After a 40-year career in banking, I retired in June.
Making the decision to retire when you’re at the top of your career is not easy. There’s a certain tension between knowing when you’re still thriving and knowing when it’s time to turn the page. For me, I knew wholeheartedly that the time was right. I never questioned whether I would find things to do—I’m simply not someone who sits still. I knew I would have to discover new ways to fill my days, and I have.
Retirement has given me the gift of time—and with it, the freedom to be intentional about how I spend it.
I’ve made new friends. I’ve had more time to help care for my elderly father. I’ve been able to travel and visit my children who live out of state, without having to work around a demanding schedule. I play mahjong regularly, continue volunteering with Dress for Success Georgia, an organization I love, and make exercise a regular part of my life.
I’ve also become more involved with the University Yacht Club, where I live and belong, volunteering my time to help plan events. My networking continues, too, because relationships and connections have always been an important part of my life.
And then there’s the luxury of doing things in slow motion.
Sometimes I take the long way home simply because I can. I spend time catching up with people I haven’t spoken to in years. I linger in my garden, growing vegetables—and getting better at it because, for once, I have the time to learn.
I wouldn’t call this slowing down.
I would call it having the joyful freedom to seek out the things I want to do—the things that make me happy—and to be fully present for them.
I haven’t looked back. Period.
Instead, I’m filled with gratitude for the 40-year career I was fortunate enough to have, for the experiences that shaped me, and most of all, for the many wonderful people I had the privilege of working with along the way.
I hope we’ll stay connected. I look forward to continuing to build new friendships, embracing new opportunities, and remaining open to whatever comes next.
This isn’t the end of a chapter.
It’s the beginning of one I get to write at my own pace.
Pink POV
Maybe the goal isn’t to retire from something. It’s to reach a point where you have the freedom to choose what you want to move toward.
June’s story is a reminder that achievement isn’t measured only by how high we climb or how long we stay. There’s power in recognizing when a chapter is complete—and having the confidence to close it while it’s still good.
Success can mean building a remarkable career. It can also mean knowing when you’ve earned the right to take the long way home.
