Beyond Retirement

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement , Jacquie reflects on Cyn Meyer’s idea to “schedule your spontaneity” and explores why gentle structure can make retirement freedom feel more meaningful, grounded, and enjoyable. What We Cover Why retirement freedom can sometimes feel empty How unstructured time can lead to drift Why inner work matters before filling your calendar How to build a clarity mu...

For decades, your career gave you structure, identity, and a ready answer to the question “so, what do you do?” Then retirement arrives, and suddenly that answer is gone. In this episode, Jacquie sits down with Cyn Meyer, a certified retirement life coach, the founder of Second Wind Movement, and Amazon bestselling author of The Rewire Retirement Method, to explore the psychological and neurologic...

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie reflects on a powerful story from her recent conversation with retirement coach Marianne Oehser; a story about laundry, assumptions, and the quiet resentment that can build when couples do not clearly communicate their expectations. Retirement changes more than your schedule. It changes roles, routines, responsibilities, personal space, identity,...

In this episode of the Beyond Retirement podcast, Jacquie speaks with Marianne Oehser, a certified retirement and relationship coach, co-founder of Next Chapter Lifestyle Advisors, and author of Your Happiness Portfolio for Retirement: It’s Not About the Money . Marianne brings a deeply practical perspective to retirement because she has lived through the transition herself and now helps others pr...

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement , Jacquie reflects on a powerful idea from her recent conversation with Jeff Corcoran, founder of Kinwood: family stories can disappear quickly when no one takes the time to ask for them. The episode opens with the familiar regret many people experience after losing someone, namely, realizing there were questions they never asked and stories they will neve...

Most retirees spend time planning what they'll leave behind financially. But what about the stories, lessons, and memories that make up a family's identity? In this episode of Beyond Retirement, I speak with Jeff Corcoran, founder of Kinwood, a company helping families preserve family history through digital heirlooms and celebration-of-life films. Jeff shares how a personal loss inspired him to r...

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie reflects on a powerful idea that emerged from her conversation with Anne Van Leynseele: retirement was designed for a world that no longer exists. For previous generations, retirement often meant a brief period of rest at the end of life. Today, many retirees leave work healthy, active, and facing 20 to 30 years of possibility. That creates an ent...

In this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie speaks with Anne Van Leynseele, creator of Preferment, about why the traditional idea of retirement may no longer serve today’s retirees. Anne believes that after decades of building careers, raising families, and meeting obligations, the post-career years should be viewed as a promotion rather than a withdrawal from life. We explore the identity chall...

Show Notes In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie explores a surprisingly common retirement challenge: knowing you have freedom but having no idea what to do with it. Inspired by a recent conversation with Norman Calvo, she shares a practical exercise called the “10 and 10 List”, a simple way to generate possibilities without needing to discover your life’s purpose first. If retirement...

What happens when the career that defined you for decades… no longer fits? In this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie Doucette talks with Norman Calvo, a mortgage banker of 44 years who decided (in his 60s) to run half marathons, take singing lessons, and eventually perform a sold-out one-man cabaret show in Times Square. Norman shares what it looks like to step outside the “default life,” why...

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie delves into who we become after we retire. Most of us are familiar with our "work identity", but many people struggle to define who they are after retirement. Key ideas retirement leaves a void in our personal identity as humans, we long to belong somewhere what happens when the honeymoon phase is done redefining our identity is a great opportunit...

In this episode of the Beyond Retirement podcast, Jacquie Doucette speaks with corporate anthropologist Dr. Andi Simon about why retirement is far more complex than simply leaving work. Drawing on decades of research and interviews, Dr. Simon explains how retirement often creates an identity gap between who we were during our careers and who we are becoming next. The conversation explores how peop...

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie reflects on how we can give meaning to our lives in retirement. Key Ideas retirement doesn't automatically have meaning taking time to relax as you begin retirement can be helpful the little voice in your head can help you find direction finding structure for your day is imperative purpose doesn't have to be "big" Questions to Reflect On What give...

What happens when retirement becomes an opportunity to build something meaningful rather than simply step away from work? In this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie Doucette sits down with Sandy Laneville to explore how retirement can become a time of contribution, connection, and personal growth. Sandy’s journey began with a career in municipal recreation before she chose to stay home to raise...

In this episode of Beyond Retirement, I talk about how purpose can emerge in surprising places when life changes direction. Inspired by my conversation with Marilyn Raichle, this reflection explores how presence, listening, and small moments of connection can transform the way we experience retirement. Many people enter retirement with a clear picture of what life will look like — travel, hobbies,...

What happens when retirement doesn’t look the way you expected? And what if purpose appears not through careful plans, but through simply being present? In this episode of Beyond Retirement, I’m joined by Marilyn Raichle, who has spent her life building communities through creativity, curiosity, and connection. From founding the Seattle International Children’s Festival and a national comedy festi...

Retirement gives you time—but it also removes the structure that once shaped your days. For many people, that loss of structure creates a deeper question: what replaces it? In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, inspired by my conversation with Andrew Motiwalla of The Good Life Abroad , I explore how immersive travel can help retirees rediscover confidence, connection, and purpose. Most people...

What if travel in retirement wasn’t about seeing more places—but about living more fully? In this episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie Doucette sits down with Andrew Motiwalla, founder of The Good Life Abroad , to talk about a style of retirement travel that’s changing how people 55+ experience the world: slow travel with built-in community. Andrew shares how his Peace Corps experience in Hondura...

Retirement is often framed as a financial milestone—but the deeper transition is psychological. When work ends, the identity that came with it often disappears as well. In this solo episode, Jacquie reflects on her conversation with Michael Kay about the idea of “Chapter X”—the stage of life where the structure of career gives way to something far more open-ended. What happens when the ladder of a...

Michael F. Kay spent decades as a CPA and financial professional before transitioning into life coaching focused on the emotional and identity side of retirement. In this conversation, he explains the origin of “Chapter X” (solve for X) and why many high-performing men reach retirement without a clear picture of what comes next. Together, Jacquie and Michael unpack the universal fears that show up...

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie reflects on her conversation with Jermaine Ee (founder of HeirLight) from Episode 294. She distills Jermaine’s wisdom on living intentionally, defining “enough,” and designing ordinary days that feel truly meaningful. Listeners get practical prompts and small experiments to bring more clarity, gratitude, and purpose into their daily retirement lif...

What if the goal of retirement isn’t just “more free time”… but a life you’re not trying to escape from? Jermaine Ee is a storyteller based in Los Angeles and the founder of HeirLight, a fast, modern, emotionally intelligent way to create a legally binding will, health care directive, and durable power of attorney. In this episode, Jermaine talks about the pressure to postpone life for a promised...

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie dives into the essential—yet often avoided—topic of long-term care, sparked by key takeaways from her interview with Raymond Lavine. She explores why long-term care planning matters, what can happen when caregiving needs arise unexpectedly, and how listeners can take practical steps now to protect their choices, finances, and family relationships....

Retirement is supposed to feel like freedom… until caregiving enters the picture. Raymond Lavine is a caregiving planning advocate who helps families prepare for long-term care realities before a crisis hits. He’s the host of the podcast Planning with Purpose: The Caregiver’s Blueprint and co-author of the Amazon bestseller Empathy and Understanding in Business . Raymond shares how his parents’ ex...

In this solo episode of Beyond Retirement, Jacquie draws inspiration from her conversation with Henry Quinlan—a publisher, memoirist, and passionate advocate for purposeful living in retirement. The episode explores how telling your story, reflecting on life’s turning points, and embracing new “second acts” can help you find meaning, connection, and fulfillment after the traditional working years....