After a flurry of handover meetings and farewell lunches, Jeffery Tan thought he was ready for retirement. But nothing quite prepared him for what it revealed about identity and purpose.
Commentary
After a flurry of handover meetings and farewell lunches, Jeffery Tan thought he was ready for retirement. But nothing quite prepared him for what it revealed about identity and purpose.
The silence that comes with retirement can be disorienting and this writer found himself asking a question: What happens when work no longer defines who you are? (Photo: iStock/recep-bg)
New: You can now listen to articles.
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
I accidentally retired from my decades-long career. The adjustment came with a larger identity shift.
MATTHEW MARRIAN | Retirement is more than financial freedom
The unexpected joy of downsizing slowly in retirement
The Grief Nobody Talks About When Your Career Stops Defining You
I took a 7-year career break to care for my parents. I lost my professional identity — then found a new one.
How this couple turned $750,000 into a carefree retirement
Laid off in his 40s, corporate employee shares 3 life lessons and reveals ‘the positive side of a layoff’
My retirement didn't come with a farewell party. I'd been working full-time for decades and then the work just kind of fizzled…
Retirement often promises freedom after decades of work, but the changes it brings are no less demanding than those of other…
"You don’t wake up one day and decide to lose yourself. It happens quietly, over years."
Only when we let go will we be able to reach out for something new
Retrenchment can be devastating, but it also serves as an invitation to reassess our lives, explore new possibilities, and…
Purpose and identity matter as much as savings when stepping back from work
