Here Are the Best Happy Retirement Wishes, According to the Recently Retired

When a friend or coworker is facing retirement, it can be difficult to know what to say to them.

On the one hand, you know that they are embarking on a new adventure. On the other hand, you have probably heard that retirement is not always what it is cracked up to be.

Your friend may be looking forward to retirement. Or they may be terrified at the financial difficulties and potential social isolation ahead. In fact, they are probably feeling a mix of emotions.

With all of these factors at play, how can you decide on the right thing to say? Or, put another way, is there even a right thing to say?

Fortunately, the Sixty and Me community is made up of over 350,000 women over 60. Almost half of these women have already reached retirement. The rest are rapidly approaching this important milestone. As a result, we are in a unique position to answer this question.

If you have recently reached retirement age, I’d love to get your opinion on this. What do you think the best kinds of retirement wishes are? Do you think that people should stick with something generic, like “Congratulations on your retirement! I’m sure that the best is yet to come?” Or, do you think that it is better to focus on something more personal?

Are there any retirement wishes that you think are counterproductive? For example, do you think that it is harmful to say something like, “Congratulations! Now you can finally relax and take it easy!”

Let’s get a conversation started on this!

What retirement wishes do you think are most helpful? Are there any kinds of wishes that you think people should avoid entirely? Why? Please join the conversation.