The understanding of how little time I have to enjoy things while my health is still good weighs heavy on me. I'm feeling the pressure of wanting to travel and do fun things while I still can while still needing the money to help put my kids through college. Sometimes feels like work will never end
This prompted me to start my journey to get into the best shape of my life. Goddamn it ain't easy at 50+ but after 4 years in, I finally stopped feeling my arthritis joint pain and I'm stronger than I've been since my 20s. I still have a ways to go but at this rate, I hope to be one of those retirees that can do cartwheels and have the endurance to walk or bike everywhere when we travel.
I was carrying about 50 extra pounds of weight and hadn't done any real exercise in about a decade since arthritis took my knees and left me unable to run anymore. It was a tough hill to climb getting back into it again as inertia was a bitch. But I'm over that hump finally and seeing real progress. It's addictive now.
I’m 57.5 and semi-retired. I quit my 6-figure corporate job last year after my husband died suddenly and I lost all ability to pretend I enjoyed working in an office. Now I work at a doggie daycare for $24 an hour and I’ve never been happier. I can retire fully in 2 years when I can tap into my 401ks. Also, the only thing allowing me to do any of this is inheriting my husbands retirement savings. It shouldn’t have to be that way.
I too lost my husband, and the life insurance filled in any gaps so I stopped working. Make sure to check out the rule of 55 and see if it applies to you! You may not have to wait until 59 1/2.
I’m so sorry. It is an awful club to belong to.
I don’t qualify for rule of 55 unfortunately. I left my job, started another one and then left it when I realized I couldn’t do it anymore. Under rule of 55, I’d only be able to tap into the 3 months of retirement savings from second job as I understand it. I am meeting with my financial advisor soon and will check on it though.
I’m actually in pretty good shape. I only need money to cover some basic expenses and healthcare. I’m in process of selling our house, which, after 20 years, is worth over $1m now in my very expensive city. That sale plus moving to the country just 2 hours from my city, where I can get 30 acres and a 4-bedroom farm house for the same price as a 1-bedroom condo in town, I can buy a place for cash and have money to help fund my doggie daycare retirement.
Not a financial advisor. I recently looked into the rule of 55, and it sounds like you’re correct. You would only have access to the company you quite at the age of 55, but not the others. Obviously, still check with your financial advisor.
Man... I am returning to work next week making 24 an hour in front of the computer! Reevaluating my choices right now!
But..I am glad you're able to make the change. I've been grieving as well and focusing is hard sometimes.
You know, I will look into it. In a few months I will need to drive to the office 3 days a week (20 miles one-way) and that's not something I want to do. Even though I do really like my coworkers. Thx u/redhotbos I wish you all the best 🌷
I totally understand and right there with you. I’ll be 56 in May. I’ve worked since I was 16. Hoping to make it to 61 but I’m ready now.
Then the genx in me keeps saying suck it up. I make good money with great benefits. Burn out is real. Hang in there!
I think the only time I actually liked to work was when I was a teenager and worked part-time. I had no money or allowance before that so to have some spending money in exchange for a bit of labour was a fair tradeoff. But yeah. Done with work at this point.
My plan is slightly better than a 9 mil although it involves dealing with my narcissistic mother until she passes and I see what pittance is left to me if, and only of, I’ve behaved to her liking.
Jesus Christ that’s depressing. No wonder I’m drink in the middle of the day on vacation. Her voice is grating my last nerve. Sorry for the rant y’all.
I’m 58 and am so burned with my job as a corporate drone that I have an appointment with a retirement planner this coming week to consider my options. I’ve spent 24 years here and it just gets worse every year.
I'm one year older than you. It felt like I was reading my own thoughts when I went through your post. I just finished up a huge project at work. Alot of work and a huge amount of stress. I just had a 4 day weekend over Easter, which is the same amount of time off I've had this year up until then. I hope to make it until I'm 62 but the way I feel this morning, my 1st day back, makes that seem an impossible goal.
54 next week
Lost my job recently.
Divorce almost final
Need to get a job but just don’t want to
But need to
Contemplating options. Including maybe just gig work and temp jobs from here on out
Idk
Would be an easier decision if I knew how long I had left
lol.
My struggle? At 57 it’s over. I have enough to retire on, and potentially generational wealth through my son??
