On the Right Side of the Counter

The past several weeks I've been spending a lot of time in my favorite coffee shops while I work on my next book, 5 Great Decisions. Part of the creative process is looking away from my work for a while, letting my mind wander, clicking on the open tabs for real estate listings (we're deciding where our next home will be).

This past week, I found myself wondering what it would be like to work part-time as a barista.

The idea was prompted by a recent conversation with a 75-year-old man — let's call him Tom — who retired a couple of years ago from a career as a pharmacist. Tom said the first year of his retirement he was at loose ends, not sure what to do or where to go. He had projects around the house, but they weren't the same as having a reason to get up in the morning and leave.

It was on a trip to Home Depot that Tom got the idea to apply for a part-time job. He spoke with the hiring manager, who instantly offered him a position in the tools department. Tom explained he knew nothing about tools. It didn't matter.

I found it interesting that someone with a career as a pharmacist could find satisfaction in a job he might have gotten straight out of high school. When I mentioned this to Tom, he said he didn't need his old job back. What he needed was a place to go, people to talk to, and a way to be helpful. (He became a quick learner in the tools department.) In fact, he really appreciated not having the stress of making sure every prescription was filled perfectly.

Back to my coffee shop.

As I thought about what it would be like to be a barista for a few days a week, I knew I would gain many of the same benefits Tom talked about. But then I thought: if I were the barista and saw a customer sipping a café mocha while intently writing on her computer, so focused that she sat there for three hours, I'd want to be that person. For now, I knew I was on the "right" side of the counter.

Tom's story — and my coffee shop epiphany — got me thinking about something deeper: that disorienting feeling when retirement arrives and you're not quite sure where you belong anymore.

Maybe you've felt it too. The calendar opens up. The title disappears. And suddenly that question hits: "Who am I now?"

Tom found his answer at Home Depot. I found mine sitting in a coffee shop, realizing I'm exactly where I need to be. But for many people, especially women who've spent decades in high-level leadership roles, that answer doesn't come so easily. The loss of structure, identity, and purpose can feel overwhelming.

That's why I want to introduce you to Christine Stallard, a Retirement Lifestyle Coach who helps people navigate exactly this transition. Christine lived it herself — after decades in leadership, she walked away from the job and lost more than just the title. She lost her structure, her identity, her sense of purpose. But through that season, she discovered a new way forward, one grounded in clarity, alignment, and living with intention.

Now she helps others do the same.

If you've been asking yourself "Who am I now?" since retirement, Christine has created a practical guide: 3 Steps to Reclaim Your Identity, Purpose, and Relevance. It walks you through reconnecting with who you are now — not the title, not the résumé, but the woman you've always been; defining what this chapter looks like and why it matters; and creating an aligned daily structure and rhythm.

Christine also offers a free 45-minute Clarity Call where she helps you explore where you are now, what's missing, and what your next chapter could look like. If any of this resonates — if you've been feeling adrift or invisible or uncertain about your place in this new season — I encourage you to check out Christine's work at www.christinestallard.com.

Sometimes finding your "right side of the counter" takes a little help. Christine offers that help with wisdom, experience, and deep understanding of what this transition really feels like.