by Erica and Karen

You rose through the ranks, and went to the top, with hard work. You loved your job. You retired on a high note.

So now what?

Well, you will discover that some people (maybe even some people you are very close to) think that since you don't have to work, and you are surely at loose ends, they can fill your time for you. They love and respect you, but your children, your spouse, your friends—they have external obligations, and if you don't, well then you can do stuff they don't want to do. Or have no time to do. Especially now that everyone is spending more time at work or school than they did before the pandemic.

This is a dangerous trap. Don’t be lured in.

Just say no.

You have finished a long and illustrious career. While you worked, you raised a family and made sure everyone was fed and clothed and schooled. Now, those years are over. You have done your many jobs. Now it is time for something new. Now you get to decide how to use the foundation of your working life for your next act.

You did not work as hard as you did so that when you retired you could become a gofer.

If you like babysitting and housecleaning for your children, fine. But if you don’t, don’t do it. Or don’t do so much of it! Same with other obligations. Have you offered your expertise to an amazing non-profit, and then been relegated to party planner? If you enjoy that, fine. If not, just say no. And if you try to get a job and all they want you to do is something you did thirty years ago, just say no to that too.

You have something invaluable—experience. People can take it or leave it—but they cannot ignore the fact that you have it. You have enough so you can decide for yourself what else you want to learn.

You spent decades thinking about the people you served in your career. Now, you have earned the right to think about yourself, your time and your future. There are some true constraints, especially now, when you may need make money and may have to care for people close to you who need help right now because of the pandemic. But COVID will pass, and even before it does you should think about how you want to spend the next decades. Do exactly as you wish.

And if you can’t figure it out right away, take your time. You will find something cool, or create something new, and you will have the time of your life writing your next story.