So I've been sort of retired now for 6 years. I say "sort of" because the truth of the matter is that I never truly totally retired.
6 years ago when I hit 51, I "retired in practice". I'm a dentist, and when my youngest went off to college I cut my hours back in my practice to 3 or 3.5 days a week and began to take frequent vacations. But I found that owning the practice while not actually being there full-time became burdensome, so I ended up selling the practice 3 years later at 54.
When I sold the practice I continued to help the new owner out for 2 days a week which quickly became 1.5 days a week, then 1 day a week. By the time I left the practice nearly 2 year later I was only going in a half day a week.
Knowing that I would be leaving my old office, I had ramped up my volunteering at a local charity clinic, providing care for the underprivileged. This went on for several months until COVID hit.
I then spent a few months hunkering down and doing nothing (like most of the rest of the world), and honestly, I can't say that I really enjoyed it. Then out of the blue a friend of mine called me and asked if I would be willing to help him in his struggling practice. I told him I would be willing to give him 1.5 days a week but would not want to work hard. He said "yes". So since June I have been helping him out.
But now I'm starting to wonder why I continue to press on. Part of it is because I enjoy being able to make an impact on this world as a dentist. In addition to the part time job, I still help out the charity clinic, and for many years I have been going on a few mission trips a year to serve in Central America and the Caribbean.
But part of my continuing on may be the fear that I won't know what to do with myself if I am not doing dentistry in some way anymore, that my life will become filled with boredom and my brain will turn to mush.
Anyways I'm looking for some insight from those who have successfully moved into retirement.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
6 years ago when I hit 51, I "retired in practice". I'm a dentist, and when my youngest went off to college I cut my hours back in my practice to 3 or 3.5 days a week and began to take frequent vacations. But I found that owning the practice while not actually being there full-time became burdensome, so I ended up selling the practice 3 years later at 54.
When I sold the practice I continued to help the new owner out for 2 days a week which quickly became 1.5 days a week, then 1 day a week. By the time I left the practice nearly 2 year later I was only going in a half day a week.
Knowing that I would be leaving my old office, I had ramped up my volunteering at a local charity clinic, providing care for the underprivileged. This went on for several months until COVID hit.
I then spent a few months hunkering down and doing nothing (like most of the rest of the world), and honestly, I can't say that I really enjoyed it. Then out of the blue a friend of mine called me and asked if I would be willing to help him in his struggling practice. I told him I would be willing to give him 1.5 days a week but would not want to work hard. He said "yes". So since June I have been helping him out.
But now I'm starting to wonder why I continue to press on. Part of it is because I enjoy being able to make an impact on this world as a dentist. In addition to the part time job, I still help out the charity clinic, and for many years I have been going on a few mission trips a year to serve in Central America and the Caribbean.
But part of my continuing on may be the fear that I won't know what to do with myself if I am not doing dentistry in some way anymore, that my life will become filled with boredom and my brain will turn to mush.
Anyways I'm looking for some insight from those who have successfully moved into retirement.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
) but not drudgery like being an employee.
. No one else's matters anymore.
