No One Prepares Women for Retirement

Love yourself enough to make this chapter count
February Series Part 4: Be Your Own Best Friend

Most of us are in the last 30 years of our lives.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be sure the next five years are my best — because we never really know how much time we have.

• Semi-retired.

• Working part-time.

• Solo nomad.

• Grandma.

• Yoga teacher

However we define our lives right now, finding purpose — and direction — is on us.

They say that in our 60s and beyond we no longer need to ask for permission.
Honestly, I don’t remember ever asking.

I do think our generation wasn’t fully prepared
for what retirement might actually look like —
or for how long it might last.

Many of us are unprepared financially, mentally, or physically. Caretaking was certainly not on the radar.
Others had a clear path mapped out early and stayed on it for decades.
Most of us fall somewhere in between.

We can’t go back and change anything.
But we can look forward with the wisdom and experience we’ve earned.

We know what we

• love about our lives — and what we don’t.

• miss.

• still dream about.

Now is the time to pave that path intentionally.

For me, this first quarter of 2026 is about assessment and alignment — not resolutions. I’m prioritizing what matters and breaking it down into actions that will carry me through 2026 and the next five years.

That looks like:

• having real conversations about finances

• staying on top of medical care

• committing to my gym time

• continuing to develop my leadership skills

This isn’t about self-improvement for the sake of it.
It’s looking at the next five years for me.

There are more resources available to us than ever before — some traditional, some new.

Financial planners. Doctors.
Continuing education.
Online tools. AI.
Bloggers and Facebook groups created by — and for — women our age.

We need to be discerning, yes.
But we also need to be proactive.

Loving yourself today means letting your days count.
And treating yourself like your best friend
Not perfectly. Not dramatically. But intentionally.

That’s my take. What do you think?

February Series: Be Your Own Best Friend