I dreamed that I was going back to my old job (I retired a month ago). An employee greeted me, “Good morning,” but as I walked to the work area, it was completely different from when I worked there. I commented that it was awful, and a coworker said it was bad that I complained in less than three seconds. I decided to just stay retired.

— Donna, 64, Tucson, AZ

Lauri: It is very common for retirees to dream of going back to work, even decades after retiring. Most often, it is because the subconscious is yearning for something to do every day, or it is simple reminiscing. Of course, there are always unique reasons for having that dream, which I think may be the case for you.

Is there a situation or relationship in your life that is completely different than it used to be? Is there anything you have been thinking about walking away from or something that is no longer “working” for you?