In Retirement, No One Can Hear You Scream

It’s a period of loss but also one of opportunity

This person is probably screwed. Retirement isn’t that bad. It’s more a reset of expectations. Image by Celestine Arts on Adobe Stock.

Most work relationships are superficial unless you’ve been with the same company for most of your life.

Or if you’ve been in the same industry all your life. Some of those relationships may carry over from job to job.

But change your career midstream, switching industries and companies, and you may be able to count your true work friends on one hand.

In that respect, you should actively seek and retain friends outside of work because work friends are not always true friends.

I grew all kinds of things on what could be a very hostile area, our rooftop deck in Chicago. I was able to keep these planters alive even in brutal -30° brutal windchill factors. Photo by author.

I don’t know if I’m retired or not. When I was let go from my job in 2020, at 63, I didn’t feel I was done. However, it allowed me to explore avenues I’d wanted to visit and maybe make some extra money along the way.

Realistically, my life had been such a mess that I didn’t have enough time at any company to amass a lot of money in a 401k. I had nearly started a landscape design company in Chicago in 2018, but a breakup changed my whole trajectory.