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Retirement

STOP These 8 Habits After 50 -- They're Ruining Your Retirement

October 3, 2025
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INTRODUCTION: WHY SUBTRACTION BEATS ADDITION AFTER 50

Most of us spend our first five decades in constant accumulation mode. We accumulate credentials, promotions, square footage, investments, social obligations, even digital clutter in the form of unread emails and half-finished streaming queues. By 50, the tank is full—but the calendar is not. Subtraction becomes more valuable than addition, because every “yes” to one thing is now a “no” to something else: health, time with loved ones, adventures that require stamina, or the simple luxury of a quiet Tuesday afternoon.

Working with hundreds of pre-retirees and new retirees, I’ve observed an unmistakable pattern: the happiest aren’t the ones who add more (another property, another side hustle, another exotic asset class). They’re the ones who prune. They identify habits, mind-sets, and routines that once made perfect sense but now crowd out health, happiness, and meaning. Then they let those go—deliberately, even ruthlessly. What follows are the eight biggest items my most fulfilled clients have subtracted, plus the research and anecdotes that explain why each matters.

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1. STOP TAKING TIME FOR GRANTED

The Data Point That Changes Everything

The Global Burden of Disease study finds that the average American can expect about 66 healthy-life years—years free of disabling disease or serious limitation. That means if you turn 60 this year, you can reasonably count on six “go-go” years before chronic issues begin stacking the odds against you.

A True Story

Janet, 61, had always pictured hiking the Camino de Santiago with her sister. She kept postponing because quarter-end reporting at work was “non-negotiable.” At 63 she developed spinal stenosis. Long flights and multi-day hikes are now medically inadvisable. The dream passed its expiration date while she sat in conference rooms.

Action Plan

  1. Inventory deferred dreams. Write down every “someday” goal—no matter how small or grand.
  1. Rank by health window. Activities requiring peak mobility (trekking, skiing, scuba) go to the top.
  1. Calendar, don’t contemplate. Schedule at least one “bucket-list” experience in the next 18 months. Treat it with the same seriousness you’d give a medical appointment, because in many ways it is one.
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2. STOP OVER-SAVING AND START LIVING

The Paradox of Enough

A 2023 Employee Benefit Research Institute survey found that 82% of retirees with $1 million-plus portfolios still fear running out of money, despite Monte Carlo analyses showing a near-zero probability of shortage. This psychological disconnect—call it Savers’ Fear—steals joy in exactly the years when spending offers the highest life satisfaction return on investment.

When “One More Year” Turns Into Ten

Matt and Julia, both engineers, initially told me they’d retire when their nest egg hit $2 million. At $2.1 million they moved the finish line to $2.5 million “because inflation.” At $2.7 million COVID happened, so they reasoned it was safer to wait. By the time they finally pulled the plug at $3.3 million, Matt’s sciatic pain limited the road-cycling trips he’d dreamed of. Yes, they were financially bulletproof—but some of the purchases that money was meant to fund (cycling tours through Spain) are no longer an option.

Action Plan

  • Quantify sufficiency. Use planning software (or hire a pro) to test spending levels at 90%, 100%, and 110% of your target. If the success rates hover above 85% in most market simulations, stop moving the goal posts.
  • Create a “permission to spend” fund. Carve out 2%–3% of the portfolio in a labeled account called Life First. Use it exclusively for experiences and passions in the first five years of retirement. The label alone often quiets the guilt voice.
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3. STOP COMPROMISING ON HEALTH

The Hidden Cost of Delay

Research in Health Affairs shows that medical expenses double between ages 55 and 65, in part because untreated issues finally demand attention. But the real cost is functional: an Arthritis Foundation study noted that delaying exercise until after 65 yields only half the mobility gains compared to starting in one’s 50s.

