What Does Retirement Really Mean

A friend of mine recently posted a link on her LinkedIn account to an article published in the June 20,2024 New York Times. In the ariticle they asked readers to submit their thoughts and experience with retirement. I thought it insightful to see the range of experiences people have which proves that retirement is not one thing. Everyone’s journey into this new chapter will be unique. Check it out.

By The New York Times
June 20, 2024
Some see it as a state of stillness. A second childhood. A new chapter. The opportunity to live life rather than merely make a living. Some described it as hell. For others, it has been heaven.

We asked readers to submit their stories of retirement, and almost 1,500 of you responded.

The responses make it clear that retirement is not just one thing. It could be doing nothing, relishing quiet moments in the morning to linger over coffee or walk the dog without rushing. Or it could be an opportunity for reinvention by embracing a new focus in life — perhaps even another form of work, but one with greater satisfaction.

For some responders, retirement has meant freedom or liberation. Many considered themselves lucky. Some were frank about needing time to adjust, saying retirement felt like “jumping off a cliff.” For at least one responder, it has been “a black hole.”

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