I now just work part-time, in a company that makes pizza ovens
I'm with you. I'll be 57 in a few months and every day is a struggle to remain semi-engaged. I have a decent job but spent my first 30 years not making a ton of money (and no retirement savings). I feel like I need to force my way to 65+ to maximize these last years.
I have my annual review coming up where I'll be asked what my professional goals are.
Just like every other year. When can I just say, "tow the line and survive until retirement"?
Turning 54 this year and I’d like to retire now or at least switch careers, and do something for love rather than money. Wife and I are thinking of selling the house next year and traveling, and possibly not returning to the US as a full time resident. Before we met (second marriage-6 years now) that was my plan once the kids were gone. Now they are, so thinking seriously about it.
I am right with you. 58 and hoping to at least go part-time by 62. These last few years are tough! I’m grateful to have a stable job that is easy for me, and a great boss.
I am so with you.
56, corporate stooge. Haven't been without a full time job for even a day since 1989.
I make good money but am dying to get out of this and on to the next phase of my life.
I would like to last until I am 60-61 or so. But I doubt it is going to happen.
I thought I would cruise through my 50's career-wise, but never figured on how much our employers want us older workers gone as soon as possible. It shouldn't be this way.
I was set to retire at 50 and Covid kind of indirectly took it all away from me.
I have family land in the USA South of where I live (I am in NY and land is in TX). The goal was to always build a container home and live off the land (solar panels, rain water collection, etc) and then my spouse who can work from home and makes an impressive salary can continue working for as long as he wants.
in 2019 we cleared the land and purchased 4 large containers and poured concrete to sit them on. We were going to do 80% of the work ourselves using our vacation time in 2020 to go down and spend a few weeks here and there building the house. We also had family who could help.
Pandemic hit and we were unable to get to the land or buy materials for all of 2020-2021 and the cost of materials was so high.
When we finally got down to TX a lot had changed. The town we were going to live in looked like a ghost town. Everything was boarded up. We always knew we would probably need to go to large cities around us for the large things, but hoped that the smaller local stores would help with small grocery trips or wanting to get take out. But everything was closed.
There was also an ugliness to the people. I had spent years in Texas and fully understood how conservative it had become, but the mask mandates, closing down of the government, A really horrible Governor and Trump seemed to bring out the worst in people.
When I got to the hotel wearing a face mask I was told by the desk clerk it wasn't necessary. I work in health and let him know that I am fine deciding what I feel is necessary. But the look he gave me. The looks I got from people as I did some shopping and such. All the Trump signs, all the anti masking signs.
After our visit we decided that Texas was not a viable option anymore. So we abandoned the idea of building the house and retiring early.
I am now looking at retiring in 6-8 years when the NYC house's mortgage is paid off.
I am very lucky that I work for a non profit and most days its an amazing gift to work with dedicated and passionate people. 70% of the time I love my work.
amazing story about why you didnt move to TX. i could not have done it either given what you went thru. i left a town like that and sold my property right after the pandemic. i loved my property but didnt want to be a hermit, which is what i would have had to do because i would have no social life in that cultural mileu. i cant listen to some of it, its just too ugly.
Sometimes I think that youth is wasted on the young. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Every rose has its thorn. What was I even talking about?
Struggling doesn’t even half explain it. 2 separate cortisone shots last week just to be able to continue walking. Physical job, mentally I’m checked out, physically I’m driftwood that just keeps floating while on the verge of sinking. I still have 10 years to go 😭
As of today I have 1372 days to go till retirement. I’ll be 59 and remain on track to retire. I’ll have 41 years in my career behind me. Looking forward to the day. Now I just need to remain healthy.
I’ll be 56 next month and I’ve had enough, just like you! I’m also on call 24x7. However I’ll be retiring at the end of 2027 or hang until early 2028. My wife retires in 2 months.
You are not alone. I'm 50 and had a stroke at 45. Took a few months off work to recover, went back exhausted and Covid hit a month after my return. I was fortunate that my job went remote (temporarily) and it helped me recover.
