Have you noticed identity changes in retirement?

Happy Tuesday, everyone ☀️ This got buried yesterday, so I'm reposting -- hope you don't mind!

As we start a new week, I’ve been sitting with my January theme for the work I’m doing right now: Identity in retirement. Retirement has a way of reshaping how we see ourselves—sometimes in surprising, subtle ways, and sometimes all at once.

I’ve been wondering things like:

When work fell away, what parts of you stayed front and center?

What surprised you about who you became—or are becoming—in retirement?

Did your sense of identity feel lighter… or more untethered at first?

For those of you who are retired, I’d love to hear what you’ve noticed. And for those who are approaching retirement, I’m curious what you imagine might shift. There’s no right answer—just real experiences.

I’m finding that naming these changes, even casually, brings a lot of clarity. Looking forward to learning from your reflections as we begin the week.

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