A Wake-Up Call in the Exam Room

Gary, a 58-year-old sales executive, traveled 45 weeks a year and “lived on hotel food.” After a borderline diabetic A1C reading, his doctor asked whether he wanted to spend retirement “clipped to an insulin pump or clipped into a bicycle pedal.” The imagery stuck; Gary requested phased retirement, dropped 30 pounds, and is now training for a charity century ride. He told me, “My 401(k) can’t bike for me. Only I can.”

Action Plan

  • Audit the basics: Sleep, movement, nutrition, stress. Pick the one with your lowest grade and improve it 10% this month—no heroic overhauls required.
  • Bundle fitness with future fun: Sign up for a walking safari, bike tour, or ski clinic that occurs right after your target retirement date. Paying the deposit is a forcing mechanism to stay in shape.
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4. STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN’T CONTROL

The Neuroscience

Chronic worry activates the amygdala, flooding your body with cortisol. Elevated cortisol impairs immune response and has been linked to hypertension and memory decline—literally shrinking your hippocampus over time. Translation: worry steals both quantity and quality of life.

A Portfolio Example

Consider Sharon, who checked her brokerage app 12 times a day. During 2022’s bear market, she moved half her equity exposure to cash after a scary headline, locking in a 19% loss. Markets rebounded; her portfolio lagged by six figures. When we shifted her to a rules-based allocation she could trust without daily oversight, both her sleep and her returns improved.

Action Plan

  1. Set news “office hours.” Ten minutes in the morning, ten in the evening. No doom-scrolling at bedtime.
  1. Adopt an Investment Policy Statement. A written IPS—covering target allocation, rebalancing bands, tax strategy—turns market dips from emotional events into mechanical triggers.
  1. Practice the three-bucket vision: A short-term bucket (cash), a mid-term bucket (high-quality bonds), and a growth bucket (equities, real estate). Seeing that the first two buckets cover 5–7 years of spending often quiets the fear voice during market drama.
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5. STOP SPENDING MONEY ON THINGS THAT DON’T MATTER

The Happiness Research

Cornell psychologist Thomas Gilovich showed that experiential purchases yield more enduring satisfaction than material ones because they become part of our identity and social narrative. Meanwhile, hedonic adaptation makes a new car emotionally “neutral” in about three months.

Downsizing Done Right

Donna and Lee sold their 4,200-square-foot suburban home—the one with rooms they hadn’t entered in weeks—and bought a 2,100-square-foot condo overlooking a lake plus a small pied-à-terre near their grandkids. Net result: $260k of equity freed for travel, no more yardwork, and two monthly plane tickets baked into their budget. “It feels like the house is paying us rent,” Donna laughed.

Action Plan

  • Conduct a joy audit. Line-item your ten biggest non-housing, non-health expenses last year. Rate each on a 1–10 happiness scale. Anything below 6 is a candidate for redirecting to higher-joy uses.
  • Bundle small luxuries into big memories. Instead of scattered retail therapy, save those dollars for a once-a-year family reunion or master-class weekend in something you love.
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6. STOP SPENDING TIME WITH NEGATIVE PEOPLE

The Contagion Effect

Harvard’s famed “Grant Study” found that social connection quality is the single strongest predictor of late-life happiness. Negative relationships raise cortisol, damage cardiovascular health, and shorten telomeres—literally aging you faster.

Boundary-Setting in Real Life

Ellen had a weekly lunch standing date with her college roommate, now a pervasive complainer. She left each meal drained. We role-played gracious exit lines and ways to replace that slot with a hiking club. Six months later Ellen reports higher energy, expanded friend circles, and zero guilt. The complainer found other lunch companions (negativity is never homeless).

Action Plan

  • Perform a relationship inventory. For each frequent contact ask, “Do I feel energized or diminished afterward?”
  • Set micro-boundaries. If elimination feels too harsh, start by shortening visit length, meeting in group settings, or scheduling after positive activities. Small changes compound.
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7. STOP OVER-SUPPORTING ADULT CHILDREN

The Numbers

A Merrill Lynch study shows 79% of parents give financial support to adult kids, averaging $7,000 per year—more than they save for retirement. Meanwhile, research from Family Relations suggests that excessive parental aid correlates with lower life satisfaction for the children because it delays competence milestones.

