What My Daughter's Yard Sale Taught Me About Retirement

Ashley Walker
Sep 12
2 min read

I didn’t expect a community yard sale to remind me of one of the biggest truths about retirement—but that’s exactly what happened last weekend. As I hauled boxes and set up tents for the community yard sale my daughter organized, I found myself watching her do something remarkable: turn what could have been chaos into something truly beautiful.

I watched my daughter transform what could have been chaos into something beautiful. She's always been naturally skilled at organization, customer service, and has an eye for design – and these happen to be things she's genuinely passionate about. What struck me was watching her put all these strengths into action at once, in service of something she truly cares about: bringing people together and creating welcoming spaces.

I watched her arrange vintage dishes, so they caught the morning light just right. She chatted with a young couple about the story behind an old rocking chair, helping them envision it in their nursery. When a neighbor got overwhelmed by all the options, she gently guided them to exactly what they needed. She'd even baked her signature cookies and made fresh-squeezed lemonade for her own daughter to sell. Her whole face changed – she was energized, engaged, fully herself.

The feedback kept coming throughout the day: "This is the most organized yard sale I've ever been to." "It feels like shopping at a boutique." "Your daughter is so kind." When you're operating in that sweet spot of skills + passion, people notice – and everyone benefits.

It hit me: this is exactly what I see missing in so many retirement conversations.

We spend so much time talking about having "enough" money, but rarely ask: enough for what? We might know we're good at spreadsheets or managing people or solving problems, but do we know what makes us come alive?

My daughter wasn't just using her organizational skills that day – she was using them in service of something she cares about. That's when skills become strengths. That's when life becomes fulfilling rather than draining.

As I helped pack up the unsold items for the next yard sale (which were surprisingly few, thanks to her approach), I found myself thinking about my clients who worry they'll be bored in retirement, or feel useless, or lose their sense of purpose.

The question isn't just "What are you good at?" It's "What are you good at that also brings you joy?