Hard time pulling the trigger

[Vintage Merlot]

I have been so engrossed building and creating many great media related entities over the past 45 years that I'm having a devil of a time pushing the retirement button. The withdrawal thoughts are crippling.%#@@*!!

[valkyrie]

The mental acceptance is hard indeed. The first 6 months is challenging until you settle into a new routine. Then you begin to think, you know, I got maybe 40 years left, I can do something else I think most of us older guys go thru the same thing.'.

[Frank Dreano]

Why completely quit ?
I was a Director at the Department of Justice and retired in 2001 and then consutled full and part time for another 15 years.

[merlot4]

If you enjoy what you're doing, then what is the value of putting it aside? If it's a bit much now, there's no reason you need to stop altogether, you can still keep your involvement at a different level. If you feel ready to retire but afraid of stopping work "cold turkey", then lessen your responsibility in small increments until you reach your comfort level. Whatever you choose to do, all best wishes for future happiness, life will go on.

[2K2BIRD]

Roger, I think the big question is, are you missing doing anything you want to do because you're still working? If not and you enjoy working, then working may be the best thing for you. I still work part time, not because I have to, but because I like it.

[Vintage Merlot]

I appreciate everyone's comments. Basically my work is on "auto pilot". Really feel the need to spend more time with Bonnie and activities she has been wanting for our retirement. Seems continuing to work is short changing her and is selfish on my part. Just sayin' it's hard to flip the switch.

[Gobird]

Roger, JUST DO IT. Judy and I did it 14 years ago. She had 34 years in and I had 30 years in where we both worked. We don't regret one minute of it.

Only thing I regret is the getting old thing and I guess there is nothing we can do about that.

[NotU]

I sympathize, Roger. It is a tough decision.

[RustyFrye]

Roger,

Think you and Bonnie are an awesome couple. You two seem to always enjoy life. Spending more time together can only be better. Plus...... if you are not working, that means there is more time for visitors to come and spend time with you..... (OOPS! That last statement may be a reason to keep working... my bad,)

As an afterthought.... eventually this world will get back to some sanity and road trips may occur again. If Roger were to spend all his time (as opposed to be pretending to work and not planning an event), is anyone else afraid of what sort of ideas he might come up with?

[Zorro]

is anyone else afraid of what sort of ideas he might come up with?

I know I certainly am.........

[Frank Dreano]

I appreciate everyone's comments. Basically my work is on "auto pilot". Really feel the need to spend more time with Bonnie and activities she has been wanting for our retirement. Seems continuing to work is short changing her and is selfish on my part. Just sayin' it's hard to flip the switch.

I was doing ridiculously lucrative IT security consulting to several gov't agencies, commumnting between Orlando and Wash DC every week for 5+ years, but then packed it in for time with family and hobbies. At some point time is more important than money. If you're lucky you get 75 trips around the sun, figure out what you would love to do with the rest of them.

[65TBSTEVE]

Roger,
When I retired in December of 2003, we moved to Florida from Michigan and I got a job at the local Cadillac dealership driving the Courtesy Car for the service department, and what a fun job that was! Got to meet and drive many interesting people including an original playboy server at Hugh Hefner’s original Lake Geneva Playboy Club, Prince Rainier of Monaco’s brother who told me stories about Jackie O and Aristotle Onassis, and Mary Pierce who won the French Tennis Open in 2000. Mary was in the Sarasota/Bradenton area at the IMG Academy rehabilitating her shoulder after surgery. Plus I got to drive a nice Cadillac as the courtesy car. That kept me involved with the automotive industry as I had been a Project Manager for a large automotive parts manufacturer with responsibilities for all automotive companies both domestic and foreign EXCEPT Ford!! After 2 years there WITH 2 weeks vacation after 2 years, I arranged to take all summers off from June-October since business gets slow during the summer when the snowbirds head back north. All that came to a screeching halt when I fell off a ladder 22’ to the ground trimming a pine tree and broke my pelvis in 2 places. But I loved that job, so maybe there is something auto-related that you could get involved with. Retire while you and Bonnie still have your health. Hope to see you both at the reboot of “Birds by the Bay” in Sarasota in May.

[AZTB]

Roger, I agree with others - it is a personal decision. We both retired almost 8 years ago and we've never looked back. Others have said it better, but we agree that at our age, it's more about the TIME we have left than it is the MONEY we have to spend. More $$ can't buy anyone more time. Go with your heart and then don't look back.

[BillyL]

Roger, you are in New Orleans and I am in Covington. WE really need to meet and visit one afternoon! I took a retirement package from Shell in 2006 after 28 year at the Norco refinery. I started doing consulting work for Shell Global in Houston one month later and did so near full time until 2018 when I reduced my work to 500/hrs a year. I have not worked any the past two years due to the pandemic and do miss it. Early retirement followed by consulting work was very financially advantageous and created a lot of paid travel opportunities for the wife and I. I plan to do some more jobs this year. I highly recommend retiring from your first career when the opportunity presents itself. There is more life after that!

[FUN X 3]

I'm in the camp that time is more important than money [if you have sufficient $$$ that is]. I retired 3-29-19 after 44+ years career in the printing industry. My replacement resigned 6 months after I retired, so I went back part time for 6 months to train someone how to do my old job. My wife wanted to work until she was 70 years old, which is 7 years from now. I recently ran the numbers and showed her she could retire at the end of this year and maintain the same lifestyle, and she's now counting the days. We're both looking forward to the freedom to do things we've always wanted to do. It's truly a personal choice, but I'm encouraging you to seriously consider retiring and spend more time with your wife, family, and friends instead of working. Here's a list I kept on my wall prior to retiring:

The 7 Ways the Time to Retire is Right!
1} You've calculated your retirement budget.
2} You're not filing for early Social security.
3} You have health insurance.
4) Your debt is under control.
5} You have health concerns that may make it difficult to work.
6} You've discussed retirement with your spouse.
7} There's so much you can't wait to do.

Once I had checked them all off, except for #5, I called my boss and gave him 6 months notice.