As we head into Thanksgiving week, today’s Five Minute Friday is all about one of the most grounding and transformative practices we have in retirement: gratitude.
I am grateful for our new sponsor, a cool clothing line called Find The Good. Here is a link to their website, where you will receive a 10% discount by using my coupon code, BOBPRESTON: Click here to shop Find The Good clothing online.
The Emotional Shift Into Retirement
Retirement isn’t just a logistical change — it’s an emotional one. The routines fade, the job titles disappear, and the calendar opens up. That newfound space can feel freeing… but also a little unsettling.
Practicing gratitude helps anchor us through this transition. It reminds us of what’s constant, what’s meaningful, and what we often overlook.
Why Gratitude Matters Even More Now
For the first time in decades, retirement gives us time — time to slow down, reflect, and actually notice our lives. When the deadlines and noise drop away, what remains?
- The people who shaped us
- The friends who supported us
- The family who lifted us up
- The moments we rushed through on the way to somewhere else
Retirement lets us finally see those things clearly — if we choose to look.
A Thanksgiving Reminder
Thanksgiving isn’t just about food (though no complaints there).
It’s a built-in pause button — a moment to look around the table, literal or symbolic, and think: “Wow. I’m lucky.”
And here’s the truth: In retirement, every day can be Thanksgiving. It’s not about the holiday — it’s about the mindset.
Your Weekend Gratitude Challenge
Before Monday arrives, try this simple exercise:
- Write down three things you’re grateful for — anything, big or small.
- Share one of them with someone you care about.
Gratitude multiplies when it’s expressed. Gratitude isn’t just a feeling —
It’s a practice, an expression, and a powerful tool for shaping this stage of life.
Wishing you a warm, connected, and grateful Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Join us as we post new episodes weekly!
Connect with Bob: BobbyP@theretiredmindset.com, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, TheRetiredMindset.com.
Episode Transcript
Hey Mindsetters, Bobby P here.
I hope you all had a fantasticThanksgiving.
I'm wearing this cool newsweatshirt from one of my new
sponsors, a clothing line calledFind the Good.
It's a brand which I find to bevery emblematic of our retired
(00:30):
mindsets that we have on thisprogram and this podcast.
Here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to put a link to their (00:34):
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site in the episode notes soyou can check out all their
clothing.
You'll also receive a10% discount on your purchases
from just listening to ourpodcast and being a part of us
here on the show.
So, regardless of whether it wassmall, flying solo, maybe
surrounded by family andfriends, I find Thanksgiving to
(00:57):
always be a special day forself-reflection and also
expressing gratitude to others.
That's what I like to do.
So here we go for TGIF! Welcometo another Five Minute Friday.
And since we're rolling withthis Thanksgiving theme, today I
kind of felt like the perfectmoment to pause, breathe, talk
(01:18):
about that exact powerful forcewe have in retirement:
gratitude, and how to express itto others that you love, you
care for, your friends, yourfamily, those you work with
still, if you have some kind ofa group you're part of and
volunteering, whatever thatmight be.
(01:38):
One of the biggest transitionswe face in retirement isn't
logistical, it's emotional.
Your routines change, thetitles fall away, the calendar
opens up, right?
And for a lot of us, that bigempty space can feel a little
unsettling.
Us empty nesters may also findour families spread across
(02:01):
different regions of the countryor even the world and harder to
get together during theholidays.
So even if we're excited aboutretirement, even if we chose
this path, it's still a shift.
But gratitude is the practice ofnoticing what's good.
(02:22):
It's what helps anchor usthrough this transition into
retirement.
There's something incrediblygrounding I find about
retirement.
For me, you know, it's thefirst time in decades that I
have the mind space to examinemy life with clarity instead of
urgency.
And when you strip away allthat noise, the busyness, the
(02:49):
deadlines, you know, what's leftfor us in our lives?
The relationships, right?
The memories, the moments wesped through on our way to
something else.
The people who shaped us, thefriends who have stuck by us,
the family who cheered us on,and sometimes held us together.
(03:11):
Retirement has given me the timeto really see all of that, but
it's only there if we choose tolook.
Thanksgiving isn't just turkeyand gravy, though I'm absolutely
not opposed to either one, as Iproved last night.
I certainly had my fill at afriend's house.
And I just want to remindeveryone to stop the momentum of
(03:36):
everyday life.
Look around the table, whetherthat table last night was
literal or figurative, and justtake this weekend to say to
ourselves, wow, I'm lucky.
And the beautiful thing thatI'm finding in retirement is
every day can be Thanksgiving,right?
(03:57):
If you want it to be, itdoesn't require a holiday.
Just that retired mindset,correct?
And here's what I'm grateful forright now, this weekend.
My community that I've created,my family, my incredible
friends, the groups that I'vebecome a part of in retirement,
and of course, all youmindsetters tuning in every
(04:19):
week.
I've found new purpose inretirement, the ability to wake
up each day and decide how Iwant to contribute, not only to
my own life and to those that Ilove and my friends, but also
back to community.
I find nature to be anincredible hero and mammoth when
the world goes quiet andgratitude gets loud.
(04:40):
And also I've got to just takea moment and be thankful for my
health because none of thismeans anything without it.
And then also the journey thatI've been on, the ups, the
downs, the unexpected turns thatbrought me here.
That's all part of getting tothis point where I can retire,
look back, appreciate it, begrateful, and show that level of
(05:02):
thanks and gratitude to thosearound me.
When I take a few minutes eachmorning to acknowledge those
blessings, the whole day changesfor me.
I show up a little differently.
I'm a little softer.
I'm a little more in themoment, perhaps more grounded,
and trying to be also moreemotionally available.
(05:24):
So here's a Thanksgivingchallenge to each of you.
Try this this weekend if youcan.
If not, when you get around toit next week, whatever it might
be.
Pick three things you'regrateful for, big or small,
whether it's something orsomebody, and write them down.
Then please take that out andshare one with someone you care
(05:49):
about.
Because gratitude grows whenit's expressed, and you will
reach out to others to touchthem with your positivity.
So as we enjoy Thanksgivingweekend, let's just remember
that gratitude isn't somethingwe feel.
It's something we practice, andit should be practiced every
day, something we express,something that changes us,
(06:11):
especially in this chapter oflife we call retirement.
All right, mindsetters, that'syour Five Minute Friday.
Go enjoy the Thanksgivingweekend.
Hug the people you love,express gratitude to your
friends, and please take amoment to appreciate just how
far you've come in your life inretirement, now that you finally
(06:33):
have a chance to enjoy it.
I'm Bobby P and this is theRetired Mindset.
Happy Thanksgiving.
And please don't forget tocheck out that link to Find
The Good clothing line, and I'llsee you next week.
Thanks for joining us today.
The Retired Mindset, five minuteFriday.
Short episodes in five minutesor less.
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