Hi Reader

Before we all sprint/limp/stumble into Christmas like a reindeer with a caffeine problem, I just want to say a massive thank you. Seriously, whether you’ve read every edition of The Retirement Fix, listened to the podcast, skimmed the odd rant, shared a sketch, or just quietly judged my attempts at humour… you’re the reason this whole thing works.

You let me show up in your inbox every week and talk about the gloriously messy, existentially confusing, financially fascinating circus that is retirement, and you keep coming back! Which is either a testament to my writing or a sign you need to get out more... but either way, I’m grateful.

As we wrap up the year, I hope you get a Christmas filled with joy, rest, questionable jumpers, and at least one moment where you think, “Yep… this is what a good life feels like.” And whatever 2026 decides to throw at us... more uncertainty, more opportunity, more people retiring and immediately panicking... we’ll tackle it together.

I’m taking a short break to recharge, eat my bodyweight in mince pies, and come back in early January bigger (literally), better, and probably even more opinionated.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and thank you, genuinely, for being part of this community.

See you in January.

Dan 🎄✨

FEATURED ARTICLE

THE GRINCH WHO STOLE RETIREMENT

Let’s get something straight.

If your retirement plan were a Christmas character, it wouldn’t be Santa, or an elf, or even Rudolph on a good day.

It would be The Grinch.

Sulking, judging, and hovering in the background like a passive-aggressive relative who thinks they “could’ve done Christmas dinner better.”

And honestly? You treat retirement EXACTLY the way the Whos treated the Grinch:

You pretend he isn’t there.

Delightful strategy.

10/10 for denial. 0/10 for long-term outcomes.

Your Life Has Basically Become a Grinch Prequel

Every December, we do this thing where we make wild, deluded commitments:

“Next year will be different!” “I’ll be organised!” “I’ll get fit!” “I’ll finally understand my pension!”

Sure you will, and the Grinch is absolutely NOT halfway up a mountain polishing baubles he stole out of your future.

I want to be honest with you:

You approach retirement planning with the same energy you bring to buying Secret Santa gifts... vaguely panicked, wildly unprepared, and hoping no one notices.

You’re not a bad person, you’re just human. And humans, according to behavioural psychology, are wired to avoid anything that feels big, far away, or emotionally complicated.

Retirement? Triple threat.

The Grinch Isn’t the Villain, Your Brain Is

Let’s talk psychology, but in a Christmassy, not-boring way.

There’s something called present bias, which basically means:

“If it’s uncomfortable, Future Me can deal with it. Probably with abs, and better habits.”

You and I both know Future You will not have abs. Future You will have questions, regrets, and a drawer full of unused gym membership cards.

Present bias is the inner Grinch of your mind... hissy, dramatic, allergic to paperwork, shouting:

“DON’T THINK ABOUT RETIREMENT. HAVE ANOTHER MINCE PIE AND AVOID YOUR FEELINGS LIKE AN ADULT.”

This is why your retirement fantasies look like the end of a Christmas movie:

Snow. Peace. Hot chocolate. Maybe a golden retriever. Zero emotional nuance.

Hollywood is partly to blame, but let’s be real:

You curated that fantasy because it’s easier than facing the truth.

When the Grinch Steals More Than Christmas

Here’s the emotional (but festive) belly punch:

People think retirement is about money. Nope.

Research says the biggest shock isn’t financial, it’s identity collapse.

That bit in the movie where the Grinch stands alone on the mountain feeling utterly confused about who he is?

Yeah. That’s most people in their first year of retirement.

Except instead of a sleigh full of toys, they’re staring at a diary emptier than a Boxing Day fridge at 4 p.m.

Without preparation, retirement feels less like freedom and more like emotional vertigo. Purpose evaporates, structure collapses, and you suddenly realise: “I’ve never actually asked myself who I am without work.”

That’s when people panic. Quietly. Politely. In a very British way.

They think something’s wrong with them.

But nothing’s wrong, they just followed a script that was never written for real human beings.

