Matt - Your Better Retirement

Why Lifelong Learning Can Keep You Thriving

Senior adults attend a computer class, led by an instructor, in a classroom setting.

If you were anything like me, going to school was a chore. Something I had to do because my parents said so, and in fact, probably even more importantly, the law said so too. For me personally, I didn’t enjoy learning, didn’t thrive particularly, and, looking back, I feel I wasted, well, far too much time. I don’t say this negatively – it’s just how I was at the time – but I meandered through school doing average things and getting average grades.

The Surprising Link between Purpose & Health in Later Life

Elderly couple enjoying gardening together in a vibrant urban vegetable garden.

I think there’s a problem when we talk about the word ‘purpose’. I believe a common misconception is that when we talk about “finding purpose” it needs to be some far-off big goal, such as climbing Everest (or climbing Everest backwards – actually, no, that would be silly!), writing a bestselling novel, or training for a marathon. All of these are fine of course (except walking up Everest backwards) but in reality purpose can be something which is much more everyday – yet very powerful as we get older. And the link between having purpose and staying healthier in later life is stronger (and perhaps more surprising) than many assume.

When Saturday Feels Like a Week: Wellbeing in Retirement – Real Talk & Real Solutions

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Retirement. It’s meant to be a time of freedom, of thinking “I’ve earned this you know” and more time for you doing the things in life that you love. And often, it can be that way. But it can also bring surprising emotional challenges.

The First 30 Days of Retirement: What nobody tells you.

Close-up of a white cup of latte with artistic foam on a rustic wooden table.

So, you’ve handed back the laptop, waved goodbye to office politics, and happily deleted that alarm clock app that put a fear of dread up you every working morning. Your retirement has officially begun – woo hoo! I mean, after all, you may have waited 30-40 years for this moment, so a woo hoo is definitely called for here. But here’s the thing nobody really prepares you for: those first 30 days of retirement can start to make you feel a little…well, odd.

Why A Short Walk Is the Perfect First Exercise for Retirees

If you’ve never been a gym person (like me), never been a runner (like me), never been particularly sporty (like me) then you are very much not alone. There’s me for a starter! Many of us have spent decades working, raising families, keeping on top of all household chores, basically living life; therefore, it’s easy to see why there may not be too much time left for fitness. But now for some good news: in retirement, you don’t need to buy Lycra shorts or a rowing machine to reap the benefits of movement. You can simply open the front door, take a few steps, and start walking.

Forming an Identity in Retirement: Finding the New You.

Blue Morpho butterfly emerging from chrysalis in Heredia, Costa Rica. A beautiful sight of metamorphosis.

So what do you do?

When you’ve spent decades being “the teacher,” “the engineer,” or “the manager,” the simple question when meeting someone for the first time of “So, what do you do?” can be pretty straightforward to answer during working life. But once you retire, for some, this can be a little more challenging to answer. Work is more than a wage; it quietly shapes where we go, who we see, the stories we tell about ourselves, and how we feel that we contribute to the greater good. No wonder many new retirees describe an odd lightness mixed with a tug of disorientation.

Finding Purpose in retirement: A new chapter of meaning.

Retirement is often painted as a golden era – freedom from the daily grind, time to travel, relax and enjoy all that wonderful spare time that is ahead. Sounds nice doesn’t it? It is, if this is how your retirement shapes out. But that, of course, can be easier said than done.

You Are Not Your Job Title: Redefining Self-Worth After Retirement

Senior man tending to pepper plants in an İstanbul garden.

For decades, your name may have been followed by a title – manager, teacher, consultant; the list goes on. Yes, it was a label, but it shaped how others saw you, and perhaps more importantly, how you saw yourself. It was an identity, or at least, a workplace identity.

But then comes retirement.

Just like that, all those aspects of how you defined yourself at work have gone. The meetings you led, the projects you completed, all now yesterday’s news. This could very well lead to the question: ‘If I’m not what I do anymore, then who am I?’

This is a turning point in life – one that can present challenges, but also the beauty of fantastic opportunities.