But there's more. Retirees get depressed for a second reason, and you will too. Social isolation. Offices are good for some things. Free bad coffee and complaining thereof. Gossip and commiserating. Stupid video clips via email with even stupider comments. And meetings that accomplish nothing but kill a few hours with a few laughs. The job itself might be a dead end but it the web of human interactions the social environment that keeps us there Once liberated this automatic tribal unit disappears which makes the voices in your head louder Don be afraid of the existential or social challenges Freedom is like a new sport. In the beginning, the sheer newness of it is exciting enough to keep things interesting at all times. Once you have learned the basics, though, it becomes clear that to be even a half-decent player requires some serious practice. Don't fret. The greatest rewards are to come, and you're ten feet from the finish line. Frustrations and doubts. You're not alone. People say that what we are seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think this is what we're really seeking. I think what we're seeking is an experience of being alive. Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth Once you eliminate the nine-to-five and the rubber hits the road, it's not all roses and white sand bliss, though much of it can be. Without the distraction of deadlines and co-workers, the big questions, such as what does it all mean, become...