6 Lessons From 6 Years of Retirement

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I officially retired 6 years ago, on July 5, 2018.

Before I retired, I was curious about what life would REALLY be like in retirement.

Now…I know.

I started The Retirement Reality Series to share my journey and lessons from retirement. The series has provided a window into my thoughts as I progressed through my retirement transition. The series is consistent with the goals I established way back in 2015, in my very first post on this blog, as I wrote,

“This is the story of my journey, told in the Present before it becomes the Past.” 

It’s been 9 years since I wrote that sentence, and this blog (and this series, in particular) continues to strive to achieve that goal. Today’s article is the 8th in the series, told in the Present as I celebrate my 6th retirement anniversary.  Here are links to all of the articles in the series:

The Retirement Reality Series:

If you’re curious what retirement is really like, or interested in comparing your journey to mine, this series is for you.  It’s been two years since I’ve added to this series, compared to four articles written in my first year of retirement.  Yes, that’s significant, and it shows that the lessons of retirement do slow with time.

But, I’m getting ahead of myself…

Are you curious what retirement is REALLY like? Today, a new article in The Retirement Reality Series...sharing what I've learned over the first 6 years. Share on X

Six Lessons From Six Years of Retirement

Retired has evolved for me, and it will likely evolve for you.  As I wrote today’s post, I intentionally avoided reading the earlier posts in this series.  The previous posts were snapshots of my thinking during particular points in time, and I didn’t want to be influenced as I thought about what was important at this stage of the journey.

Today’s article is about what I find important to share at the six-year mark. With that, below are the six lessons that most resonate with me as I celebrate my 6th year of retirement:

Lesson 1: Retirement Is Complex

I’ve written over 400 articles on this topic over the past 9 years, which in itself demonstrates the complexity of retirement.   The retirement journey is different for everyone, yet many elements are similar.  Some folks arrived with a macro plan, others were forced into retirement unexpectedly. 

Regardless of how we got here, we’re all struggling with a lot of the same complex issues.  We’re trying to find our way through a strange new world, a complex landscape unlike any we’ve encountered before. A world where we’re responsible, with less external influence than in our working years. While money issues are “top of mind” in the early phases, we soon realize the true value comes in figuring out the non-financial issues. As we move through retirement, we realize how truly complex those non-financial issues are, and we discover that it’s in those issues where we find our true happiness. 

If you haven’t yet retired, buckle in.  You’re about to enter a complex maze that will take years to navigate.

At the 6 year mark, I feel like I’ve finally started to figure it out.

Lesson 2: Retirement Changes With Time

With 6 years of retirement experience behind me, I’ve realized the retirement journey evolves with time. As I wrote in The 4 Phases of Retirement, your experience will change as you move from the honeymoon into the more advanced stages.  I won’t rehash the phases (though I encourage you to check out that post if you missed it when it first came out), but I will reiterate the significance of the phases.  As demonstrated by the fact that it’s been two years since I’ve added to this series, the phases become more settled with time, especially once you’ve achieved the satisfaction of Phase IV.

The important point is to realize your life doesn’t just change on the day you retire.  Those changes will last for years and will be different than you expect when you first enter retirement.  This new reality requires a new approach, and embracing the challenge is part of the fun. Foster a mindset of curiosity, and learn to enjoy this new fluidity of life.  Recognize that you’re responsible for finding your way through the maze, and experiment, experiment, experiment as you face the continual changes in your life.

My life has become a continuous experiment in retirement, and I’m enjoying the challenge immensely.  In my opinion, taking this approach has been one of the primary reasons I’ve found such enjoyment through my first six years of retirement. 

what is retirement really like?

Lesson 3: Your Retirement Will Be Different Than You Expect

It’s impossible to know what retirement will be like until you go through it. Of course, you’ll have some expectations in your final few months of work.  We all do. The other reality, however, is that we all also have Blind Spots. 

When I started experiencing the reality of retirement, I found that Retirement Is Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be.  At the same time, retirement is exactly how I thought it would be.  That contradiction is a reality of retirement that I’ve learned to embrace. 

