I retired at 60 three years ago. I love it. I do still do some side gigs, maybe a day or two a week, for fun. I don't need more money either, but they add to my life. You might consider that, I also do a lot of volunteer work. Congrats!
I gave my notice today. 60 days. I've had a lot of back-and-forth changes of mind about pulling the plug over the past few years, but last Friday, it became very clear to me that it was time to go.
I have 7 or 8 pages of reasons why, and I won't burden you with all of them. Here are some of the main ones:
- I have more than enough money to retire completely.
- I told myself a long time ago that I would continue to work as long as I still enjoyed it. I'm not enjoying it.
- I am being drawn spiritually or emotionally in one direction, and work is pulling me in another, almost the opposite. Work is an impediment to where my heart wants to go.
- Intellectually, socially, physically, and spiritually, it's the right decision.
- The universe has conspired in several different ways to give me a clear message: It is time to go. People say that you'll know when it's time, and I feel that now; I know it's time.
- I'm not happy with the direction my company is moving in. Morale is sinking, people are leaving, and work load is increasing.
- Work lately has felt like a real drain, no fun at all. Tiring.
- My best friend, a dog, died last week. Her death, along with the changes that followed, was a catalyst for this decision. In ways I can't explain here, it would feel like a betrayal of her if I did not stop working.
- I'm coming up on 58. I don't know how long I will live. Time > $.
- There are a lot of things I'd like to do that continuing to work makes more difficult.
I gave my boss an official resignation letter and told most of my main colleagues. I'm a little sad, because I like many of the people I work with, and I'm a little anxious about cutting free of work completely. But mostly I feel right about the decision and relieved that I've announced it. My boss asked me if there was anything he could do to get me to stay, and I basically said no. The things I'm unhappy about aren't within his control, and I didn't want to complain about the workplace anyhow; I don't want to end on a sour note.
So that's it. After years of compiling pro/con lists and changing my mind a dozen times, I've finally pulled the cord. My time at work is coming to an end.
Sorry about your fur friend. I lost my second of 2 Shelties in 2017. Still mourn him and them every day a bit.
Congratulations on your decision! At this point you have about 52 days left. I'm still a working drone but eyeing ER Feb 2021 so a tad bit jealous lol.
So sorry about your pup. My dog is my best friend, too, and it will be difficult when he goes. And I agree that an immediate replacement is not the thing to do.
I've seen some posts about Memphis and also cities in eastern Tennessee. I lived in Memphis from 2006 - 2011. I moved to it hoping that it could be an up and coming future Atlanta or Charlotte, but nope...that city has too much baggage on many issues, and the opposing views can't seem to come together. The day I left was a great day for me.
Eastern Tennessee is absolutely gorgeous. And you'll be close to Atlanta for a large city fix, and also close to Asheville, NC for an occasional change of scenery.
Enjoy your new direction and path!
Well thought out and rationalized. I applaud you for getting to that point. Took me two years longer along with a surgery due to old sports injuries to convince me to do the same.
I retired at 60 three years ago. I love it. I do still do some side gigs, maybe a day or two a week, for fun. I don't need more money either, but they add to my life. You might consider that, I also do a lot of volunteer work. Congrats!
Take it from someone 10 months in, it doesn’t take long to adjust.
Congratulations! I retired at 58 and my only regret is not doing it sooner. I really thought I'd miss something about work but I miss nothing. Freedom to choose how to live my day means everything.
Congratulations.
Let's hear from you in the next phase....where you were called.....
Congrats... I echo your thoughts, but for me above everything else... it was the dog.
Wife and kids are a bonus... but they know where they stand
Ah, well said.
That might get a little too woo-woo for this forum, but I'll try.
lol.
Speaking of that, I read this yesterday. It's by a veterinarian, Karen Stange, in The Spiritual Nature of Animals:
"Although most scientists deny there is any evidence that animals feel love, there is a test to determine who loves you more -- your dog or your spouse. Lock each one in the trunk of a car for an hour and find out which one is happy to see you when you let them out."
Thanks, ivinsfan. My top candidate is east TN. It has the mountains/hiking, southern friendliness, and about the right-sized cities (Chattanooga, Knoxville) I'm looking for, and it's not too far from family. I started a thread on east TN about a year ago, and it got plenty of really good responses. I have yet to make a trip out there and do first-hand scouting, but I plan to do that soon.
There may be other states in the mix, too. Colorado, maybe. I know this is a great place to ask questions, so I'll be sure to do that. Cheers.
Congrats on pulling the plug. I am also thinking about giving notice in the next couple of weeks for reasons that are eerily similar to yours.
More importantly, I live in East TN, about 15 minutes north of Knoxville and absolutely love it. I have lived in So Cal and CO, but I have found my home in TN. Lots of outdoor activities, great quality of life, low cost of living, low taxes, friendly people, good health care and even a bit of culture when I venture to Knoxville.
You won't regret your decision other than that you'll probably look back and say that '60 days' notice should have been more like 2 weeks. [emoji106]
I agree. I gave 4 months notice and was very sorry that I did so.
Update. Last day was today. Whew. I'm tired. Emotionally exhausted. Well fed. Sad. Grateful for the people I worked with. So many good people.
I asked them not to throw a retirement party, which would normally happen. I'm introverted (I know most of you are, too), and so a big gathering of people is uncomfortable for me -- especially when I'm the center of attention. I can do that in a speaking situation, like a lecture, but if it's something like this, where it's all about me ... no thanks. Instead, me and 5 of the people I work closest with went out for lunch. That was nice, although I broke my low-carb diet.
I'm emotionally worn out because I've been having a lot of really personal conversations with people I've been working with, saying my goodbyes and talking about my retirement plans.
Well, it's over. Walking out the door that last time was weird, but not as weird as I expected. I've been anticipating this day for years.
It's still weird, though. The end.
(or is it?)
I rejected a retirement luncheon, too, Eddie. I had stopped attending last-day luncheons years earlier except for a man who left after a 37-year career. They gave me, in cash, the money they were going to spend on a luncheon, at least whatever they had raised for one (about $160). Instead, my best friend/coworker took me out to lunch at our favorite diner.