Psychology says the grief that follows retirement isn't about losing your job - it's about the self that only existed inside the job, the one who was competent and needed and clearly defined, and that self doesn't retire when you do, it simply loses the only environment that was ever capable of calling it into existence - Silicon Canals

"Losing a job is more than losing your weekly paycheck; it often feels like losing a part of oneself. I didn't just lose a part of myself. I lost the part that felt most real."

"When we meet someone for the first time, 'What's your name?' is usually followed-almost immediately-by 'What do you do?' No wonder we end up thinking we are what we do."

Retirement poses significant challenges beyond financial planning, primarily affecting personal identity. Many individuals struggle with the loss of their professional roles, which have shaped their self-perception for decades. The transition can lead to feelings of emptiness and confusion, as individuals grapple with their identities outside of work. The societal expectation to define oneself by their job exacerbates this issue, leaving retirees to confront a new reality where they must redefine who they are without their professional titles.

Read at Silicon Canals