“At some point, I will retire — and that terrifies me”

Many people get identified with their work to such an extent that retirement feels like a big question mark on what will happen to them once they are ‘released’ from what they did their whole life.

One has to see if working beyond the retirement age is an option, as many do keep working well into their 70s, comforted by the psychological security, social acceptance and financial independence that work provides.

One can start to adjust to retirement and the psychological/emotional aspects of it by planning for this.

Make two lists:

1. There are many aspects of a job that we would miss after we retire. One has to make a list of those aspects which are meaningful to us, or from which we derive maximum fulfilment.
2. Secondly, one can make a list of the minor roles that one liked doing, and would like to expand upon, like gardening, or mentoring juniors.