“Have you thought about joining a group?” It’s a familiar suggestion when someone mentions feeling lonely or wanting more connection in retirement. A book club, perhaps. A walking group. A committee that would be delighted to put our years of experience to good use. There’s nothing wrong with any of those suggestions. But I sometimes […]
You sit down with a cup of tea in the middle of the afternoon. There’s nothing particularly urgent to do. You could read a few chapters, go for a walk or simply stay where you are. And yet, somewhere in the back of your mind, a question appears: shouldn’t I be doing something useful? I
We spend decades learning how to work—but retirement asks us to unlearn a few things too Read More »
There are two useful ways of thinking about wellbeing. Hedonic wellbeing is the pleasure and enjoyment we get from life. Eudaimonic wellbeing is the satisfaction that comes from meaning, personal growth and doing things that matter to us. Psychologists Richard Ryan and Edward Deci explored these two approaches in their review of wellbeing research. The
I do some of my clearest thinking outdoors, especially when I’m walking. Yet even then, it’s tempting to fill the silence with a podcast. I can be halfway through a lovely stretch before I realise I haven’t noticed much of it. There’s nothing wrong with a good podcast. But sometimes I need to hear my
Why spending time alone can help you feel more like yourself in retirement Read More »
A few months after I retired, I had a moment that took me completely by surprise. I had spent years looking forward to having more freedom. I had held senior leadership positions, managed large teams and carried the sort of responsibility that does not always disappear when you close the office door. Retirement was supposed
Retirement today is not a finish line—it’s a fresh start. Thanks to modern healthcare and improved longevity, retirement has become a dynamic, active, and fulfilling phase of life, often spanning several vibrant decades. What sets apart those who genuinely thrive during retirement isn’t luck or circumstance, but rather the daily habits they adopt. Over the
People who thrive in their retirement years often adopt these 8 daily habits Read More »
You make a cup of tea, look at the day ahead and realise there’s nothing you absolutely have to do. For years, that might have sounded wonderful. Now that it’s here, perhaps it feels wonderful some mornings and rather unsettling on others. What do you actually want to do? And why does having more time
My partner and I have been retired for a long time now, and we have finally adjusted well to sharing this stage of life. I enjoy that. There is something lovely about being able to spend time together without having to squeeze it around work. But it took time. Knowing each other well didn’t mean
Sometimes the question just comes to you. You might be making a cup of tea, looking at the week ahead or returning home from a holiday you had been looking forward to. Nothing is obviously wrong. Your life may be comfortable. You may have activities, people to see and plenty for which to be grateful.
I have relocated many times during my life—sometimes for work, sometimes for lifestyle reasons and sometimes because moving felt like the right next step. Each move brought new experiences, new places and new people into my life. But it also meant leaving people behind. There were work colleagues I once saw almost every day, friends