Tough Love That Worked

Carlos and Maria were paying their 28-year-old daughter’s rent while postponing their own bucket-list trip. We mapped out a three-year taper plan—rent subsidy cut in half each year, zero by year four. Their daughter found roommates and a better-paid job; Carlos and Maria booked a two-month Europe rail pass with the savings. “Turns out she’s resourceful,” Carlos said, half amused, half proud.

Action Plan

  1. Define a finish line. Assistance without an endpoint becomes entitlement. Set dates, dollar caps, or milestones (e.g., match your child’s savings contributions one-to-one, up to $X).
  1. Communicate early. Framing this as a partnership in their independence, not a punishment, preserves relationships while protecting your nest egg.
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8. STOP LIVING WITH REGRET—EMBRACE POSSIBILITIES

The Regret Litmus Test

Psychologist Daniel Pink’s research shows our deepest regrets are about inaction—things we didn’t do when we had the chance. Regret is a negative-emotion signal pointing toward values unrealized. Use it as a compass, not a cudgel.

Turning “I Wish” Into “I Will”

Roger always wanted to learn jazz piano but thought he was “too old.” At 67 he booked weekly lessons. Two years later he plays Friday open-mic nights and says he feels “like a 30-year-old with better stories.” The key wasn’t virtuosity; it was permission.

Action Plan

  • Write your future biography. Imagine it’s your 90-year-old self narrating. What accomplishments, adventures, and relationships make you smile? Anything missing becomes this decade’s action list.
  • Use the five-minute rule. Any step—booking a lesson, emailing a hiking group, researching volunteer roles—that takes under five minutes must be done immediately. Momentum defeats regret.
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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: DESIGNING YOUR SUBTRACTION ROADMAP

Letting go isn’t a one-time purge; it’s a practice. Here’s a simple framework to operationalize the eight habits:

  1. Monthly reflection: On the first Sunday, review the list of eight. Pick one area that feels most urgent.
  1. Tiny exit: Define the smallest action that reduces that habit by 10 %. (E.g., unsubscribe from one toxic social feed, skip one week of negativity lunch, move $50 from impulse buys to the travel fund.)
  1. Accountability partner: Share the plan with a spouse, friend, or planner. External eyes equal follow-through.
  1. Quarterly audit: Celebrate wins, choose the next habit to address, and repeat.

Over 12–18 months, the cumulative effect can be life-changing: more energy, more purpose, more days that feel like you—not the you your schedule or social circle or fears dictated.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Retirement isn’t a finish line; it’s a new design challenge. Traditional advice tells you to add—more investments, more hobbies, more bucket-list items. Those matter, but they can only thrive in the space you create by subtracting.

Stop treating time like an endless resource. Stop hoarding money you’ll never get to enjoy. Stop letting health slide, worry spread, or negativity monopolize your calendar. Stop disabling your adult kids by padding their every landing. And most of all, stop letting regret write your story in past tense.

Registered Representative of Sanctuary Securities Inc. and Investment Advisor Representative of Sanctuary Advisors, LLC.– Securities offered through Sanctuary Securities, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC. –  Advisory services offered through Sanctuary Advisors, LLC., an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. – Theorem Wealth Management is a DBA of Sanctuary Securities, Inc. and Sanctuary Advisors, LLC. This communication has not been reviewed for completeness or accuracy, does not necessarily reflect the views of Sanctuary Securities, Inc. or Sanctuary Advisors, LLC., and is not a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service, or issuer. Third party posts do not reflect the views of Theorem Wealth Management or Sanctuary Securities, Inc. or Sanctuary Advisors, LLC., and have not been reviewed for completeness and accuracy. All further communications from this representative must be sent from and received by [email protected]. For additional information, please refer to one of the following consumer websites: www.FINRA.org, www.SIPC.org.