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In this week’s Five Minute Friday, host Bobby P reflects on one of the most significant emotional shifts in retirement: the loss — and rediscovery — of community. When we step away from full-time work, we don’t just give up tasks, meetings, and responsibilities; we lose the daily contact, camaraderie, and shared sense of purpose that quietly shaped our lives for decades.

Through his experiences in Mammoth’s Host Department and simple moments back home in Del Mar, Bob explores how community shows up in unexpected ways — and how essential it is for meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in retirement.

Key Takeaways

• Retirement ≠ Isolation: Stepping away from work often means stepping away from built-in social structure.
• Busy Isn’t Connected: Travel and projects fill time, but they don’t necessarily fill the connection gap.
• Community is Everywhere: Whether it’s a mountain crew swapping stories or neighbors chatting on a beach walk, community shows up in big and small ways.
• Purpose Doesn’t Retire: Staying engaged with others fuels curiosity, fulfillment, and emotional health.

Weekend Challenge

This weekend, try one of the following:

• Reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with.
• Say yes to an invitation you might normally skip.
• Join a group, club, or volunteer shift.
• Take a walk and strike up a conversation with a neighbor.

Small actions build strong communities — one conversation at a time.

Closing Thought

Stay connected.
Stay curious.
And keep building the community that makes retirement not just a phase… but a deeply meaningful journey.

Because in retirement — Soul Meets Body.

Join us as we post new episodes weekly!

Connect with Bob: [email protected], LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, TheRetiredMindset.com.