“To fully rest we must down tools, disengage, end the chapter.”
I’m retired after a pieced together career as a woodworker. I was never unemployed though I changed ‘jobs’ at least ten times. I’m the one sibling of eight who went to work with my hands rather than going on to college. I’ve been piecemeal reading ‘How to Retire and Not Die’. There’s a section of the book devoted to scheduling your life and it spells out something I’ve never considered until this year. (I’ll be 70 in 2 weeks).
From the moment of birth our lives are scheduled. First by time spent sleeping and being awake. Next by feeding/eating. Next by schooling. Next by socializing. And periods of study and work and play all controlled by clock and calendar and then suddenly there’s no schedule. For a lot of people it’s waking up in an unexpected void in which they alone must continue after 60 years of ‘fitting in’ and being ‘fit-in’ to the schedule that rules us all.
At a fairly late point in my work life I knew I needed a change but the mortgage and the bills and the kids and the (please pardon me) f-ing schedule had me feeling so locked in I was frozen in place and utterly depressed.
This is getting too long… That’s when I realized at about 45, that I was always self-employed. I was working for myself all that time, and I had brought ‘things’ to life and made ideas and plans into existence. For whatever it’s worth I guess I’m trying to say that what we create, what we bring into existence with our hands and our minds is the career. Those achievements are literally our proof of existence.
…something about the journey, not the destination…
Good luck and happy trails in whatever direction you choose.
Thanks Paul. I'm realising that piecing it together is probably going to be the answer rather than try and fit myself into someone else's box. Appreciate you sharing what you've learned. I'll make sure to take a look at that book, too. All the best.
Sorry to hear about this, Dan. It might seem bad, and the timing is pretty awful for sure. But we pick ourselves up, dust off, get on with it. Having a supportive other half definitely helps, of course. I ran my marathon with underlying hamstring tendinopathy - a literal pain-in-the-bum and so much worse. But I finally had to stop, admit to myself I can't fix it by myself as it keeps getting worse (yes, it doesn't help if you're in your late 40s), and have had to stop running. I walk a lot for now, try to do other things, ignore all the fitness metrics (and the fact that weight is creeping upwards) and keep telling myself enforced rest is good. I look forward to simply having no pain, for going for an enjoyable run in the future. Wishing you a joyful Christmas and a new year filled with interesting work and plenty of good runs.
Have a great holiday with your family, Dan, and I wish you the best as you start again in 2026! I had an Achilles' tendinopathy a few years ago: rehab works, but it seems never fully to go away (I still feel them sometimes... ^^'). That didn't prevent me from continuing to progress and make new PBs every year since then, even with little kids and while getting older :)
“To fully rest we must down tools, disengage, end the chapter.”
I’m retired after a pieced together career as a woodworker. I was never unemployed though I changed ‘jobs’ at least ten times. I’m the one sibling of eight who went to work with my hands rather than going on to college. I’ve been piecemeal reading ‘How to Retire and Not Die’. There’s a section of the book devoted to scheduling your life and it spells out something I’ve never considered until this year. (I’ll be 70 in 2 weeks).
From the moment of birth our lives are scheduled. First by time spent sleeping and being awake. Next by feeding/eating. Next by schooling. Next by socializing. And periods of study and work and play all controlled by clock and calendar and then suddenly there’s no schedule. For a lot of people it’s waking up in an unexpected void in which they alone must continue after 60 years of ‘fitting in’ and being ‘fit-in’ to the schedule that rules us all.
At a fairly late point in my work life I knew I needed a change but the mortgage and the bills and the kids and the (please pardon me) f-ing schedule had me feeling so locked in I was frozen in place and utterly depressed.
This is getting too long… That’s when I realized at about 45, that I was always self-employed. I was working for myself all that time, and I had brought ‘things’ to life and made ideas and plans into existence. For whatever it’s worth I guess I’m trying to say that what we create, what we bring into existence with our hands and our minds is the career. Those achievements are literally our proof of existence.
…something about the journey, not the destination…
Good luck and happy trails in whatever direction you choose.
Thanks Paul. I'm realising that piecing it together is probably going to be the answer rather than try and fit myself into someone else's box. Appreciate you sharing what you've learned. I'll make sure to take a look at that book, too. All the best.
Sorry to hear about this, Dan. It might seem bad, and the timing is pretty awful for sure. But we pick ourselves up, dust off, get on with it. Having a supportive other half definitely helps, of course. I ran my marathon with underlying hamstring tendinopathy - a literal pain-in-the-bum and so much worse. But I finally had to stop, admit to myself I can't fix it by myself as it keeps getting worse (yes, it doesn't help if you're in your late 40s), and have had to stop running. I walk a lot for now, try to do other things, ignore all the fitness metrics (and the fact that weight is creeping upwards) and keep telling myself enforced rest is good. I look forward to simply having no pain, for going for an enjoyable run in the future. Wishing you a joyful Christmas and a new year filled with interesting work and plenty of good runs.
Thank you. I hope the new year brings this for you. In the mean time, I hope you can enjoy a few festive walks this Christmas!
Have a great holiday with your family, Dan, and I wish you the best as you start again in 2026! I had an Achilles' tendinopathy a few years ago: rehab works, but it seems never fully to go away (I still feel them sometimes... ^^'). That didn't prevent me from continuing to progress and make new PBs every year since then, even with little kids and while getting older :)
Thank you. Rehab is another project that will help keep me busy. Happy holidays to you and your family!