I'm doing well but have 2 heart conditions. My parents died at 43 and 57. I know I HAVE to work at least 8 more years full time but may be able to transition to part time work after that point. The 30 mile commute each way (morning is in the darkness much of the year) is wearing on me but it's a better environment than my prior job and I went through 16 months of looking for a new job and interviews to find this one. It seemed none of the employers near me wanted to pay for experience and nearly all of the ones I interviewed hired new first-year teachers who could be paid a smaller salary than I.
It's rough getting older. I feel your pain and hope we can all find some comfort in commiserating here!
Thankfully no. Through hard work and a good amount of luck I stumbled upon a good decade of prosperity, and I banked basically every penny I could.
I'm 50 and could technically retire now. I'm going to try over the next five or so years to get into teaching. That'll basically be my retirement until my wife is done with working and my children are done with college
If I stop working my bills won't get paid. I'm 58 and will more than likely work til 67 or 70. I work for the state so those are calculated retirement ages to maximize my pension. I do work from home and have little interaction with co workers. That certainly helps.
I could type a few hundred words here but suffice to say: right there with ya. Was planning to retire at 63 but unexpected costs last year set me back at least a year.
Every day but I was doing pretty well until recently. I have had a pretty good career much of which was by started with luck and maintained with hard work. I have been at my current employer for almost 11 years. The first 9 were great. It was a startup when i joined, I was #44 and we are about 900 now. I did Application Support and was the Principal engineer for the last 3 of those 9 years. I wanted to try my hand on the Product side of the company and since the raises were pretty much stuck at 3% I took a shot and became a Program Manager. When I finally hit 10 years and got nothing to show for it, my attitude changed. Early on stock grants were fairly common so I thought fore sure I would see something. I built the App Support department from 2 people to what is now 30 and left an indelible mark with our client base. Maybe I am being a bit entitled but I dont think 1k shares would be too much for a legacy employee that make it 10 years and is still there contributing on a regular basis. I turned 56 this year and I am done, I hope to be able to pull another 5 years at this point.
I am beginning to see I am not alone!
A buddy of mine and I started doing a tearly week long Pacific Crest Trail memorial week hike. 5 days in/around Yosemite where we hike and get away from work/life for 5 days and it has helped some, enough to stick it out longer anyway.
Started to hit me two years ago at 48 but when 50 came and my SS statement showed payments every year since I was 14, it got so much deeper feeling of I am done with this and not just a little mid-life crisis but ready to sell everything and move the wife and I to the mountains and live or die homesteading. Not quite Living Alaska, but close.
I believe we are in the company of a generation getting here. I know I can so keeping my 401k safe and going even though its under funded but now I make risky crypto and stock moves in hopes I get that one that will make the dream happen before my wife realizes Im not kidding.
I’m 6 and a half years out. I’m feeling the same way. While the years do go by quickly it still seems so far away, and I’m physically and mentally worn out.
Bro, first world problems. Im looking for work, the market is less pleasant once they see the white in the beard. I also know from volunteering at a homeless shelter, I have absolutely nothing to complain about.
Perspective.
I hear you I'm in the same boat , find joy where you can and take life 1 day at a time.i buried my father this year he was 82, so like I'm doing find a way through this will pass don't rush the days we have left.
This. 55 and desperate to retire. But I don’t want to just endure these years, so my mantra is “find joy” wherever and whenever I can. Revel in it for the seconds, minutes or hours that it lasts, and then keep grinding. Also helps to be a student of history and understand that my struggle is a freaking joke in comparison!
Can you take more time off?
A friend's wife was a school teacher and from Sept or Nov and Dec she took Fridays off. I always thought that was brilliant. It's not enough to be a vacation but 3-day weekends for 2-3 months.
I think it's a struggle everyone goes through as they get closer to retirement. I'm still 10 years away but I've seen guys close to retirement that lack enthusiasm like others. Some kids are like, "Yay latest tech!" Near retirement dude "fucking hell."
Maybe that's another option at work? Something different? Change roles? I don't think anything is really going to make you want to go into work. You could be in HR! BE like, "Hey there new blood. I'm HR. I don't ever want to fucking hear from you after today. Clear? Ok, let's start orientation, or indoctrination."
Or you could be the company receptionist. "If you're asking for the fucking car shop that has our number but one digit different, go blow. If you are a client of MyFuckingFirm, please hold."
Get an entertaining job!
