Five game-changing tips for everyone retiring this year
And an end of year message for our international community to wrap up our last Epic Retirement newsletter of 2024.
In this edition
Feature: Five game-changing tips for everyone retiring this year
From Bec’s Desk: It’s the last Epic Retirement newsletter of 2024
Prime Time: Bec’s mailbag: Your questions answered
Five game-changing tips for everyone retiring this year
I’ve got some food for thought for everyone stepping into their Prime Time or Epic Retirement right now.
To everyone retiring this month and next – congratulations!
What an incredible week it has been! Every few minutes in The Epic Retirement Club, someone has shared their big news: “I just finished my last shift!” “I’ve retired after 39 years as a teacher!” “I can’t believe it—I’ve just retired!”
From all corners of the globe, these announcements have been flooding our Facebook group, each one brimming with excitement and emotion. It’s enough to send chills down your spine and maybe even bring a little tear to your eye—the pure joy and anticipation in every single post is just infectious.
This week, to go with my Christmas message, I’ve got some food for thought for everyone stepping into their Prime Time or Epic Retirement right now. You’ve truly inspired me with your energy and enthusiasm. In fact, I’ve decided to officially name this time of year “Epic Retirement Week”—the week before Christmas break-up—every single year from now on.
As you head into this new phase, here are five little pieces of food-for-thought to carry with you into Christmas and beyond:
1. Time is now your currency – spend it wisely
For years, your life has been shaped by work obligations, family commitments, and the need to earn money. But now, as you sail into your Epic Retirement or Prime Time, it’s time to realise that time is your most valuable currency.
Spend it intentionally, doing things that feel meaningful to you—especially in these early days. A great way to start is by making a simple list:
Things that will give you a return on your time (joy, purpose, connection).
Things that won’t (the ones you’re ready to let go of).
Some ideas:
Make a weekly date with family members you love but haven’t had enough time for.
Dive into a hobby you’ve been putting off—or rekindle an old one.
Create a morning routine that brings you joy instead of the rush out the door.
2. Retirement isn’t a destination – it’s just the beginning
Many of you have been aiming for retirement like it’s the finish line. But here’s the truth: getting here is just the start. The good bits begin now—but only if you make them happen.
Think of this as the second (or third) act of your life. It’s a time to be curious about what’s possible:
What skills do you want to build or use in this phase?
How can you fill your days with things that light you up—like volunteering, joining a social group, or exploring a part-time job?
If it’s all too overwhelming — just pick one or two things to try on for size.
3. Start with a ‘bridge’ project to ease the transition
It’s natural to want a bit of downtime after years of work. But I challenge you to find something to jumpstart your retirement—a bridge project to help you transition.
Having something to focus on, whether it’s physical or mental, can reduce that feeling of irrelevance some people experience when they suddenly stop working (or recognise they have three months later). It gives you a sense of connection and purpose while you adjust to this new chapter and find the next things.
Ideas for a bridge project:
Tackle a home renovation or decluttering project.
Research and write your family history.
Start learning a new language and plan a trip to use it.
4. Let spending reflect your values
Yes, financial planning matters. But retirement isn’t just about money—it’s about living intentionally.
Take a moment to reflect on your spending habits. Are they aligned with what you truly care about? Use this time to reset your financial goals to match your values:
Invest in experiences over things—your future self will thank you for the memories.
Prioritise your health—it’s your greatest asset now.
Enjoy life now, while still saving wisely for later.
5. Give yourself grace – change can be messy
Retirement can feel a bit like stepping off a treadmill that’s been running for decades. It might be exhilarating, disorienting, or even unsettling. And that’s okay.
Give yourself time to find your rhythm. Embrace the mix of feelings—excitement, discomfort, even sadness—and allow them to flow through you. This is a season of self-discovery, so be patient with yourself.
Two big things to keep in mind:
You may need a few months just to relax and decompress.
You might try new things and realise they’re not for you—and that’s perfectly fine.
Lean into this phase with curiosity, not judgement. The beauty of your Prime Time and your Epic Retirement is that it’s yours to shape, one day at a time — because hopefully you have the financial confidence to not be led by the need to work anymore.
Congratulations again—your Epic Retirement or Prime Time is here. Here’s to making this Christmas and the year ahead truly unforgettable!
A version of this article was first published on our Australian newsletter here.
It’s the last Epic Retirement newsletter of 2024
What a year it has been! I have to start by saying thankyou to each and every one of you.
I have so much to be grateful for, excited about, and proud of as we wrap up 2024. But mostly, I’m just incredibly thrilled with the amazing interest in How to Have an Epic Retirement and, more importantly, in seeing so many of you building your own epic retirements so proudly and keenly all over the world.
My book ends 2024 back in the Amazon Australia Top 200, sold out across Australia in major retail bookstores, with another reprint already underway and plenty of orders in the queue. It’s also the #3 bestselling self-help book (in Australia) by an Australian author in 2024—an absolute dream come true!
The Epic Retirement Club on Facebook has grown to nearly 270,000 members worldwide and is growing like topsy. I have to give a HUGE thanks to our incredible moderation team for keeping everything running smoothly.
The Prime Time podcast has surpassed 360,000 downloads—and it’s only a year old and released weekly! A massive thank you to Nine podcasts for letting me loose. And a huge thanks to all our listeners for being such passionate supporters and recommenders of the show.
And to everyone who spreads the word about How to Have an Epic Retirement and everything I’m working on—thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The manuscript for How to Have an Epic Retirement’s International Edition/s is just over half-finished. It’s taking a little longer than I hoped - because this is hard stuff to cover across multiple countries — but it’s not that far away and it’s certainly taking shape.
And Prime Time—my next book—came back from the editor yesterday (and they didn’t change much!). I’ll be spending my holidays polishing both manuscripts into shape, and I couldn’t be more excited to share them BOTH with you in 2025.
Holiday closure updates
The Epic Retirement Club (our huge Facebook group) will be taking a break from 23rd December to 7th January.
My newsletters will pause during this time as well - but not for too long — I can’t stay away.
My regular columns in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald will return on 12th January.
The Prime Time podcast finished up this week and will resume on 16th January.
In the meantime, if you’re an Aussie or an Aussie overseas looking to retire home, the Epic Retirement Flagship Course is on sale with a 25% off Earlybird Deal, but time is ticking! If you want to lock in the best price, now’s the time to book your place—it’ll get a bit more expensive as we get closer to kickoff.
Have a wonderful holiday season.
And don’t forget to send me your letters! I love them. Please, send them to bec@epicretirement.com.au.
Many thanks! Bec Wilson
Author, podcast host, columnist, retirement educator, and guest speaker
Bec’s mail bag: your questions answered
Hello, Primetimers! It’s the final episode of Prime Time for 2024, and we're celebrating YOU—our amazing community—with stories, questions, and reflections that define what Prime Time is all about. Join Bec and producer Gen Rule for a heartwarming finale before we return in 2025 with more exciting guests and topics to inspire your Prime Time journey.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OF THE PODCAST HERE:
Last of all, if you haven’t read the book, you can order your copy from Amazon as an ebook if you’re outside Australia. The current version of the book is about 50% Aussie-focussed - particularly in the money parts.