Below are some examples of how my retirement is different than I expected:

Not a single one of those items was on my list of things I thought we’d do in retirement.  What IS the same, however, are the broader mindset issues I first wrote about in The Ten Commandments of Retirement, which I published a few months before I retired.  As I review those 10 commandments, I see how the unexpected items above resulted directly from the mindset I chose to adopt for retirement:

  • II – Give with a generous heart (Charity)
  • V – Try New Things (Woodworking)
  • VIII – Cherish Family & Friends (Second home where our daughter lives)
  • VII – Stay Flexible To Change (building the barn to meet our charity’s changing needs)

I’ve found the important thing is to get the mindset right and let the journey lead you where it may.  Ultimately, it will lead you to places you likely didn’t expect, and that’s part of the fun of retirement. 

Lesson 4: Your Priorities Will Change Throughout Retirement

In your working years, your priorities changed with time.  After college, it was about finding a good job.  Job in hand, you were focused on finding the right spouse.   Kids come along, and the entire apple cart gets turned upside down.  As the kids grow, you focus on maintaining balance as you work your way up that ladder to handle the increased costs of life.  Kids leave home, and priorities change to figuring out when (and how) you can retire.

I was naive.

I thought that pattern would change when I retired, but it hasn’t.  Just as in my working years, I’ve found my priorities have changed as my retirement evolved.  When I first retired, I was focused on whether we had enough money to cover our expenses until we died.  As I moved out of the Honeymoon Phase, I realized it was Hard To Spend Money, so my wife and I shifted our focus to finding ways to force ourselves to spend what we could safely spend.

In time, we realized money doesn’t deserve as much attention as we were giving it, so we shifted to figuring out how to bring fulfillment to our lives.  As things developed, my priorities shifted yet again, with a focus on investing energy into the things that were gaining traction.  After a while, we found ourselves running too fast, so we focused on Running Fast To Slow Down.  As the 6 years of retirement have passed, I’ve started thinking more about the reality that we have a limited time here on earth, and spiritual issues are the type of wealth I’m prioritizing now.

In summary, one of the lessons from retirement I’ve learned is that priorities don’t become any more stable in retirement than in your working years.  The real difference is that in retirement you have the freedom to follow them wherever they lead.   I love that freedom, and I’m enjoying the mental exercise of using my shifting priorities to guide the areas of life I choose to focus on. 

Lesson 5: Mindset Matters (A Lot)

As reflect on my 6 years of retirement, I find the importance of “Mindset” a consistent theme.  While a positive mindset is helpful in all phases of life, it’s never more useful than during your transition into retirement.

For the first time in our lives, we’re free to live the life we want to live.  That freedom, however, comes with an obligation.  The first of the 5 Things You Need To Know Before You Retire was focused on this fact, highlighting the reality that you are now responsible for filling 24 hours of your day.  Having the right mindset is critical as you make this shift to a “self-driven” life.  I suspect having a poor mindset is one of the primary reasons 28% of Retirees Are Depressed, whereas the opposite is true for the 72% who are happy.

One of the most important things I did as I prepared for retirement was to prepare my mind, and I’ve benefited from that decision for the past six years.  In the previously mentioned 10 Commandments of Retirement, it’s relevant that the first commandment was to “Have An Attitude of Gratitude.”  While many areas of our lives are outside our control, we have the freedom (and obligation) to control our mindset.

I mentioned my very first post in the opening of today’s article.  What I didn’t mention was the title of that post.  It was a simple one-word title, “Contentment.” Since the title is the first word anyone reads, it’s an accurate statement to say that the very first word I wrote for the world focused on mindset. That’s interesting and relevant to what I’ve learned in the years since.

Of all the lessons of retirement I’ve learned, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of your mindset.  In many ways, the mindset you choose to adopt in retirement will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Lesson 6: Retirement Can Be The Best Years of Your Life (But It’s Up To You)

The last, and perhaps most important, of the lessons I’ve learned, is how truly incredible the retirement years can be.  The past six years have been the best of my life, and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. And yet, I see hundreds of emails and social media posts from retirees who are struggling.  I’ve done my research, and I know the reality of the devastation that alcoholism and depression are having on many people my age.

It saddens me to realize so many retirees are struggling, while at the same time, I’m living the best years of my life.  That dichotomy motivates me…

  • …to write. 
  • …to share what I’m learning. 
  • …to do the most I can in my little corner of the internet to make a difference.

