The Slow Drift
When we first retired, everything looked perfect on paper. We had built a beautiful home overlooking the Sea of Cortez in La Paz, Mexico, and had all the time in the world. Each morning we’d take long walks with our dogs through the desert, and most afternoons were spent looking out at the ocean from our deck.
Beach trips, small projects, and endless sunshine — we were living the retirement dream everyone imagines.
And yet, quietly, we started to drift. Days began to blend together. The excitement of freedom turned into a blur of unstructured hours. What we hadn’t realized is that retiring from work doesn’t mean retiring from purpose. Without a plan or something to strive toward, the days — no matter how beautiful — began to feel empty.
Rediscovering Purpose
It was Kathy who first found a spark again. After a career as an Implementation Director at Salesforce, she missed structure and problem-solving. On a whim, she applied for a part-time cashier job at the local supermarket. It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave her a sense of rhythm and community that had been missing.
Within a couple of months, she’d been promoted — from a cashier to a full-time assistant manager and is now looking for the next step. What started as a small step turned into a brand-new career in her “second act.”
For me, it was volunteering in local soccer programs. Coaching kids, mentoring young players, and being part of a team again filled the same space that achievement and camaraderie once did in my professional life. I realized how much we all need to belong to something bigger than ourselves.
Lessons Learned
Three years into retirement — and after two unexpected heart attacks that brought us back to the U.S. — we saw things differently. Mexico had given us perspective, but the U.S. gave us access to healthcare, family, and new opportunities to contribute. We learned that retirement happiness isn’t about geography or leisure; it’s about purpose, people, and health.
We still love quiet mornings and travel when we can, but those things are the rewards — not the goals. The real goal is to stay engaged, challenged, and connected.
That’s what My Second Act Living is about: helping others navigate that same transition — from retirement fantasy to purposeful reality.
A New Chapter
If you’re planning retirement or already living it, our advice is simple: don’t retire from life.
Have a plan, but make sure it’s about more than finances. Find new ways to grow, contribute, and connect. Because your second act can be your best act — if you fill it with meaning.
Love this! So well said and EXACTLY what we experienced.