10 Things To Say Instead Of “I Am Retired.”

By Karen and Erica

Never say I just retired, and then stop.

If you really did just retire, you may be at a loss for additional words, as many of us are at first, when retirement is a bit overwhelming. So—we have made a list of phrases you might wish to use as follow-ups:

1. I had achieved everything I wanted to achieve in my profession, including a Nobel prize, so now I am preparing to take a trip around the world. While I travel I will think about my next gig.

2. I was restless and wanted another career, and I read about Lucy Kellaway and decided to do what she did. I left the job I held for decades and I am in training to become a teacher.

3. A young man approached me at a cocktail party and asked if I was a model. I wasn’t. Then I read about Lyn Slater. So now I am. I gave up my old job to model full time.

4. Once I found out I had three decades of runway, I decided to become an author, starting with romance novels. My career as a lawyer has given me lots of fodder. And Elin Hilderbrand has retired.

5. It is difficult to live in a city and have a job and fly a plane. So I gave up the job and became a pilot.

6. I was tired of complaining that no-one was designing clothes for women over fifty, so I decided to retire and do it my myself. Do you like my outfit?

7. My kids thought my being an engineer for forty years was enough. They thought I would be good at online retail. I did some research and now I have an online store selling fine writing implements.

8. I have always wanted to live by the ocean. Any ocean. So I left my career as a brain surgeon in Boston to study marine biology, and I am living in a small home on the Pacific near La Jolla.

9. The Bear inspired me to leave my job and become a sous chef. Crazy, no? But it’s fun!

10. I have always been lazy, but I went ahead and became a college professor anyway, because I like Greek literature. After forty years I want to really be lazy. So I am doing anything I want to, whenever I want to. About to leave for hot air ballooning in Cappadocia.

None of these statements is likely an accurate picture of your situation. So why are they here? To illustrate something that is an absolutely accurate statement, in fact a law of nature:

• If you say I am retired, people’s eyes will glaze over and they will walk away. Even if you are a Nobel prize winner.

• If you say, I am pivoting from my wonderful career to something fabulous, and here’s my plan, they will want to hear all about it. You can even ask them to help you find people, or money, or whatever, to speed you along. That will intrigue them, and they will keep talking. And your plan will start to become real.

We learned all this the hard way, so you don’t have to.

Let us all know how it goes!