As I write these words, I’m thinking about those of you who are suffering.  I hope that the words I’m writing help you learn some of the lessons I’m learning.  The biggest rewards I get from my writing are the countless emails from you, the reader, telling me that my words are making a difference in your lives.  For those struggling, I hope today’s post gives you hope for your future.

Your future can be bright.  The reality, though, is that the prospect for your future is primarily in your hands (and mind).  With your freedom comes an obligation.

Choose wisely.

Conclusion

The past six years have been a great ride.  

Along the way, I’ve been maintaining a journal named “The Retirement Reality Series” to capture what I’m learning.  The series has allowed me to be introspective as I share my retirement reality, “told in the Present before it becomes the Past.”  I’m thankful I’ve captured my thoughts and learnings and I hope they help you on your journey through retirement.  In summary, my biggest lessons at the 6-year mark:

6 Lessons From 6 Years of Retirement

  1. Retirement Is Complex
  2. Retirement Changes With Time
  3. Your Retirement Will Be Different Than You Expect
  4. Your Priorities Will Change Throughout Retirement
  5. Mindset Matters (A Lot)
  6. Retirement Can Be The Best Years of Your Life (But It’s Up To You)

There’s no way to know what the future holds, but the one thing I do know is this:

I’ve made a conscious decision to be content, regardless of my circumstances.

I’m convinced, based on my experience through six years of retirement, that this mindset will continue to serve me well, regardless of what the future holds.

As the Future becomes the Present in the days ahead, I’ll continue to share what I’m learning.

Stay tuned…

Your Turn:  If you’re retired, what have been the biggest lessons you’ve learned?  If you’re not yet retired, what lessons from today’s post most surprised you? Let’s chat in the comments…

51 comments

  1. Interesting and helpful read, thanks for taking the time to write these posts 😊

    1. And…thank YOU for taking the time to read them. 😉

      1. Fritz, it has now been 3 years and 9 months since I have retired and 4 years or so since you entered my life, (sort to speak). The enjoyment, the encouragement, the insight, the realization of retirement your writings have brought me are unable to be described, and I so look forward to seeing updates and new content from you. THANK YOU 🙏
        Evolving retirement is like a train ride you have know idea where it’s going. It’s as you said, it is a mind set and setting your mind into a positive, productive state leads to a wonderful outcome. Loving the ride and learning more everyday.

    2. I’ve been retired for 15 years. I’m at age 73. I have two main goals: (1) health. I follow Dr Dean Ornish life medicine. (2) Carefully and wise use of my time. I’m thankful my pension and social security cover all my expenses.

  2. I totally agree!!!! The money is already there!!! We have all planned for that. time to let some go. I always was a low spender on eating out. Three years into retirement, It’s not so much the food…… it’s the great time my wife and I spend together and with friends that we love to hang out with. We eat slower as we talk and enjoy the views and it usually includes a walk or some type of activity around the beautiful area we are visiting. We now do LEGOS!!!!!! We just went to a Lego event and had a great time!!! We can share this with our granddaughter. Who new my wife would love to build Lego sets in retirement.

    1. Legos, there’s a unique twist on a retirement hobby! I love the fact that it’s something you can do together with your granddaughter. I’m amazed at how advanced Legos has become since our childhood days – some of those models look like they’d take weeks to build. Then again, you now have the time…

      1. Yes and so big and complex and beautiful on cool things like Star wars and cars and motorcycles and cranes and they actually have lights kits to make them look so neat.

  3. Fritz, great post and so needed for many(including me).

    My kids are now discussing retirement as the enter their 40s, and I am happy that they have learned a little about planning that I did not till much later.

    We had a saying that despite your best efforts, you will always be surprised by what happens in the next 12 months. This has proven true year after year for us, as your unexpected bucket list items demonstrate.

    Thanks always for your insights

    1. You should be a proud father – great that your kids are learning from your example. I love your saying, the reality that none of us know our future is something we should all take time to ponder…

  4. Fritz,

    Many thanks for the years of content and writing about your journey.
    It is appreciated and look forward to the Medicare post(s) in a few years.

    Meaning, I know your pre-65 healthcare process from previous posts and will be interested in how you navigate age 65 and Medicare in terms of Medicare Advantage versus Medicare Supplement. I’ll be ready to contact Boomer Benefits in a few years (thanks for that post too!)

