I had no real plan when I retired a little over seven years ago. I actually retired after a long holiday weekend spent nursing near-pneumonia and feeling not only sorry for myself but disliking even the thought of going to work again when (and if) I felt better. I took advantage of the time off to do some math and realized that I could afford to retire now. A month later, I was no longer working!
I had been at a travel agency, and mostly enjoyed the work, but the aftermath of 9/11 was so hard on travel agencies, that there wasn't any fun in it anymore. On top of that, the agency owner and I (essentially the financial guy) didn't see eye to eye over whether we were going down the tubes or making enough to pay the bills. The agency is still there and seems to be making money, although certainly not as much as it used to.
Two years after retiring, I startled everyone by announcing my move to The Villages. I haven't regretted one minute of retirement, and highly recommend it, especially here in TV!
SWR
