What if leaving a full-time career isn’t about retiring, but doing life differently?
Rebecca McKenzie was 55 when she stepped away from her CEO role at Glen Eira City Council after nearly a decade. She still wanted to work and contribute but she also wanted more flexibility, more time for family and travel, and space for herself.
In this episode, Rebecca describes creating a different mix of work and life, and shares why “retirement” doesn’t feel like the right word for this chapter.
Rebecca shares how walking the Portuguese Camino gave her an “Etch A Sketch moment”: an opportunity to step away from the demands of leadership and explore who she was without her job title. She also speaks candidly about what followed: the urge to have a plan, the discomfort of an emptier diary, and the guilt of not sitting at her desk all day.
Her work now includes consultancy, coaching, advisory and board roles, including Board Chair of Zoos Victoria. She describes this mix as a bento box: different pieces connected by a common theme, with enough variety to keep things interesting. But making room for the life part remains a work in progress.
We explore:
Knowing when it’s time to leave a role you’ve loved.
Building foundations for what comes next before stepping away.
Finding identity and satisfaction beyond a job title.
Choosing work that draws on your experience and fits the life you want.
Learning that you don’t have to say yes to every opportunity.
Giving yourself permission to slow down without feeling guilty.
Making choices for now, without needing them to be forever.
This is an honest conversation about continuing to contribute while changing how you work, and giving yourself time to discover what doing life differently means for you.
Guest: Rebecca McKenzie
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-mckenzie-dareconsulting/
Dare Consulting: rmckenzie.dareconsulting@gmail.com
A Message from Sue:
I offer one-on-one coaching and a variety of small-group programs which are all taking expressions of interest for 2027:
The Flourish After Fifty Circle: a podcast and book club rolled into one.
Life Beyond Work: for women preparing to retire.
Life On Your Terms: for women wanting to live more in alignment with who they are at this life stage.
Flourishing in The Messy Middle: for women who are right in the middle of change and want support as they navigate this time.
Details are available at www.flourishafterfifty.com.au
If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms, get in touch: Contact — Flourish After Fifty
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Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-west-au/