I'm not retiring. But I'm starting to practice.
Beginning this January, I'm taking two random days off each month. Not vacation. Not sick days. Retirement days.
Here's why.
Last year, my daughter graduated from college and is now working full-time. My parents are both struggling with their health. My mom has emerging dementia, and I watch her lose the capacity to do things I know she wishes she'd done when she was healthier. That's clarifying in a way I didn't expect.
I also had surgery for a detached retina on New Year's Eve. It's fine now, but there's nothing like a health scare to remind you that physical capability has an expiration date. The things I want to do in retirement require a body that cooperates. Waiting until 65 to discover what I love means discovering it with less capacity to pursue it.
So I'm not waiting.
Two days a month is roughly 10% of my working time. I'm not sure what I'll do with those days yet. Maybe golf one day and a museum by myself on another. Maybe a long walk or a few hours solo in a coffee shop with a book that has nothing to do with work.
The honest truth is I've never been retired before, and I don't know anyone who does it particularly well. So I'm hoping to learn now, while I still have the energy and curiosity to figure it out.
If this works, maybe I'm 20% retired next year. Then 30%. A glide path instead of a cliff.
The guilt is real, by the way. I've worked hard my entire adult life. Taking a random Tuesday off to wander feels indulgent in a way that's hard to shake. But I think the guilt is misplaced. I've watched too many people sprint to a finish line only to arrive too exhausted or too sick to enjoy what they'd been running toward.
I'd rather practice now.
My team knows this is coming. I'm telling them — and now you — because making it public makes it real. This isn't me checking out. It's me checking in on a version of my life I've never explored while I still have the chance to shape it.
Two days a month. Let's see what I learn.