For decades, we’ve been sold a picture of retirement as a golden era of blissful relaxation. It’s a permanent vacation filled with golf courses, beach walks, and carefree time with grandchildren. While this can be a part of the experience, it is a dangerously incomplete and overly romanticized version of reality. The transition from a life of work to a life of leisure is one of the most profound and difficult adjustments a person can make. There are a number of harsh realities and brutal truths about retirement that are rarely discussed openly. People stay silent out of pride, embarrassment, or a desire not to scare those who are still working. But silence is a disservice.
Here are ten of those difficult truths that everyone needs to face before they retire.