How to Shrink Your Grinch (Without Carving the Roast Beast)

Here’s the lovely bit.

Remember how the Grinch’s heart grows three sizes?
One moment he’s a cynical misanthrope, the next he’s carving turkey with the Whos like he’s always been invited.

That transformation wasn’t magic.
It was meaning.

Connection.
Clarity.
Purpose.

The same stuff you need for retirement.

And the best part?

You don’t need to become a spreadsheet warrior or meditate with reindeer.

You just need to be honest with yourself in the same way the Grinch was honest when he said:

“I’ve been an arsehole, time to sort it.”

Because when you finally stop pretending retirement is some distant, fluffy chapter that will organise itself…

When you sit down and ask:

“What do I actually want my life to feel like when the endless Christmas-party-level chaos of working life stops?”

Everything shifts.

Planning stops feeling scary.
It starts feeling exciting.
Humane.
Playful, even.

Heart-growing-three-sizes stuff.

Your Grinch suddenly doesn’t need to steal retirement, because you’re building one he secretly wants to live in.

The Christmas Lesson No One Puts on a Card

Christmas gives you a lot:

Carb-loading.
Family chaos.
The annual argument about who ate all the Quality Street purple ones (you did — own it).

But it also gives you this tiny, sacred pause in the middle of the madness.

A moment where you can see, clearly, kindly, the bits of life you’ve been avoiding.

And if retirement is one of those bits, then here’s your real present this year:

Make friends with your Grinch.
He’s not your enemy, he’s your alarm clock.
Annoying, loud, impossible to ignore… but trying to wake you up.

Because the real theft isn’t him stealing your future.

It’s you giving it away by default.

So this Christmas, give yourself the one thing no one can wrap:

A future you didn’t stumble into.
A retirement that actually fits you.
A life beyond work that feels like a heart-three-sizes moment every day.

And when Future You turns around. warm, calm, fulfilled, you’ll know exactly who saved Christmas.

It wasn’t Santa.
It wasn’t Cindy Lou Who.
It was you.

With a little nudge from your inner Grinch
(who, it turns out, just wanted a hug and some clarity).

A Dr Seuss–Inspired Reality Check

⭐️ A Retirement Rhyme for the Slightly Terrified Who ⭐️

You can save for a pension,
you can make a grand plan,
but the Grinch in your brain still says,
“Run while you can!”

He whispers “Do later!”
He mutters “Not now!”
He distracts you with biscuits and sweat on your brow.

But your heart — oh, your heart —
knows there’s more you could be.
A life past the grind, full of meaning (and tea).

So don’t wait for a crisis
or some Hollywood cue.
Your retirement won’t change…
​’til the Who that changes is YOU.

PODCAST

Ep 100 - What 100 Episodes Taught Me About Retirement... And About Being Human

We did it, 100 episodes. And honestly, I’m as surprised as you are. This podcast started with me talking into a mic, hoping someone would actually listen, and now here we are, 100 episodes of exploring retirement in all its messy, emotional, beautiful glory. In this milestone episode, I dive into what I've learned: retirement isn’t about money, it’s about who you are when the job title disappears. Most people don’t “retire badly,” they just forget how to live. And if that sounds a bit harsh, it’s because it is, but it’s also real. This episode is my thank-you to everyone who’s stuck with me, laughed with me, and helped make retirement a conversation that’s as raw as it is real. Listen in now ​​​​

SKETCH OF THE WEEK

The Greatest Gift is Showing Up

For most of our working lives, we swap time for presents... the house, the holidays, the nicer version of ourselves we hope the world sees. But retirement flips the script. Suddenly, the real gift isn’t what you can buy… it’s who you can be with, how you can show up, and the space you finally have to breathe. Meaning isn’t found in the things we give or receive, it’s found in the moments we’re truly present for.

IN OTHER NEWS

What I've Read This Week

• A Guide to Starting a Successful Business After 50 - Kiplinger​
• A Christmas Carol of Retirement - Humans vs Retirement​