I hear what you're saying Paul. For me, getting all those ducks in a row for the next person was my way of being able to “turn off the light” in one room of my life to be able to turn on the lights in another.

I used to define myself by my job, first as a journalist at nationally known publications, then as a graphic designer at two locally known design studios. But in the past 10 years, as I have been forced to transition to UX design, I also stopped defining myself by my job so much. No one gives out awards for the best user flow.

I've developed many other interests that I haven't had enough time for: writing, making art, photography, stitching. I do volunteer work. I also want to explore designing digital products for passive income. And I just got tired of “reporting to work” 40+ hours a week. My time on Earth is getting much shorter.

Does this mean it will be a snap to transition into retirement? Of course not! I can definitely envision doing something for money that enables me to use my problem solving and analytic thinking skills. But it will be on my own terms, and not for at least 6 months as a remake my life into a different one.

Thanks for reading and your comment!