• I've been saving for retirement for most of my career and should be on track by retirement age.
• However, I'm not sure I'll ever want to stop working.
• Not only do I love my work as a writer, I also think I'll have a hard time spending my savings.

Some people worry about not having enough money for retirement. For now, at least, I don't feel I have to worry about that. I'm 45 years old, about 20 years away from retirement age, and I've been saving and investing for retirement for most of my career in a steady, disciplined, diversified way.

Especially after making big gains in the stock market over the last few years, I'm actually feeling good about my retirement account balances. If all goes well for the next few decades, I should be in good shape to be on track for retirement. But even if and when I can afford to quit working, I still might not "retire" in any traditional sense.

I'm just not sure what I'd do in retirement — and I love my job

Retirement might sound like paradise, right? No more work! Do whatever you want! But some people struggle to make the emotional adjustment to retirement. Especially if you're used to having a stimulating, rewarding, demanding career that gives you a lot of meaning and connection, the weekdays in retirement might feel empty.

Not everyone is lucky enough to feel this way about their job, but I really love my career as a freelance writer. I love learning new things, meeting new people, and getting paid for doing what I do best. I don't want to feel bored or lonely in retirement. How do you stay busy and grounded without the structure of a career? Do I have to get hobbies or join a gym? Is this all a huge cry for help that I need to get a life?

The point is that retirement planning is not just about money. Even though I might be on track to have my everyday living expenses covered in retirement, I can't envision the day-to-day routine of how I'll fill the hours if I don't have work to keep me busy anymore. Like other would-be retirees, I'll need to think ahead about how I want to live life and what I want to do when I grow up — apparently, that big question never goes away at any age. I can't picture a future without my creative craft of writing, the work that has defined my life and everyday purpose.

I'd have a hard time spending my savings if I wasn't making an income

By the time I've saved up enough money to retire, I might feel uncomfortable spending my savings. Retirement can bring a lot of big, scary expenses like nursing home bills and end-of-life care. Or, on a happier note, I might want to help contribute to my grandchildren's college tuition or keep traveling internationally for as long as possible. Even if I'm 70 years old and in good health, I might still be worried about providing for my 85-year-old "future self" in the event that I have serious health problems and need round-the-clock care.

Feelings like these can make it hard for anyone to splurge in retirement, even for those who can afford to. Though many are putting off retirement due to financial worries, recent research has shown that some retirees actually underspend in retirement — that is, they don't spend as much of their retirement account balances as they could. I might end up being one of those "underspenders" in retirement. What if I can't bear to part with all those big, reassuring numbers in my investment account that I worked so hard to make bigger?

If I do retire in some capacity, I can't ever see myself truly putting work aside. At the very least, I think I'd get a side hustle. I love having income! Even in retirement, I like the idea of making the numbers in my brokerage account bigger.

I want to stay creative, productive, and engaged with life

After leaving his network late-night TV show, David Letterman wasn't ready to officially "retire," and I probably won't be able to either. (Not to compare myself with a legendary comedian like him.) But I like the idea of a Letterman-style retirement: instead of disappearing into oblivion, just keep showing up to do a few meaningful projects. Do what you love without the grind of a full-time job.

I will keep saving for retirement, even if I don't retire in the traditional way. Not everyone gets to keep working for as long as they want to; sometimes retirement gets imposed upon people whether they like it or not. But I'm rethinking the conventional wisdom on what a happy retirement means. I'm not afraid to keep working for many years to come.

• I was the breadwinner in my family for 10 years and learned important lessons during that time.
• I learned money actually can buy happiness, but living within your means is key.
• My time as the sole breadwinner also taught me my family benefits when I take care of myself.

During the first 10 years of my life as a parent, I was the sole breadwinner for my family of four. My wife and I are grateful to have raised our children this way, especially during their early, formative years.

Raising children as the sole breadwinner puts you through the full gamut of emotions. There was stress, exhaustion, and moments of dread — but looking back on it now, I mostly remember a lot of joy, love, and a deep sense of connection and purpose.

Being a sole breadwinner also taught me a few priceless lessons about health, wealth, and the value of time.

Just keep working — money can buy happiness

As a sole breadwinner, I had built-in motivation every day to keep expanding my earning power. At one point, I had a corporate day job and a side hustle at night. After our second child was born, I quit my cubicle job and started my own business. I figured out how to work harder, learn new skills, and make more money than I ever had before.

Don't believe anyone who says "money can't buy happiness." Boosting my income as the breadwinner bought us better options, stress relief, and freedom from fear. I'm still grateful for every paycheck.

Live simply

As a family on one income, we lowered our expectations and learned to live with less. We drove old, paid-for used cars. We took a few years off from saving for retirement. We cooked almost every meal at home. We took the kids to free activities like playgrounds and parks, and we went to the library instead of spending money at malls and movie theaters.

In order to conserve our cash flow, sometimes we had to say "no" to things that we would've liked to buy. But living simply mostly felt good — it helped me have lower stress levels and deeper connections with my family.

Take care of yourself

As a sole breadwinner, I learned that I need to take care of the money-making "engine" that is my mind and body — and that meant prioritizing self-care, exercise, and nutrition. My family won't benefit if I'm stressed out and suffering. I had to be more intentional about getting plenty of sleep, going for walks, going to therapy, and seeing a doctor for regular health checkups.

I also tried hard to make time to socialize with friends, eat good food, and unplug from work. Health is wealth, and by taking better care of my own health and wellness, my family was better off, too.

Enjoy the everyday moments

As a sole breadwinner, it's easy to fall into a pattern of feeling like life's a blur and every day is a treadmill. Some breadwinners end up checking out of family life, becoming emotionally distant or resentful, or turning into workaholics. I've had a few low moments and dark nights of the soul.

But as I look back on my time as a sole breadwinner, I'm glad that I tried to keep connecting with my family every day, even when bills were due and the bank account balance was low. I spent many hours holding our babies and reading bedtime stories, slicing up grapes and cantaloupes for little hands to hold, and getting the kids strapped into their car seats to go visit their grandparents. And I hope I said "thank you" frequently to my wife, for all the unpaid work she did that freed up my time to go make money.

I have a museum of happy memories in my mind from when my children were small. Even though the days could be stressful, my years as a sole breadwinner were some of the best times of my life. All the effort invested in my children and my career was totally worth it.