    Mike

    1. Thanks for your loyalty to my work, Mike. I’ve got to admit, figuring out Medicare isn’t something I’m looking forward to. There will definitely be a few posts on the topic when that “Future” becomes my “Present.” I’m actually surprised how many people make that decision (by definition, everyone!), I wonder how many of them really understand the implications of the decision they ultimately make.

      1. There is an outstanding book available that is written by a woman in the health care field. The book is Medicare for You, written by Diane J Omdahl. Medicare changes are common and the book gets updated quite often. I found this book to be very helpful and have recommended the book to friends and family.

        1. Thank you, Fritz AND Bruce. I just ordered the Omdahl book. I am 64 and 7 months, so now is my time to get smart!

      2. Thanks for these articles. Though we are not in a similar income bracket, they are helpful.
        At 65 and 66 my husband and I just went through the Medicare process after decades of being spoiled by large companies’ medical insurance coverage.
        Medicare is much more complicated than I imagined when both people have moderate medical care needs and prescription meds. We live in an area with many hospitals nearby so we have more choices than most people around the country.
        We may switch to the Kaiser system here in CA even though it is an Advantage plan. It has worked well for some of our relatives.

        There is a ton of information available on the Medicare website. I highly recommend that as a first step when wading through the choices.

    2. Mike, a bit of my experience with Boomer Benefits: they are pleasant to deal with and can provide very useful information, but be aware that they won’t give you a comprehensive set of options. Visit Medicare.gov to see all your options and learn as much as you can before committing to the plan/Parts B, D and supplement of your choice. I did a ton of reading. beforehand. Also know what the rules are if you start with Advantage and then wish to change back to traditional Medicare. Traditional allows you more freedom to choose medical providers, whereas Advantage locks you into their (sometimes restrictive) network. This can be important if you plan to divide your time between multiple geographic areas.

  5. Hello Fritz. As of this moment, it is 42 days until I walk out of my office and leave behind a 41-year career in aviation. Once I cleared the 60-days-to-go mark, an entirely different (and unexpected) intersection of intellect, emotion, and questioning emerged. I started converting my investments from accumulation to income producing in 2016 just to see if my ‘science project’ would yield sufficient resources (will I have enough?). I’ve read many of your posts and customized, in particular, your Bucket List model (are my allocations realistic?). The emotional aspect, however, has blindsided me completely! This latest post has helped me quiet the ‘noise in my head’ as I ponder the ‘what’s next?’ I’ve started involvement in fresh activities, but also appreciate your reminder that the need for flexibility in priorities is a key part of retirement contentment. My wife has generated a post-retirement ‘honey-do’ list that is sure to keep me busy for weeks if not months, so I won’t be idle to be sure! Time to hit ‘send’. Thank you for the Manifesto!

    1. Keith, congratulations on your rapidly approaching “Starting Line!” I’m not surprised that the emotional side was a surprise. I suspect that’s true of most folks as they transition. Most folks understand the importance of the financial side, but very few recognize that the non-financial is equally (or more?) important. Have faith, you’ll work through it as you work down that ‘honey-do’ list. BTW, that “list” of things to get done is also a common feature of early retirement and the honeymoon period. Trust me, you’ll soon work through it and face the larger adjustment through Phase II. Best of luck on your amazing journey that will start in 42 days.

  6. I really enjoy your writing and insights about retirement. I retired little over a year ago in May. Over the last several months we have down sized and moved to Virginia. Our goal is to travel and we have been lucky enough to do just that. Having a plan, being flexible and working with a retirement planning professional has been the key to our success.

    1. I really enjoy writing and sharing my insights, honored that people find my words worth their time to read. Congratulations on the successful transition through your first year of retirement, happy to hear you’ve made the relocation and are able to enjoy some travel. Embrace that freedom!

  7. Going on my second year of retirement, I’ve adapted to not wearing a watch or carrying my phone. I’m not attached to time, and I’m not distracted by outside forces like the news. I’m so much more happier and grateful.

    I have learned to manage my energy, and time takes care of itself. A feeling of complete freedom.

    1. Funny you mention the watch. In my working years, I enjoyed watches and had a small collection (nothing to expensive, I just liked having a variety of what I found to be interesting). I haven’t worn a single one of those watches since I’ve retired, though I have grown very fond of my Fitbit (and, more importantly, the fitness statistics it provides).

