I left my job four years ago. Handed in my notice, arranged early access to my pension, cleared my desk, and didn’t even have to think ‘now what do I do?’
I’d planned for it. Financially, practically, logistically. What I hadn’t planned for was how I’d feel. And the honest answer is: I felt better than I had in years. Almost immediately.
The stress, the niggling feeling I just wasn’t in the right place – I didn’t even realise how heavy it was until it was gone.
It sounds simple. It wasn’t. The first few weeks were a strange mix of relief and restlessness. Although at first it felt like a holiday. In fact, we had our first cruise booked so that was a big focus. But the rhythm of thirty-odd years of working life doesn’t just switch off because you’ve decided it should.
One thing I hadn’t considered was what felt like a change to my identity. For most of us, work isn’t just a job; it’s a structure and a big part of how we describe ourselves to other people. I probably spent more time with my work colleagues than anyone else! For years! When that all goes, even by choice, you spend a while figuring out who you are without it.
What I found on the other side
Time. Actual, unhurried time. Time to make a proper breakfast. Time to go for a walk without checking my watch. Time to care for myself instead of sneaking a little time here and there! My skincare routines that took more than ninety seconds, evenings that didn’t end with me falling asleep on the sofa, mornings that started when I wanted. Fancied having a little afternoon out, no problem, let’s go!
My health improved. My sleep improved. I remember getting ill every time I had a week off. I didn’t realise how much chronic stress had been costing me physically until my body started to recover from it.
I’d spent decades taking care of everyone and everything else. Retirement gave me permission to take care of myself and I didn’t realise how much I needed that.
I always knew I needed to carry on doing something that connected me to other people. Something that was mine.
Where the business comes in
I’d started doing some virtual admin work so now was the time to grown that. And that has since grown into something I love. Something that I can fit in just a few hours across the week.
I was also very happy to be able to give more time to our Oriflame business. It had always run alongside my job. But in retirement, it became something different. A really special community, a wonderful group of friends. A small but real income that made retirement more comfortable without the pressure of a salary.
I want to be honest about this: it’s not a replacement career. It doesn’t need to be. What it is, for me, is a flexible, enjoyable thing that fits around my life rather than the other way around. Some weeks I put more into it. Others I don’t. That flexibility is the point.
Having both businesses gave me something unexpected, a reason to keep learning. New products, new people, digital tools I’d never touched before. I’m genuinely more curious about things now than I was at forty. And that’s exciting!
What I’d tell someone considering it
If you’re thinking about early retirement or wondering whether it’s even possible for someone like you, here’s what I’d say.
It looks different for everyone. My version won’t be yours. What I needed in retirement isn’t necessarily what you’ll need. Some people want complete rest. Some want to travel. Some want to work part-time. Some want to build something new. All of those are valid.
The one thing I’d push back on is the idea that you need everything figured out before you take the leap. I didn’t. Four years in, I’m still figuring bits of it out. That’s not a problem that’s just life, with more breathing room.
You don’t need a perfect plan. You need enough of one to start.
And if you’re somewhere near fifty and feeling the weight of a job that’s draining you more than it’s rewarding you, I see you. That feeling is real. And it doesn’t have to be permanent.
