A Simple Ikigai Check-In: How Was 2025, Really?

2025 wasn’t an easy year for a lot of people — especially those of us in our 50s, 60s, and 70s who still want (or need) to earn.

The U.S. feels like a financial and political shitstorm right now. Groceries cost more. Savings don’t stretch. Layoffs are happening in places people thought were stable. And the story many professionals grew up believing — “work hard, stay loyal, retire peacefully” is falling apart in real time.

For many, 2025 brought the question:

“What now?”

Not in a dramatic way. Not in a hopeless way. In a practical way.

Aging doesn’t stop the bills from coming. In fact, financial pressure can grow — healthcare costs, rising living costs, and an unpredictable U.S. economy all add to daily pressure.

And when that’s the backdrop, most people at this stage aren’t chasing reinvention or trying to become someone completely new (no matter what social media gurus say — most of them are younger, have you noticed?).

People 50+ are looking for something far more grounded: a sense of stability, a sense of relevance, the ability to contribute their wisdom and experience, and a way to move forward with as much ease and peace as possible.

So before we close out this year, ask yourself three questions:

1.     What in 2025 drained me more than it supported me?

(An Ikigai lens: noticing what no longer aligns with your energy, well-being, or values.)

This might be a job, a belief, a fear, a feeling of resignation, or the idea that you’re “too old to learn something new.”

2.     What did I do this year that made me feel capable, needed, or helpful?

(An Ikigai lens: paying attention to what makes you feel alive and needed.)

What made you feel like you matter?

* Why this question is important: Research on aging shows that people who stay engaged mentally, socially, and through meaningful work report higher life satisfaction and better cognitive health than those who step back too far. Feeling useful isn’t a luxury. It’s one of the strongest predictors of well-being as we age.

3.     Where do I want more agency in 2026?

(An Ikigai lens: choosing the direction that supports your purpose, livelihood, and peace.)

Not control — agency.

* Agency: the ability to make choices about your own life — where you work, how you earn, and what you say yes or no to. Agency is the opposite of feeling stuck or dependent. It’s having room to move, even when life feels uncertain.

✔️ A way to create stability even when circumstances around you feel unpredictable.

✔️ A way to shape a life that fits your needs in place, pace, and purpose.

You don’t have to answer the above three questions perfectly.

There isn’t a correct answer. Answer them honestly.

Because 2026 is coming, whether we’re ready or not, and clarity is the first step toward stability.

And my job? To help professionals 50+ turn their existing skills into supplemental project-based digital income, so they can have the freedom to move, roam, or stay — and thrive through transition.

ASK: If you’re willing to talk with me about these questions and what they brought up for you, I would love to listen. Your thoughts and feelings help shape my work and deepen my ability to support those of us asking, “What now?”

You’re not alone in this stage of life, and your experience matters.

Please use my Calendly link to schedule some time to chat. Thank you!

https://calendly.com/duffels_and_dogs/earnremotely_thriveglobally.

Thrive Through Transition,

Jeanne