How it Began

From my journal entry dated 12/24/23: 

It's Sunday, Christmas Eve 2023. On Wednesday, my last day of work before the holiday break, I decided I was ready to retire. I'm sixty-seven years, 1 month, and 15 days old. I always thought I'd work until I turned seventy, have a big retirement party, and then tackle the to-be-read pile of books teetering precariously on my nightstand. But last Wednesday I changed my mind, poof, just like that I'm ready to retire and I have no plan. I am not prepared. All I know is that I'm submitting my intent to retire when I return to work on January 2nd, and hopefully will be released from my C-Suite job at a non-profit within a few weeks, 3 months at the outside. 

Now What? I did have the good sense to schedule an emergency meeting with our financial planner on the Wednesday of my retirement epiphany. My husband, who retired last year, and I learned we can live modestly on Social Security and investments because we are debt free and I'm the Queen of Frugality. Our lovely financial planner told me, "You can go back to work this afternoon singing Johnny Paycheck (Take This Job and Shove It) if you want to." His silly statement freed me. Up to that moment I was afraid my desire to retire would not be feasible. Knowing I could retire released a weight I didn't realize I'd been carrying. I floated out of his office and back to work, looking, I'm sure, like the proverbial canary swallowing cat. And, I did not tell anyone to shove it. 

Again, Now What? It is Christmas Eve morning and rather than worrying about last minute gift wrapping or when to put the turkey in the oven, I am journaling about retiring. Writing is how I work things out. I woke today not worrying about work problems for the first time in months or years, and had the crazy idea of sharing my retirement journey via social media. Surely there are others out there as ill-prepared for retirement who could benefit from, or at least laugh at, my spur of the moment retirement adventure. 

One more time, Now What? Welcome to Primo Retirement. Let's do this!