<p>Matthew Long, retired Navy officer and writer at <em>Beyond the Bookshelf</em>, joins me in this conversation about planning for a major life change.</p><p>Too often, we drift into the next thing simply because it’s familiar. In this conversation, Matthew explains how he avoided this drift and planned his post-retirement life after a long career in the Navy. </p><p><strong>ABOUT MY GUEST:</strong></p><p>Matthew Long spent 24 years on active duty in the Navy before retiring in 2024. His civilian life is all about being a reader, a writer, and spending a lot of time with his dog, Lola. He resides in Tennessee with Jannette, his wife of 22 years, and their 17-year-old daughter, while their eldest son is off to college.</p><p><strong>IN THIS EPISODE:</strong></p><p>- The challenges of transitioning from a structured career to an open-ended future</p><p>- How Matthew approached his retirement beyond just the financial side</p><p>- The blueprint process he used to get clear on his next steps</p><p>- Changes in family dynamics and household roles post-retirement</p><p>- How Matthew is putting his blueprint into action—and what his next chapter looks like</p><p></p><p>Check out the full show notes for this episode here: <a target="_blank" href="https://loublaser.substack.com/p/235-matthew-long">https://loublaser.substack.com/p/235-matthew-long</a></p><p></p><p>• • • • •</p><p>Subscribe to <strong>We're All Getting Older</strong>, a newsletter about living a vibrant & fulfilling life so we can die happy later: <a target="_blank" href="https://loublaser.substack.com"><strong>https://loublaser.substack.com</strong></a></p><p>Connect with Lou Blaser on Substack: <a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/@loublaser"><strong>https://substack.com/@loublaser</strong></a></p><p>Connect with Lou Blaser on LinkedIn<strong>:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/loublaser/"><strong>https://www.linkedin.com/in/loublaser/</strong></a></p><p></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to We're All Getting Older at <a href="https://loublaser.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">loublaser.substack.com/subscribe</a>