If we’re to believe everything we see in magazine and TV ads, retirement is a time of leisurely bike rides with your spouse, lunching with friends and exploring hobbies like painting or ceramics, all done in joyful contemplation. But the realists among us might rightly have their doubts — suspecting that behind these idyllic images, there could be boredom, financial worry or even depression.
My experience with clients nearing retirement confirms such suspicions. While many are eager to leave the 9-to-5 behind, they’re uncertain about what comes next. For better or worse, work gives shape to our lives, prompting us to wake up each morning, make ourselves presentable and get along with people. It’s also a source of income and, for many, a means of accessing health insurance. Once that structure vanishes, the responsibility falls on you to re-create it for yourself.
