[phyzix5761]

There's meaning in the pain. I retired last year and for the first six months I felt lost and empty inside, like there was no meaning or purpose to my life. It wasn't until I started doing volunteer work that I found meaning again but for a while it was rough. I don't know if its an evolutionary side effect but humans need structure and goals in life which work provides.

[k1m]

I agree, but I think it's a shame that this purpose to life is tied to jobs. It's understandable, because pretty much everyone's path in life is schooling, then a job. So the job becomes our purpose and identity. Job loss can then create a void that people don't know how to fill, because it's all they've had.

[N_Lens]

I know several people who really enjoyed/are enjoying their retirements without feeling this inner emptiness and feeling of being lost. I think you're generalizing to all humans from your individual experience when it is not the general rule.