Retirement is not the end of the road; it’s the beginning of the open highway.

On the heels of the launch of my sixth book, “Flourish or Fade,” and after 21 years of working full-time, I have made the decision to retire. I have been working in the healthcare field for most of my social work career, with positions in long-term care, home care, and most recently geriatric mental health.

Retirement at this stage in my life means retiring from a job that no longer suits me. It’s been eight months since I started thinking about leaving my current position of 11 years. Perhaps it was the Covid-19 pandemic that was the icing on the cake. I had burned out while working in Home Care, so I didn’t want it to happen again. I wasn’t able to find a more suitable position so I decided to retire. My last day with my current full-time job will be on Monday, June 7, 2021. 15 more working days. The countdown is on!

I have heard it said in order to not be disappointed in retirement, an attitude of retiring TO something, versus retiring FROM something can help with the transition. With that said, I am retiring to a lifestyle where I can decide if I want to work, how much I want to work, and what kind of work I want to do. I am blessed with a great pension, some savings, and a supportive partner who helps makes this possible.

I am looking forward to the next chapter in my life. To kick off my retirement I plan to slow down, take stock, and reflect on what I want and need. I am not sure what my next steps will be – but I am keeping all my options open.

Angela G. Gentile