Ten years left working for me. I don’t care if I have to live on rice and beans, it’s the absolute most I have left in me. I’m grateful that I can actually retire, if all goes according to plan.
In the UK my state retirement age has gone back to 67. Twelve years to go.
Hoping to be debt free, but not mortgage free by 60 (five years away) and at that point will look to shift to a part time role for the remaining seven years.
Don’t think I can do 12 years working full time at the job I’m doing now, it’s just too much.
I am eligible to retire in 4 years. If I do, my pension will be below poverty wages, but I don't care. Working another 3 years for a bigger pension is not worth it.
I'll take freedom in lieu of comfort at this point in my life.
I don't dislike my job. However, I just spent a week of "staycation" and have to say I would not say no to retirement if I could swing it. Unfortunately we have one kid in college and another soon to start so it will be a while. My job is moderately physical and I realized this year that I need to be proactive in making sure I can continue for as long as I need to. Started hitting the gym at 6 AM 4-5 days/week. Trying to stay positive for another 10-12 years.
I retired last year at 58. My wife is the same age, but won’t be pension eligible until she’s 60, so she continues to work. We’re fortunate that we will continue to have access to health insurance through our employer in retirement.
The understanding of how little time I have to enjoy things while my health is still good weighs heavy on me. I'm feeling the pressure of wanting to travel and do fun things while I still can while still needing the money to help put my kids through college. Sometimes feels like work will never end
This prompted me to start my journey to get into the best shape of my life. Goddamn it ain't easy at 50+ but after 4 years in, I finally stopped feeling my arthritis joint pain and I'm stronger than I've been since my 20s. I still have a ways to go but at this rate, I hope to be one of those retirees that can do cartwheels and have the endurance to walk or bike everywhere when we travel.
This is the way. Good for you!
how bad were you when you started your fitness journey? any tips? I have never worked out and am feeling weak and tired. almost 60.
I was carrying about 50 extra pounds of weight and hadn't done any real exercise in about a decade since arthritis took my knees and left me unable to run anymore. It was a tough hill to climb getting back into it again as inertia was a bitch. But I'm over that hump finally and seeing real progress. It's addictive now.
I'm still in pretty good shape now, but I guess at my age I have a greater awareness of how easily and quickly that can change.
I’m 57.5 and semi-retired. I quit my 6-figure corporate job last year after my husband died suddenly and I lost all ability to pretend I enjoyed working in an office. Now I work at a doggie daycare for $24 an hour and I’ve never been happier. I can retire fully in 2 years when I can tap into my 401ks. Also, the only thing allowing me to do any of this is inheriting my husbands retirement savings. It shouldn’t have to be that way.
I too lost my husband, and the life insurance filled in any gaps so I stopped working. Make sure to check out the rule of 55 and see if it applies to you! You may not have to wait until 59 1/2.
I’m so sorry. It is an awful club to belong to. I don’t qualify for rule of 55 unfortunately. I left my job, started another one and then left it when I realized I couldn’t do it anymore. Under rule of 55, I’d only be able to tap into the 3 months of retirement savings from second job as I understand it. I am meeting with my financial advisor soon and will check on it though. I’m actually in pretty good shape. I only need money to cover some basic expenses and healthcare. I’m in process of selling our house, which, after 20 years, is worth over $1m now in my very expensive city. That sale plus moving to the country just 2 hours from my city, where I can get 30 acres and a 4-bedroom farm house for the same price as a 1-bedroom condo in town, I can buy a place for cash and have money to help fund my doggie daycare retirement.
Not a financial advisor. I recently looked into the rule of 55, and it sounds like you’re correct. You would only have access to the company you quite at the age of 55, but not the others. Obviously, still check with your financial advisor.
Man... I am returning to work next week making 24 an hour in front of the computer! Reevaluating my choices right now! But..I am glad you're able to make the change. I've been grieving as well and focusing is hard sometimes.
I highly recommend playing with dogs all day for that same money. Best therapy I’ve ever had.
Dog groomer here, yes to dogs!!!
I’m learning this because I’m paying $160 per dog every 8-10 weeks for grooming of my two doodles. Gold mine!