      “A feeling of complete freedom.” I couldn’t think of a better description of retirement. Thanks for adding value with your comment.

  8. I “officially” retired earlier this year after probably 5 years of working downsized, p/t jobs. I think this was absolutely the right choice for me, because it gave me back more time in my life to do some important things like spend more time with my aging father and gave me an idea of what full retirement might feel like.

    I do feel that the early years of retirement are indeed a time of shifting gears. I’ve spent a lot of time in past years analyzing my retirement numbers but feel I can afford to take a few steps back from devoting so much time to that. Still, as you point out, retirement can be very complex as you learn a whole new set of skills: how to navigate Medicare, the ins and out of when to claim Social Security, figuring out how to get your cash flow moving and where to withdraw from, taxation of different types of savings…it all makes my head swirl.

    1. Dawn, good for you for ramping down the work and “officially” crossing The Starting Line, great prioritization to allow you to spend more time with your Dad – a decision you’ll never regret. Enjoy the transition, I’m sure you’ll find yourself taking those steps back from the numbers with time.

  10. Fritz, I’ve always thought our journeys through retirement have been along parallel paths. Like you, my eight years of retirement have been the best years of my life, even though I had a wonderful career before that. Being optimistic and curious and focused on helping others are superpowers at any stage of life but never more so than in retirement. You say it so well in this post!

    1. They’ve had indeed been parallel, my friend. I’ve enjoyed watching your journey through your wonderful blog, and appreciate you watching mine. Thanks for the kind words on the post, it was a fun (and introspective) one to write.

  11. Great post as always Fritz!

    Mindset: Kind. Grateful. Humble. Giving. I read that people that wake up feeling grateful just for the new day are relatively happier than others. What do your readers feel about that?

    Taped on my mirror is a “mantra” I try very hard to follow. It states:

    1. God is first.
    2. Others are second.
    3. I am third.

    I try very hard, and fail often, to live this way all day long. It is an aspiration to try to achieve.

    May your spiritual posts spark some thoughts into others’ minds Fritz.

    Blessings from MO to GA, Steve

    1. Ironic you mentioned that mantra – it was featured (prominently) on a fireplace at a church camp I attended as a child, and it’s always stuck with me. It is, indeed, an aspirational mantra.

      As for your question, I’m not sure I can say how my readers feel, but based on the research I’ve done between happy vs. unhappy retirees, there’s no doubt in my mind that the mindset attributes you mentioned are one of the key differences between the groups.

  12. Seven years ago I mostly retired, five years ago I fully retired. The best part of the journey so far is the abundance of time, energy and money to spend on family and travel. During my working years I was international and missed so much of their lives, now contact is made on a regular basis. A 21 year old grandniece was over last week asking for help in setting up and understanding a Roth IRA! I too realized that my investments were on track to produce more than I can spend although that realization took years to fully grasp. Reflection and research on how best to share resources brings me joy – two family members are now learning about stocks through gift transfers and another is learning about the importance of travel in understanding our world.

  14. As always, great insight Fritz. A couple thoughts…I know you wanted 6 lessons, but 4,5&6 seem the same to me. That is, the greatest benefit of retirement is freedom to spend your time as you want, it is very important to get that aspect sorted….the old “ship without a sail….” quote comes to mind. Personally, the one item I would add to your list is (after you get the financial stuff sorted and you can sleep well, #1 on your list) is the importance of your health and thinking about longevity. Here I mean not only developing healthy habits to live a long time, but also living well. That is, being independent as long as possible. Fortunately their are many excellent podcast and other resources out there to help us in that regard. Your post always make me think and I appreciate them !

  15. Hello Fritz, great article as always. I still haven’t missed anything you have written over the years and I have found a great deal of value in all of your insights about retirement.

    July 1st was my 11 year anniversary of my retirement and reading this article caused me to pause and evaluate the points you covered and how they relate to my retirement experience so far.

    I can summarize my retirement in 2 words. AMAZING CONTENTMENT.

    Thank you, because you had a lot to do with that through everything you have written over the years.

    1. 31, you’re in a very select group of my most loyal readers, I only know of a dozen or so who have read every post. Interestingly, I just received a message this week from a nice guy in Slovakia who just finished reading every post last week (if you’re reading this, Hi Boris!).

