When I didn’t have work for five months after being in the workforce for almost two years, I told myself, “Perhaps, this is what retirement feels like.”
Why?
Because I felt disconnected from the people I used to work with, my days appeared to be without end. Like what should I be doing today? So I have to recreate myself again.
From Work Optional: Retire Early the Non-Penny-Pinching Way:
The sociologist Robert S. Weiss conducted one of the most extensive surveys ever among people going through the retirement transition, which he documented in his book The Experience of Retirement. Much of this research is directly relevant to early retirees because it has nothing to do with age. For example, Weiss found that there are very real losses that come from retirement, most notably a loss of community, life structure, and personal identity.
But it’s not all that bad.
Think about the people who have retired ahead of us. They seem to figure out what their typical day would be like.
From Work Optional: Retire Early the Non-Penny-Pinching Way:
But he (Robert S. Weiss) also found that the gains far outweigh the losses for most people. The biggest gain is freedom from work stress and work obligations and newfound freedom in how to spend time.
Within those five months of having no work, I believe that I found a “newfound freedom in how to spend time.”
I was able to finish a couple of online courses, start a podcast, read books, and keep this blog alive.
I have read that people who go through life transitions find their way through art. And I guess that’s what happened to me.
If you’ve been with me through the journey, thank you so much for sticking it out with me.
P.S.: I have work now and have stopped doing the podcast (but leaned into making short-form audio here).
jessa 