjustment.

Tell your family to expect some mildly strange behavior; and DO allow yourself "alone" time.

Quote:

You made it! Welcome to the club....your special packet with the decoder ring and diagrams on the secret handshake should arrive in a few days.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khan I hadn't thought of it just that way, but SteveR is absolutely right. For a while, I found myself sleeping 10 and 12 hours a night with strange dreams; and all sorts of emotions and memories bubbling up. Let it happen; your mind/body is trying to find a new equilibrium. Even the good things require adjustment. Tell your family to expect some mildly strange behavior; and DO allow yourself "alone" time.

Yes, I agree that Steve's observations are excellent. Even though I am not yet retired, I can feel the physical and emotional stress building and wearing me down, day after day. Being exhausted, but not being able to sleep because of the need for more time to decompress, and then being even more exhausted the next day is an example of a toxic cycle for a working person like me. I noticed during my ten days off over Christmas (when I could sleep and awaken at will) that my sleep patterns were very much improved and I think that I will probably sleep a lot for the first couple of months after ER.

I try to do things to better my health, but it is pretty difficult during the working phase of life. I am so glad that I will be able to ER in 669 days, and I am really looking forward to working on improving my health for however long that takes, after ER.

CONGRATULATIONS to fisherman and Purron for taking this great step towards the rest of their lives! I will join you in about 669 more days.

[Rambler]

Congrats Fisherman...hope to join you soon, year and a half or so!

[tangomonster]

Congrats! You will love it, even if it does take you a while to fully adjust and appreciate it. Don't know what Santa brought you last month, but being FIREd is far better than anything else you received: the gifts of time and freedom!

[tightasadrum]

Way to go Fisherman. You just need to give it a little time to sink in I'll bet.

[StJohnsWood]

Congratulations. First time poster saying way to go. Hope you enjoy the sweet life. I wish it were me!!