      I love your two words. I could obviously use a lesson in how to be more “pithy” with my blog. Smiles.

  16. I retired early.

    Currently too at the early stay of retirement. March 1, I retired.

    That said I was ready for change.

    I have experience at change too.

    Moved from a very large city to a smaller town/city, I was married in Germany. I have worked for a few different firms over my career.

    38 years working in supply chain for both medium size firms and also for very large corporations like Fritz.

    I too, had my own business which (I believe) made me both more entrepreneurial in life.

    Though entrepreneurial & creative styles typically do not fit as well in large companies.

    The “benefits” financially were greater and I enjoyed working in the public sector more; but the entrepreneurial spirit is not suited to “the corporation” paper pushers.

    That said it made me realize to be truly happy (from my perspective) I needed more freedom on a personal, professional level to perform at my best and be happy every day in my limited time in this world.

    So, I planned.

    I had always been frugal and stayed true to basic goals for saving early on; don’t buy anything you don’t really “need” and plan for change. Both personally and professionally.

    Certainly these basics were the foundation to making retirement a bit easier for me.

    Along with planning a few years ahead.

    One of my personal interests to support my retirement “passions” was buying a barn find 1989, Saab 900, project car. Trying car shows!

    Another was joining and starting a band called RetroKings. For the past 3 years we are doing quite well. Recording, performing and touring Eastern Ontario.

    It’s turned into a part time job!

    I also have a cabin north of Kingston, ON which has always things that require fixing but it’s also a very tranquil spot that we both can enjoy being “with nature”; spend some together time and maybe even have a martini too!

    So, all of one’s retirement “interests” in my opinion need to be planned well ahead of retirement.

    If your lucky enough to be healthy and maybe change some habits too your retirement “phases” will be memorable and keep you busy enough in the “slow lane” of life.

    Thanks Fritz for the 6 year anniversary gift!

  17. This made me tear up for some reason. The charity symbolizes your selfless contribution to the world in the last part of adulthood. A chance for God to say “well done.”

    1. I’m honored that my words would bring you to tears. Thanks for your kind words. My day is made.

  18. Thank you, Fritz. I continue to gain wisdom from your posts and insights into being retired. Your posts help give me reason to pause and reflect. You are modeling your 10 retirement commandments.

    I’ve kept the retirement countdown running after I retired and noticed it’s been 19 months and 17 days. Your comments about attitude and experimenting resonated with me today. I have enjoyed my time so far and have made keeping in shape one of my daily “jobs.” I recently started experimenting with Rucking and Pickleball and enjoy both. We continue to enjoy traveling to hiking destinations in the US and shorter trips to the shore while in the Go Go phase. We started attending a new church in January, where we feel we were being led. Enough for now….

  19. Nice timing on post. My wife and I retired on July 1st at 52 and 55 yo. We had been scaling down our work with a lot of days off March-June. That helped the mindset. We just completed a rollover of our 401k to Traditional IRA. It has been a busy three weeks. Ha ha.

    I have been following you the past 7-8 years and wanted to thank you for you blog posts. You and a few other bloggers helped convince us that we could retire early and explore the next chapter of our lives. Not just financially, but mentally. Both go hand in hand in retirement, as today’s post covers.

    Thank you again. Looking forward to our retirement journey!

  20. Thank you for sharing your journey. I just recently found your blog posts and what you have written has resonated with me. I have been retired for 4 years as of the end of this month. You have written about many of the things that I have been thinking about but have never shared. May the Lord continue to bless your retirement and your desire to write about your adventures.
    Side Note: I also finally have a woodworking shop. I enjoyed seeing yours.

  21. I totally agree with this posting. I planned as well as I could before I retired to make sure I had an idea of where I stood financially and also what type of retirement I would like to have. I made lots of lists. The most important thing is to have a positive attitude to a new stage of your life you haven’t experienced before. I have seen some women who are depressed because they have lost their way and don’t want help finding it again. But I have seen so many many more women who are positive and productive and very happy in their retirements. It shows in their faces and in our conversations. Please stay positive and open to opportunities you might like. It will make a huge difference in your life and with your relationships with others.

  22. Fritz~ Another great article for future retirees and those that have retired. I’m beginning my 3rd year of being retired and my priorities are constantly changing. all for the better. I spend less time worrying about my finances and more time thinking about giving in different ways. I’m more interested today in how I spend my TIME. ENERGY and MONEY. I just got my new hip and now I have matching bionic hips. Thank GOD for replacements!!!! Keep writing my friend!!!!

