When I retired from healthcare, I knew one thing for certain—I wasn’t finished.
I wasn’t ready to simply “slow down,” even though that’s often the expectation. After years in a career that was demanding, meaningful, and deeply connected to people, I still needed something that would keep my mind engaged and give me a sense of purpose.
What I did understand—perhaps more than I wanted to admit at first—was just how much of my identity was tied up in that work.
In healthcare, and especially in nursing, it’s not just what you do.
It becomes who you are.
And that was part of my hesitancy. It took me a long time to actually say the words “I’m retired.” Not because I didn’t know it was time—but because stepping away from that identity isn’t a simple thing.
Over the years, my role had evolved. I didn’t just work at the bedside—I spent the last 15 years in leadership roles, working with teams, managing projects, and helping guide decisions. Along the way, I also pursued continuing education and completed my master’s degree.
Writing became a big part of that world.
Reports. Policies. Procedures. Educational materials. Memos. Essays.
I learned how to organize ideas, communicate clearly, and create resources that others could actually use. And somewhere along the way, I realized—I was good at it.
And more than that, I enjoyed it.
So when retirement came, I didn’t want to lose that part of myself.
At the same time, I found myself drawn in a slightly different direction.
I wanted to create something lighter. Something creative. Something that felt a little more playful than the structured writing I had been doing for years.
That’s where things began to shift.
I started exploring ideas I hadn’t had time for before. Some practical, some creative, and some that surprised me.
That’s how Peacock Pen Press came into the picture.
It became a way to bring all of these interests together under one umbrella. A place for writing, creating, and building something new in this stage of life.
Some of what I’m working on is practical—like my pool maintenance course and book, which grew out of years of hands-on experience.
Some of it is more creative.
I’ve started developing a children’s series around Papa G, which ties in beautifully with my husband’s own retirement plans and interests. You’ll see hints of that direction already taking shape, along with a colouring and activity book that reflects that same spirit of creativity and fun.
And then there are the unexpected projects.
A Gift to Talk About came from a simple family experience—one of those ideas that just wouldn’t let go until I wrote it down.
None of this was mapped out in advance.
It has been a process of following ideas, seeing where they lead, and giving myself permission to learn along the way.
And there has definitely been learning.
One of my Christmas gifts a few years back was a Cricut machine. It sat in the box for quite a while—life was still too busy then.
After I retired, I finally opened it.
And like anything new, there was a learning curve.
But I stuck with it.
Now I’m creating with it—making personalized items, gifts, and experimenting with ideas I wouldn’t have considered before. It’s become another creative outlet, and I can already tell it’s not the end of that journey.
Alongside all of this, I’ve also found myself back in the kitchen in a different way—writing and documenting recipes, partly for my own enjoyment and partly so they’re there for the next generation. It’s another way of preserving what we’ve learned and passing it along.
What I’ve come to appreciate is how much I truly enjoy this stage.
I’m having fun with it.
I like the learning. I like the creating. I like figuring things out—especially when there’s a bit of a learning curve involved.
And I’ve known for a long time that keeping the mind engaged isn’t just something we enjoy—it’s something that matters.
As we get older, we all become a little more aware of how important it is to stay mentally active, to keep learning, and to keep challenging ourselves in small ways.
This gives me that.
What I’ve come to realize is that retirement isn’t about stepping away from who you were.
It’s about carrying those skills forward—and using them in new ways.
For me, that means taking everything I learned over the years—communication, organization, problem-solving, and creativity—and applying it to things that feel meaningful now.
Some days are productive. Some days are slower. Some days I’m learning something completely new and wondering why I didn’t start sooner.
But that’s part of it too.
If there’s one thing I’m learning, it’s that retirement doesn’t have to be one thing.
It can evolve.
It can expand.
And it can surprise you.
Right now, I’m building something that brings together experience, creativity, curiosity…
…and a fair bit of enjoyment along the way.
And I have a feeling I’m just getting started.