Rachel
Dryer sheet aficionado
Sometimes all the best intentions and planning cannot totally prepare someone for what (early) retirement will feel like. I left work in December 2011, thinking I was "done". Interestingly, away from all the stress and lack of life-work balance, I was able to think clearly about what I wanted to do next for the first time in quite a while. Turns out that I was not done with work, just done with my first career. The pause has been incredibly rejuvenating. Getting to "play", be a better mother and daughter, and deepen friendships are the rewards. I am re-entering the work force with a sense of excitement, in a new field, just after the New Year. For those who have anxiety about leaving the cocoon of work, taking a baby step (sabbatical) might be an option worth considering.