What Happens to Your Identity When You Retire?

For years, my identity was closely tied to my job title. It was how I introduced myself, measured success, and defined my worth. Sound familiar?

When the Work Stops, Who Are You?

When I left my corporate career, I knew that I was finished with a 9–5 (or more accurately, 8–6+) existence. Work had become habitual AND a great diversion when I didn’t want to address the dissatisfaction of who I had become. Someone on autopilot.

What I didn’t expect was the identity wobble that followed. After my trip across Canada, in the absence of the role, the deadlines, the go-go-go pace, I found myself feeling… unmoored.

And I’m not alone.

The Hidden Side of Retirement

For many high-achieving women, retirement brings more than free time. Which of these resonates with you?

– Boredom can sneak in.
– The absence of purpose can feel louder than expected.
– Some miss the spark of intellectual challenge.
– Others crave the structure they once longed to escape.

That’s why I chose not to fully retire and instead leaned into what called to me over the last six years.

A Wake-Up Call

It wasn’t easy to let life unfold as I chose my next steps day by day. The realization that “doing what I had always done would get me what I’ve always had” was a wake-up call. It was time to do things differently but what did that mean exactly? Initially, I had no idea!

A Journey Back to Myself

I wrote a book: RoundTrip: How I Found Myself on Three Wheels. It’s a story about the journey back to myself and not just across Canada, but beneath the roles and expectations I had carried for years. Committed to my own evolution, I immersed myself in personal development and went back to school to learn the skills of a coach. My path brought me to WEL-Systems Institute® and Coach Academy.

A Second Career and New Connections

Then came a second career with Coach Academy. I joke that they couldn’t get rid of me after I earned my Professional & Business Coach certification! There I met the most amazing people who illustrated beautifully that we can do what we love to support ourselves. Deep and meaningful friendships developed and I crossed paths with hundreds of beautiful souls seeking deep personal growth who want to help others. It was humbling, and I began to feel the call to focus on working with women entering retirement.

The Identity Wobble Returns

It was surprising that some of those familiar identity wobbles came back for me as I recently retired for the second time at the end of April (I’m becoming an expert at retirement!). The transition from Admissions Coach, working with a team, to going solo tripped me up for a few weeks. I found all sorts of things to occupy my time so I didn’t have to face the uncertainty that initially presented and none of it supported my purpose.

Back to Purpose

Back to purpose! It has less to do with scheduling tools, emails and blog posts than I thought. Now, I’m engaging in conversations with women who are navigating their own “Who do I want to be?” with curiosity and courage. By changing my focus to purpose, all sorts of opportunities are opening up for my own growth as I guide others along the way. The truth is that I learn as much about myself while coaching as my clients do about themselves.

As the proverb goes, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”

Your Retirement Invitation

Retirement isn’t a finish line. It’s a reintroduction to yourself — and an invitation to create something meaningful and new.

🌀 What’s waiting to be rediscovered in you?

You don’t have to navigate this alone. Let’s explore it together.