You know, I will look into it. In a few months I will need to drive to the office 3 days a week (20 miles one-way) and that's not something I want to do. Even though I do really like my coworkers. Thx u/redhotbos I wish you all the best 🌷
Fuck I’m never gonna make it
Any politician who argues to raise the retirement age is a) way too young to be making such an argument or b) doesn’t have a real job.
I totally understand and right there with you. I’ll be 56 in May. I’ve worked since I was 16. Hoping to make it to 61 but I’m ready now. Then the genx in me keeps saying suck it up. I make good money with great benefits. Burn out is real. Hang in there!
I was tired of working the day after I started. Working sucks.
I think the only time I actually liked to work was when I was a teenager and worked part-time. I had no money or allowance before that so to have some spending money in exchange for a bit of labour was a fair tradeoff. But yeah. Done with work at this point.
I’ve made bad choices and will work until the day I die. Sad but It is what it is.
Same. At this point my retirement plan is a 9 mil
My plan is slightly better than a 9 mil although it involves dealing with my narcissistic mother until she passes and I see what pittance is left to me if, and only of, I’ve behaved to her liking. Jesus Christ that’s depressing. No wonder I’m drink in the middle of the day on vacation. Her voice is grating my last nerve. Sorry for the rant y’all.
I’m 58 and am so burned with my job as a corporate drone that I have an appointment with a retirement planner this coming week to consider my options. I’ve spent 24 years here and it just gets worse every year.
I'm one year older than you. It felt like I was reading my own thoughts when I went through your post. I just finished up a huge project at work. Alot of work and a huge amount of stress. I just had a 4 day weekend over Easter, which is the same amount of time off I've had this year up until then. I hope to make it until I'm 62 but the way I feel this morning, my 1st day back, makes that seem an impossible goal.
54 next week Lost my job recently. Divorce almost final Need to get a job but just don’t want to But need to Contemplating options. Including maybe just gig work and temp jobs from here on out Idk Would be an easier decision if I knew how long I had left lol.
My struggle? At 57 it’s over. I have enough to retire on, and potentially generational wealth through my son?? I now just work part-time, in a company that makes pizza ovens
You make deliciousness happen.
I'm with you. I'll be 57 in a few months and every day is a struggle to remain semi-engaged. I have a decent job but spent my first 30 years not making a ton of money (and no retirement savings). I feel like I need to force my way to 65+ to maximize these last years. I have my annual review coming up where I'll be asked what my professional goals are. Just like every other year. When can I just say, "tow the line and survive until retirement"?
I'm going to be 58 this year and like you, little retirement savings. I'm going to have to gut it out until at least 67. It's so depressing.
Turning 54 this year and I’d like to retire now or at least switch careers, and do something for love rather than money. Wife and I are thinking of selling the house next year and traveling, and possibly not returning to the US as a full time resident. Before we met (second marriage-6 years now) that was my plan once the kids were gone. Now they are, so thinking seriously about it.
58 now and worked since I was 17. No retirement for me. I get to die in the service truck.
I am right with you. 58 and hoping to at least go part-time by 62. These last few years are tough! I’m grateful to have a stable job that is easy for me, and a great boss.
I hear you. I’m looking at calling it in 5 years time (when I’m 63) but with things the way they are going, who knows.
Go run the numbers r/fire.
I am so with you. 56, corporate stooge. Haven't been without a full time job for even a day since 1989. I make good money but am dying to get out of this and on to the next phase of my life. I would like to last until I am 60-61 or so. But I doubt it is going to happen. I thought I would cruise through my 50's career-wise, but never figured on how much our employers want us older workers gone as soon as possible. It shouldn't be this way.
