What really happens after retirement?
If you’re approaching retirement—or already there—and wondering what now?, you’re not alone. The world is full of financial advice for retirement, but there’s far less about how to actually live a fulfilling life once the 9-to-5 ends.
Beyond Retirement is the podcast that explores what comes after the career chapter. Whether your retirement was planned or unexpected, joyful or jarring, you’ll find real stories, honest conversations, and practical inspiration here.
Join host Jacquie Doucette as she shares her own journey and speaks with people who’ve reimagined life after work—some fully retired, some shifting gears, and all discovering new meaning in this next stage. From finding purpose to building community, embracing play, and navigating change, we’ll explore how to create a life that truly fits.
Because retirement isn’t the end—it’s a new beginning.
Let’s figure out what comes next, together.
In this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie speaks with Anne Van Leynseele, creator of Preferment, about why the traditional idea of retirement may no longer serve today’s retirees. Anne believes that after decades of building careers, raising families, and meeting obligations, the post-career years should be viewed as a promotion rather than a withdrawal from life.
We explore the identity challenges many people face when work ends, why so many retirees feel lost despite having financial plans in place, and how curiosity, purpose, and intentional exploration can help create a fulfilling next chapter. Anne shares practical examples of people who rediscovered forgotten passions, found new communities, and built meaningful lives around activities they genuinely enjoy.
Key Topics Covered
- Why retirement was designed for a different era
- The concept of “Preferment” and what it means
- Identity loss after leaving a successful career
- Why hobbies alone often aren’t enough
- Expanding interests into meaningful life themes
- The importance of physical, intellectual, and social engagement
- Adapting passions as circumstances change
- Relationships and marriage after retirement
- Learning to say no and let go of obligations
- Building a life based on joy rather than achievement
Guest Links
Website: rarifiedlife.com
Related Episodes
- #296 – Michael Kay – Chapter X and Finding Purpose
- #302 – Sandy Laneville – Building Community After Retirement
- #312 – Marianne Oehser – Your Happiness Portfolio for Retirement (coming soon)
*********************
Don’t forget to check out Aging With Purpose and Passion, a podcast for women over 50 navigating major life transitions.
Hosted by Beverley Glazer, MA, CCC, Work and Life Transition Coach, each episode brings you real stories, practical strategies, and expert insights from women who have faced adversity and created meaningful new chapters in life, work, health, and relationships.
If you’re feeling uncertain, invisible, restless, or ready for change, this podcast helps you gain confidence, clarity and momentum.
Because your best years were never defined by your age. They’re defined by the courage to choose what comes next. Find Aging With Purpose and Passion wherever you get your podcasts. AgingWithPurposeandPassion.com
