Retiree reflections: What surprised me most when I retired

We all have retirement dreams and aspirations, but the reality is often not what we imagined. We asked retirees what they experienced after retiring that they hadn’t expected or planned for. Here’s what they said.

Graham, 72, small business owner, retired

“I’m no longer a worrier. Things that once kept me awake at night just don’t these days. I used to fret about money, would we have enough? I worried about my health and my family’s health. Would I be able to keep things going at work by myself? I worried about our daughter and her young family, about everything really. It was a really bad habit and hard to break. Now that I have more time and energy, I spend it doing things that I really enjoy. I find myself focusing more on the good things in life. Retiring has helped me see how much I have to be grateful for.”

Susan, 72, finance production manager

“I didn’t expect to feel such a void in my world when I retired. I had always worked in a very busy environment. The finance world is stressful and exciting. My days were tightly planned, I worked long hours and the adrenalin was always pumping. When I retired, I felt empty at first, but now I have a small business teaching online courses. My hours are flexible and I’m able to engage with others in a rewarding and meaningful way, which I enjoy.”