My Retirement Struggle

[Tekward]

I still look at j*ob listings and think about being able to do it well. Interesting w*rk, good money, feeling valued, etc... But that is an old mindset.

I almost made it through 2022 without applying for a j*b, but I failed last month, before pulling out. There's always a goal for next year....

Anybody else have an old mindset to overcome?

 

[Dtail]

Nope.
Had a high paying rewarding career, but never think about it after retiring and don't have any connections to former colleagues.
If I had known about this forum at the beginning, I could have retired even earlier than age 57.

 

[Ronstar]

I have an old mindset to overcome, but it isn't work related

 

[COcheesehead]

I do not think at all about my past work life, I am enjoying the present too much.

 

[Retired Expat]

I still look at j*ob listings and think about being able to do it well. Interesting w*rk, good money, feeling valued, etc... But that is an old mindset.

I almost made it through 2022 without applying for a j*b, but I failed last month, before pulling out. There's always a goal for next year....

Anybody else have an old mindset to overcome?

Oh yeah! I am retired 10 years now but still below full retirement age and get approached about jobs. I realize that returning to work in the US (I retired to South America) would be complicated , what with having to find a place to live, furnish it, car etc. Or doing the super long distance commute and hotel living would become no fun very quickly so the pay would need to be super high and still when am offered I find myself saying no. I simply don’t want to have to wake up early, or give up the simple joy of taking a nap if I want. So while the money and position is tempting , since I don’t need it I realize that I would quickly become miserable

 

[RobbieB]

Nope, not me!

I'll be 68 this year, well into traditional retirement age. Way too busy with hobbies to ever consider working (for others) again. Not to mention never even considering in the first place.

This is the "Early Retirement Forum" yes?

Have fun -

 

[RetireBy90]

I struggled for some time, still do somewhat, but found some volunteer opportunities. I’ve found a routine 2 times a week that gives me a feeling of purpose and community. I thought about what I’d do but it was overshadowed by quest for financial independence.
You’re not alone for sure. I’ve met several other retired while volunteering that strange they have found purpose here also. It also allows us to travel and do nothing when we want to.

 

[brett]

NO! Much to my spouse's surprise.

I had a job that I liked, I was compensated very well, worked with good colleagues, and had a great employer.

To top it off I was negotiated a golden handshake.

I drew a line under it and started a new phase of my, our, lives.

Never looked back.

Once, shortly after leaving I considered another offer....for all of five seconds.

My only regret is that I went at 58/59 instead of 55.

 

[mf15]

Retired in 08,they called me back part time,worked till 2014,I enjoyed it.
Worked like 2 days a week.
Seems they got rid of too many of us old farts.
Oldmike

 

[rk911]

I have an old mindset to overcome, but it isn't work related

ya beat me to that.

the day after my official retirement we leff for a 10-week RV trip. although I did 10-yrs as a judge of election, about the same as a school crossing guard and volunteered at our local history museum I never once thought about returning to the FT grind.

 

[MC Rider]

Ah, The Struggle Within.


I have more than enough work for myself to keep me busy with our new house. I think I'll be doing projects here for a few years, although I'd hope for more like 1 or 2 years. No desire to work for someone else again. Ever.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I try to focus on optimizing expenses. I view that as a hobby job. If I can save $1K a year while maintaining or raising our standard of living, over 30 years that is $30K, plus reinvestment income. I do projects I enjoy, and I can "work" when I want, without any set hours or commute.

 

[38Chevy454]

Change your focus from identifying yourself as the previous worker ID. Adopt a new ID as retired and doing other things not related to work.

 

[Winemaker]

I have been overwhelmed with offers to return to w*rk with my former employer and our competitors. Full time and part time. Not a chance!

 

[Trailwalker]

I worked for myself for too many years. I would be a terrible employee and have no interest starting another business. I like this retired thing too much to work, unless it was some kind of emergency.

 

[Romer]

Much to my own surprise, I don't miss it. I loved my job and know I was making a difference designing and building spacecraft. It was cool and what I wanted to do since I was a kid.

I thought I would miss it, but I don't. My daughter works there so I still hear about what is going on. So do a few friends I hang out with. One (a VP) asked me what it would take to get me back and I said "more than you could afford"

I really am enjoying myself and wondering how I fit a job in before. My demeanor has improved as I use to have to do everything efficiently as I had so little free time. Now I am much more easy going and relaxed about everything.

Maybe you just haven't figured our who you are now without a job? That may not be it as everyone is different.

Good luck.

 

[Spock]

I'm going through it now. Digging though hundreds of pounds of technical books, text books, class notes, etc. forcing myself to throw them out. "But I might need that at me next job" as I toss my old COBOL book. I kept the FORTRAN book... I am an engineer after all...

 

[NW-Bound]

I'm going through it now. Digging though hundreds of pounds of technical books, text books, class notes, etc. forcing myself to throw them out. "But I might need that at me next job" as I toss my old COBOL book. I kept the FORTRAN book... I am an engineer after all...

Oh boy! Fortran! But do you even have a Fortran compiler for your PC now?

I had a copy of Phar Lap Fortran compiler, circa 1991, somewhere in the boxes of old software. I don't know if it can run in a DOS box in Windows 11 now.

PS. This compiler runs with EMS Expanded Memory. Anybody remembers that?

 

[sturbridge]

I'm still in the "struggle" phase. I'm in a rural area where there aren't a lot of activities. I have a number of hobbies but am lacking in social connections. Still working on this and trying lots of things. My life feels a bit self centered now as most if my activities improve only my family's life. Still the thought of being on someone else's schedule sends shivers up my spine.

 

[DrRoy]

In the months leading up to my RE, I thought about maybe working part time, or getting a side gig. Since I did RE in 2017, I never thought about it again. Don't have the time anyway!

 

[frayne]

Been retired for seventeen years now and retiring is a lifestyle change that doesn't happen overnight, it takes a little time. The biggest problem I see is people overthinking it and trying to have a pat answer or solution for every aspect of a new paradigm of life.

 

[Life2.0]

Been ER'd since 2019. At 51, I still have the fleeting thoughts of "shouldn't I be doing something productive?". My strategy is, "I'll worry about that tomorrow!" It works! Honestly, I think it's important to remember that life, even retired life, is all about trade-offs. I'm willing to accept some occasional boredom as result of being truly free to do whatever I want... whenever I want!

 

[Unpaintedhuffhines]

to quote Evelle from Raising Arizona: "you're young, you got your health... what do you want with a job?"

I can't imagine going back. I'm too busy.

 

[Midpack]

Fortunately I’ve never had any retirement regrets, going on 11 years now. We’d have a bigger pile of money if I’d worked longer, but we have more than enough for any conceivable spending (we’re spending more now than all the years we were working, even after inflation). As for “interesting work, feeling valued” - I don’t miss being responsible for 80 employees, or delivering $ results for the C-suite suits at all…

 

[mf15]

I'm going through it now. Digging though hundreds of pounds of technical books, text books, class notes, etc. forcing myself to throw them out. "But I might need that at me next job" as I toss my old COBOL book. I kept the FORTRAN book... I am an engineer after all...

I still have a lot of books from 1966 and on. Old industrial chemist.
Oldmike