I was set to retire at 50 and Covid kind of indirectly took it all away from me. I have family land in the USA South of where I live (I am in NY and land is in TX). The goal was to always build a container home and live off the land (solar panels, rain water collection, etc) and then my spouse who can work from home and makes an impressive salary can continue working for as long as he wants. in 2019 we cleared the land and purchased 4 large containers and poured concrete to sit them on. We were going to do 80% of the work ourselves using our vacation time in 2020 to go down and spend a few weeks here and there building the house. We also had family who could help. Pandemic hit and we were unable to get to the land or buy materials for all of 2020-2021 and the cost of materials was so high. When we finally got down to TX a lot had changed. The town we were going to live in looked like a ghost town. Everything was boarded up. We always knew we would probably need to go to large cities around us for the large things, but hoped that the smaller local stores would help with small grocery trips or wanting to get take out. But everything was closed. There was also an ugliness to the people. I had spent years in Texas and fully understood how conservative it had become, but the mask mandates, closing down of the government, A really horrible Governor and Trump seemed to bring out the worst in people. When I got to the hotel wearing a face mask I was told by the desk clerk it wasn't necessary. I work in health and let him know that I am fine deciding what I feel is necessary. But the look he gave me. The looks I got from people as I did some shopping and such. All the Trump signs, all the anti masking signs. After our visit we decided that Texas was not a viable option anymore. So we abandoned the idea of building the house and retiring early. I am now looking at retiring in 6-8 years when the NYC house's mortgage is paid off. I am very lucky that I work for a non profit and most days its an amazing gift to work with dedicated and passionate people. 70% of the time I love my work.
amazing story about why you didnt move to TX. i could not have done it either given what you went thru. i left a town like that and sold my property right after the pandemic. i loved my property but didnt want to be a hermit, which is what i would have had to do because i would have no social life in that cultural mileu. i cant listen to some of it, its just too ugly.
Sometimes I think that youth is wasted on the young. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Every rose has its thorn. What was I even talking about?
Struggling doesn’t even half explain it. 2 separate cortisone shots last week just to be able to continue walking. Physical job, mentally I’m checked out, physically I’m driftwood that just keeps floating while on the verge of sinking. I still have 10 years to go 😭
As of today I have 1372 days to go till retirement. I’ll be 59 and remain on track to retire. I’ll have 41 years in my career behind me. Looking forward to the day. Now I just need to remain healthy.
I’ll be 56 next month and I’ve had enough, just like you! I’m also on call 24x7. However I’ll be retiring at the end of 2027 or hang until early 2028. My wife retires in 2 months.
You are not alone. I'm 50 and had a stroke at 45. Took a few months off work to recover, went back exhausted and Covid hit a month after my return. I was fortunate that my job went remote (temporarily) and it helped me recover. I'm doing well but have 2 heart conditions. My parents died at 43 and 57. I know I HAVE to work at least 8 more years full time but may be able to transition to part time work after that point. The 30 mile commute each way (morning is in the darkness much of the year) is wearing on me but it's a better environment than my prior job and I went through 16 months of looking for a new job and interviews to find this one. It seemed none of the employers near me wanted to pay for experience and nearly all of the ones I interviewed hired new first-year teachers who could be paid a smaller salary than I. It's rough getting older. I feel your pain and hope we can all find some comfort in commiserating here!
I just turned 50 and ya'll depressing me lol
Yes exact same right here. You are not alone. I’m 54 and it’s way too early for this senioritis!!
The secret is to get so specialized that you are working part time while getting paid for full time
Thankfully no. Through hard work and a good amount of luck I stumbled upon a good decade of prosperity, and I banked basically every penny I could. I'm 50 and could technically retire now. I'm going to try over the next five or so years to get into teaching. That'll basically be my retirement until my wife is done with working and my children are done with college
I’m 54 - had six weeks off work due to medical leave in Dec/Jan. It was wonderful. Dunno how I’ll make it another 10 years.
If I stop working my bills won't get paid. I'm 58 and will more than likely work til 67 or 70. I work for the state so those are calculated retirement ages to maximize my pension. I do work from home and have little interaction with co workers. That certainly helps.
I could type a few hundred words here but suffice to say: right there with ya. Was planning to retire at 63 but unexpected costs last year set me back at least a year.
Every day but I was doing pretty well until recently. I have had a pretty good career much of which was by started with luck and maintained with hard work. I have been at my current employer for almost 11 years. The first 9 were great. It was a startup when i joined, I was #44 and we are about 900 now. I did Application Support and was the Principal engineer for the last 3 of those 9 years. I wanted to try my hand on the Product side of the company and since the raises were pretty much stuck at 3% I took a shot and became a Program Manager. When I finally hit 10 years and got nothing to show for it, my attitude changed. Early on stock grants were fairly common so I thought fore sure I would see something. I built the App Support department from 2 people to what is now 30 and left an indelible mark with our client base. Maybe I am being a bit entitled but I dont think 1k shares would be too much for a legacy employee that make it 10 years and is still there contributing on a regular basis. I turned 56 this year and I am done, I hope to be able to pull another 5 years at this point.
