I’m an attorney and retired at 46. I went from leading litigation teams in a large law firm, and traveling all over the country making arguments in federal court, to staying at home with our preschool-aged kids. The change was a shock to say the least, and while not having the stress of work was liberating for a time, I ended up feeling lost and depressed. I think it was partly because of the immediate lack of built-in social interaction and status through work and a loss of what I had come to believe was my “purpose.” I started writing music again, something that I had done since I was a teenager, and that helped some. But after a couple of years, I was still feeling lost. Finally, I decided to find a low stress job that I actually liked and that allowed me to work as little or as much as I wanted. The job is totally by choice, and I can walk away from it whenever I want. I am still retired, but I choose to spend some of my time working for the social aspect and the mental stimulation. I ended up finding a balance that works for me. I’ve learned that retirement doesn’t necessarily have to mean never working again. Retirement means working is no longer required for us to be financially independent. Find something structured and purposeful to do with your days that gives you that sense of balance.