Booming Encore's Top 10 Articles of 2025

Looking back over this past year, one thing stood out again and again: we’re all trying to navigate this next chapter with purpose, honesty, and heart.

Whether you were wrestling with what retirement really means, figuring out how to use your time well, redefining identity, or simply trying to make sense of the transitions that come with aging, the conversations we had together mattered.

These were the 10 articles that sparked the most reflection, discussion, and “sent this to a friend” moments in 2025. If you missed one or want to revisit an idea that stuck with you - here’s your chance.

#1: Victory Lap Retirement

Retirement isn’t just an ending it can be the start of a renewed chapter where work becomes optional and purpose becomes central. Mike Drak offered his best selling book, Victory Lap Retirement, to download for free. And many thousands of people did just that! This book continues to resonate because so many of us are rethinking how we want to live, not just how we want to stop working.
👉 https://getbooks.boomingencore.com/victory-lap-retirement/

#2: Ask a Retirement Coach: I’m Bored and Unmotivated in Retirement

Not everyone hits retirement running. Some hit… a wall. If you’ve ever wondered “Is it just me?” - our resident Retirement Coach Toni reassures you that you’re not alone and offers a gentle starting point to rediscover motivation.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/ask-a-retirement-coach-im-bored-and-unmotivated-in-retirement-c188d6e7-973e-430c-b632-ee34328edb85

#3: Marketing to Older Consumers — Companies That “Get It”

We’re living longer, spending more, and staying engaged - yet many companies pretend people over 50 don’t exist. These examples show what happens when brands finally recognize the value and influence of older consumers.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/marketing-to-older-consumers-examples-of-companies-that-get-it-58f7b3e8-2e06-45f7-b8c7-c27d97371b32

#4: Retirement Planning Isn’t Just About Numbers — It’s About People

Of course money matters when it comes to retirement. But the emotional side of retirement often catches people off guard. In this open letter to Financial Professionals, Susan Williams tried to remind them (and all of us) that spreadsheets don’t tell the whole story of a life.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/dear-financial-planners-and-advisors-retirement-planning-isnt-just-about-the-numbersits-about-the-person-e095529a-e152-48bc-8190-9ec10f62b71c

#5: The Paradox of Retirement — Time Scarcity to Time Affluence

After decades of not having enough time, suddenly having so much can feel surprisingly overwhelming. This article seemed to resonate because it reflects a truth many quietly discover: free time doesn’t automatically equal fulfillment.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/one-of-the-paradoxes-of-retirement-shifting-from-time-scarcity-to-time-affluence-eea58ec2-e5aa-4510-8c7a-dafd17161422

#6: Can We Predict Our “Sliding Door” Moments?

We all have moments that change the direction of our lives — often without us realizing it at the time. This article explores whether we could learn to recognize those crossroads before they pass us by.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/can-we-predict-our-sliding-door-moments-d6e32bf4-8926-4ac5-a1f8-2eb55e8cba9e

#7: Gene Hackman’s Death & the Hidden Realities of Caregiving

Caregiving is love - but it’s also labor. Dr. Stephen Golant opened up conversations about age-gap relationships, caregiving strain, and the unspoken emotional cost many carry privately.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/how-gene-hackmans-death-sheds-a-light-on-the-caregiving-toils-triumphs-and-tragedies-of-a-younger-wife-7e420121-edbd-41c9-8001-05f4a35a68c5

#8: Turning 62 — What I Know for Sure (and What I’m Still Learning)

Susan Williams takes a candid look at life in our 60s: what becomes clearer, what becomes harder, and what still surprises her. Many readers said this piece made them feel seen.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/turning-62-some-things-i-know-for-sure-and-what-im-still-learning-79dbd067-7078-432b-b78c-4a0136a5eb3e

#9: Why We Need to Get Comfortable Talking About Death

It’s the conversation we avoid and yet the one that changes everything when we have it. This article pushed our readers to rethink death and our denial, preparation, and legacy with honesty and compassion.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/why-we-need-to-get-comfortable-talking-about-death-00a4c6b2-7a87-4f94-9732-1ae43720c536

#10: The Experience Dividend — Why Experiences Beat Possessions

What we remember most isn’t the things we bought - it’s the moments we lived. This article captured a truth that seemed that many other also felt deeply: time, not stuff, is what leaves the lasting imprint.
👉 https://boomingencore.com/the-experience-dividend-how-investing-in-experiences-pays-back-in-living-a-life-without-regrets-a0a9385e-3526-4289-be4b-989e9f86efa8

Thank You and Here’s to 2026!

Thank you for reading, sharing, and showing up. Not only for these articles, but for yourselves and each other. The conversations sparked here remind us that aging isn’t something that just happens to us, t’s something we actively shape, question, and redefine together.

Wherever you are in your journey, beginning retirement, reinventing yourself, caregiving, downsizing, dreaming bigger, slowing down, or speeding up - we wish you a 2026 filled with meaning, curiosity, and connection.