Had a co-worker about 10 years my senior that passed up early retirement a couple times and finally retired at age 62. Bought property in SC and built a beach house there. He was in town and I had lunch with him a year later and he told me to take the first opportunity I get and don't look back and that we wished he had gone sooner.
Shortly after that I got a silver bullet offer and the numbers worked so I took it and retired at age 53. Being too young to do nothing I went to work for a friend in a completely different business double dipping with a salary and pension coming in. Did that for 5 years and then decided with a new grand son in the south it was time to do some traveling. Four years later DW retired and we bought our first 5er and became full fledged snowbirds.
72 now, my friend has long since passed on but his words stuck. Never looked back and no regrets. Are there days when I miss my work, yup. But not that many and with four grands now all at a distance with 3 in the south we are busier than ever and truly in golden years.
