Good morning. I missed the last two of these. Which is a fitting place to start, because the thing I say most often is that when something slips, you don't start over, you start smaller. So here I am, starting smaller. This week: what's something you used to do that you haven't done in a while? Not something you think you should do. Something you actually liked, that quietly stopped. A few words is a complete answer. And if nothing comes to mind, that's a real answer too, and a more common one than people admit. I'll go first. I used to be more active (ride a bike, shoot hoops, play tennis). I need to find some substitutes and start gain. Matt

Who faded, and Who stayed? Good morning. Nobody warns you about the friendships in retirement. Some 'work' ones fade quietly once the shared hallway is gone. There's no falling out, the building just disappeared and took the friendship with it. A few others may get deeper than they ever were. This week: who's one person you've stayed close to since you retired... or one you thought you would, and didn't? Either half counts. A name (make it up if you want) and a few words is a complete answer. If the honest answer is that your list got shorter than you expected, say that. It's more common than anyone admits. Not retired yet? Answer it forward. Who do you think will still be there? I'll go first. Pam. We used to have lunch 3-4 times a week and connect on work and bigger life issues/ideas. I miss those days!" Lte me know in the comments how it worked or will work for you. Best, Matt

Came across this today - worth sharing: https://www.theretirementmanifesto.com/the-best-retirement-advice-ever/

Good Monday. Every Monday I ask one small question here. No homework, no wrong answers, and a one-line reply is a complete answer. This week: what's one thing on your calendar that you're actually looking forward to? Not something you have to do. Not an appointment or an errand. One thing you'd be a little disappointed to miss. And if the honest answer is nothing, say nothing. That's a real answer, it's more common than people admit, and noticing it is worth more than pretending otherwise. I'll go first: I am meeting good friends for dinner on. Looking forward to catching up with them. Let us know what's on your mind! Matt

Good Monday morning, everybody. Here is something I have been thinking about, and I want to know if it lands for you. For most of your working life, somebody handed you something new to learn whether you asked for it or not. A new charting system. A new set of regulations. A new machine, a new curriculum, a new boss with new expectations. You groaned about half of it. You learned it anyway, because you had to, and because people were counting on you to know it by Thursday. Then you retire, and that stops. Completely. No one is going to email you a new protocol. Nobody is going to require anything of your brain ever again. And the strange part is that it does not feel like a loss at first. It feels like relief. It can take a good while before you notice that the last genuinely new thing you learned was something you were made to learn, back when you still had a badge. I am not saying you need to go sign up for a class. Please do not go sign up for a class on my account. I just think this one is worth noticing, because it is quiet. It does not announce itself the way an empty calendar does. So here is the check-in question for the week. What is the last thing you learned that nobody required you to learn? It does not have to be impressive. A recipe counts. Figuring out the settings on a camera counts. A name of a bird you kept seeing in the yard counts. And "I honestly cannot remember" is a real answer too, and probably the most useful one in the whole thread. I will go first in the comments.