    1. Whaaaa??? The “stud” hero from my youth (as I watched you crushing it in Hillsdale College sports) now has two bionic hips? I’m crushed! 😉

  23. I’m just about to start the Honeymoon phase. Selling the city center family home, selling the office, paring down to the bare minimum and moving across the country to start a new adventure on an island. I’ll be mindful of those phases and try to remember that plans WILL change, in a good way. As the focus shifts from the financial to the daily activities, I’ll see how of my “to do” list changes into things that were never on it. I appreciate your counsel, Fritz.

  24. Hi Fritz. You and I were introduced to each other after you spoke at a retirement conference. And about a year ago your podcast episode with me was broadcast. It was great to have you as a guest, and I continue to enjoy reading about your journey. This month I turn 76 and still do not know what retirement will look like. What I can say is that I have Complete Financial Choice(R) instead of retirement. I work when I choose, we can travel when we choose, I can choose a “no plan day” when I want. So rather than talking about retirement, I talk about having choice regardless of the finances.

    1. Fritz, I am one year past the starting line. I have felt truly blessed by my “time rich” life.

      Year 2 may feel like a bit of a honeymoon as well as I watch my husband (retiring this September) enjoy his first year.

      Travel and bike riding, gardening and decluttering take on a new schedule with the two of us at home and I can’t wait!

      So true that the financial concerns that take up so much of our headspace as we head into retirement seem to take a back seat to learning how to relax, be useful, learn more about the world and stay as healthy for as long as we can.

      Thanks as always for sharing your insight and wisdom with your readers.

  25. Loved this post. I am 3 years into (mostly) full retirement after going back to work FT &PT for 4 years after only 9 months of retirement the first go around. Shut down my horse farm operation almost 3 weeks ago so I’m one step closer to full freedom.
    My new big job is sorting through 52 years’ accumulation of horse riding and farm equipment and arranging discards for sale. Tiring work in 90s heat, but happy to unload most of it.

  26. Another home run post from Fritz. I learn more and more with each one. Fritz, have you ever addressed the issue of spouses being of different ages and approaching retirement? In my case, I’m 63, “pre-tired” and my wife is 54. Financially, we can retire, but my wife is having major hesitations, even though I’ve suggested a time frame of her retirement 2-3 years in the future. Any advice?

    1. This is a question for me as well. I’m 63, my wife is 52, I retired in March, and she wants to keep working for at least a decade or so. She likes working, it was always a means to keep the rain off my head for me. Not sure if I should be concerned about it or not, as we aren’t dependent on each other for entertainment, but the lifestyles will be different. For those who might be wondering how I can get away with not working while my wife is, we’ve always kept our finances separate…

  27. Fritz:

    Congratulations on the anniversary of your retirement (Retireversary?). And thank you for creating and maintaining this space, in which you have generously shared a great deal of your knowledge and experience.

    We have been retired for 10 years, married for 34 years, and are about the same age as you. You are so right, in indicating that during retirement, priorities can shift (they have for us). In the first few years, we traveled around the US and Canada extensively (we were 5th wheel owners) and had a great time. We relocated our home (east coast to western Washington state) recently, and really love the area we are in. Our future travel plans include additional international travel. One of the important learning’s early on, was for my wife and I to have regular sit-downs to check in with each other, to make plans, and to try to ensure that each is feeling fulfilled. We think it is important to have our own separate hobbies and also to do activities together (even if those activities are not of particular interest to the other person – part of the give and take). I would also say that having an attitude of what I call “continual learning and growth” has been very helpful. I do not feel like I have been bored during our retirement. There are so many avenues for learning something new (reading, videos, join clubs, learn from your friends and neighbors, taking classes), and new challenges and adventures to participate in. As you have written about, trying to achieve a balance in the elements of my life has been key to feeling happy. Although it seems complicated during the planning stages, our time spent on the financial aspects of our retirement has greatly reduced over the years. I believe that if you get the financial planning at least 90% right, then your retirement can be less stressful. But the work up front is critical.

    The past 10 years have passed quickly. We are so looking forward to the next 10 (if we are so lucky)!

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