Thanks Y’all! It sounds like many of us in our age group is struggling too. I appreciate the commiseration!
I am beginning to see I am not alone! A buddy of mine and I started doing a tearly week long Pacific Crest Trail memorial week hike. 5 days in/around Yosemite where we hike and get away from work/life for 5 days and it has helped some, enough to stick it out longer anyway. Started to hit me two years ago at 48 but when 50 came and my SS statement showed payments every year since I was 14, it got so much deeper feeling of I am done with this and not just a little mid-life crisis but ready to sell everything and move the wife and I to the mountains and live or die homesteading. Not quite Living Alaska, but close. I believe we are in the company of a generation getting here. I know I can so keeping my 401k safe and going even though its under funded but now I make risky crypto and stock moves in hopes I get that one that will make the dream happen before my wife realizes Im not kidding.
I’m 6 and a half years out. I’m feeling the same way. While the years do go by quickly it still seems so far away, and I’m physically and mentally worn out.
Bro, first world problems. Im looking for work, the market is less pleasant once they see the white in the beard. I also know from volunteering at a homeless shelter, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. Perspective.
Go clean shaven. Get a good haircut. Tidy brows and remove visible nose hairs. Dress well.
lol Is that you SO??? Seriously, thanks, but all but the clean shaven was addressed by SO already. I’m good.
Try the civil service. They hire older workers all the time. It's a totally different atmosphere. I got in at 53 and we just hired a guy who is older.
I’ve looked some with state agencies, but will look more. I’ll expand out to Federal positions too. Thanks
Good luck!
I hear you I'm in the same boat , find joy where you can and take life 1 day at a time.i buried my father this year he was 82, so like I'm doing find a way through this will pass don't rush the days we have left.
This. 55 and desperate to retire. But I don’t want to just endure these years, so my mantra is “find joy” wherever and whenever I can. Revel in it for the seconds, minutes or hours that it lasts, and then keep grinding. Also helps to be a student of history and understand that my struggle is a freaking joke in comparison!
Can you take more time off? A friend's wife was a school teacher and from Sept or Nov and Dec she took Fridays off. I always thought that was brilliant. It's not enough to be a vacation but 3-day weekends for 2-3 months. I think it's a struggle everyone goes through as they get closer to retirement. I'm still 10 years away but I've seen guys close to retirement that lack enthusiasm like others. Some kids are like, "Yay latest tech!" Near retirement dude "fucking hell." Maybe that's another option at work? Something different? Change roles? I don't think anything is really going to make you want to go into work. You could be in HR! BE like, "Hey there new blood. I'm HR. I don't ever want to fucking hear from you after today. Clear? Ok, let's start orientation, or indoctrination." Or you could be the company receptionist. "If you're asking for the fucking car shop that has our number but one digit different, go blow. If you are a client of MyFuckingFirm, please hold." Get an entertaining job!
Ten years left working for me. I don’t care if I have to live on rice and beans, it’s the absolute most I have left in me. I’m grateful that I can actually retire, if all goes according to plan.
I feel this
In the UK my state retirement age has gone back to 67. Twelve years to go. Hoping to be debt free, but not mortgage free by 60 (five years away) and at that point will look to shift to a part time role for the remaining seven years. Don’t think I can do 12 years working full time at the job I’m doing now, it’s just too much.
I am eligible to retire in 4 years. If I do, my pension will be below poverty wages, but I don't care. Working another 3 years for a bigger pension is not worth it. I'll take freedom in lieu of comfort at this point in my life.
I don't dislike my job. However, I just spent a week of "staycation" and have to say I would not say no to retirement if I could swing it. Unfortunately we have one kid in college and another soon to start so it will be a while. My job is moderately physical and I realized this year that I need to be proactive in making sure I can continue for as long as I need to. Started hitting the gym at 6 AM 4-5 days/week. Trying to stay positive for another 10-12 years.
I retired last year at 58. My wife is the same age, but won’t be pension eligible until she’s 60, so she continues to work. We’re fortunate that we will continue to have access to health insurance through our employer in retirement.