Cervello Financial Planning

26/10/2026

What if retirement, as we understand it today, is not a natural stage of life, but a relatively recent invention?

In this episode of What Happens Next, Chris Daems explores the history of retirement, from pre-industrial communities to the factory age and the introduction of state pensions by Otto von Bismarck. He explains how the modern “learn, earn, then stop” model was created to solve an industrial problem, and why it may no longer fit the longer, healthier lives many of us now expect to live.

Chris also looks at Okinawa, Sardinia and other Blue Zones, where older people continue contributing through work, family, teaching, community and meaningful daily responsibilities. The Japanese concept of ikigai and Okinawa’s lifelong moai groups offer valuable lessons about purpose, connection and ageing well.

Most importantly, Chris shares three practical ideas for designing a better next chapter: changing the retirement narrative, retaining meaningful responsibilities and building a community beyond work.

What if retirement, as we understand it today, is not a natural sta...

20/10/2026

What happens when retirement isn’t really about stopping work but about discovering what comes next?

📘 Buy the What Happens Next book and discover practical strategies to create a purposeful, fulfilling next chapter of life.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1918097720

🧭 Take the What Happens Next Quiz to discover how prepared you are for life beyond full time work and receive personalised insights.
https://whathappensnext.life/quiz/

🌐 Visit the What Happens Next website for articles, videos, resources, events and expert guidance on creating a meaningful next chapter.
https://whathappensnext.life/

In this episode of What Happens Next, host Chris Daems is joined by Jane Thomas, founder of Premier Life Skills, to explore how Territory Mapping and Motivational Maps can help you create a more meaningful, purposeful next chapter.

Jane explains how understanding your internal motivations — alongside the people, challenges, opportunities and resources around you — can give you a clearer picture of the life you want to build.

Chris and Jane explore:

• How to recognise the warning signs of burnout and loss of purpose

• Why financial planning alone isn’t enough for retirement

• How Territory Mapping can reveal what you want to protect, grow and pursue

• The importance of curiosity, play and continued learning later in life

• Why couples may have very different visions of retirement

• How to find renewed purpose, contribution and meaning

• Why the traditional “learn, earn, rest” model may need replacing

Whether you're approaching retirement, considering a career change, or simply wondering “What do I want the next chapter of my life to look like?”, this conversation offers practical tools to help you think differently.

👍 Like the video if you found it useful.
💬 Comment below: What will your next chapter look like?
🔔 Subscribe to What Happens Next for more conversations with Chris Daems about retirement, purpose, financial wellbeing and designing a fulfilling life after work.

Watch the full video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWnwQlmq2u0

What happens when retirement isn’t really about stopping work but a...

19/10/2026

What can astronauts teach us about retirement, finding purpose and navigating the next chapter of life?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

In 1969, Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon. He was just 39 years old, having spent much of his adult life working towards that extraordinary achievement.

But what happened when he came home?

Despite achieving something remarkable, Aldrin struggled with depression, a loss of direction and the question so many people face when their working lives end: What happens next?

In this episode of What Happens Next, Chris Daems, Chartered Financial Planner and author, explores the surprising similarities between returning from space and transitioning into retirement.

We explore three important lessons astronauts can teach us about life after work:

- Why adjusting to retirement takes time, just like returning to Earth's gravity.

- Why finding your next mission matters more than holding on to your previous identity.

- How the astronaut's overview effect can help you rediscover what really matters.

Chris also shares a practical three-question mission debrief to help you design a fulfilling next chapter.

Retirement isn't simply about stopping work. It's about discovering what comes next.

📖 Get the What Happens Next book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1918097720

🌐 Explore What Happens Next:
https://www.whathappensnext.life

Watch the full video here - https://youtu.be/IgjXNeE_IKw

💬 What has work given you that you'd like to carry into retirement? Share your thoughts in the comments.

👍 Like this video and subscribe for more conversations about retirement, identity, purpose and making the most of life in your 50s, 60s and beyond.

08/10/2026

Meet Alastair

In this video Alistair shares why he decided to seek financial advice to make the most of his growing savings, how Cervello helped him define his aspirations, and why he values the honesty, friendliness and genuine connection he’s built with the team over the years, turning financial conversations into a trusted and enjoyable relationship.

08/10/2026

Where are you actually going to go when work stops?

Not on holiday.

Not where you might move to.

I mean on a completely ordinary Tuesday morning.

For most of our working lives, we have two obvious places:

**Home and work.**

Work gives us far more than a salary. It gives us routine, structure, familiar faces, conversations and somewhere to be.

Then retirement arrives and one of those major places can disappear almost overnight.

That is why I think finding a **“third place”** can be such an important part of planning life after work.

Your third place is somewhere you choose to go regularly. Somewhere that gives you community, connection and a sense of belonging.

It might be:

• A golf or padel club
• A Men’s Shed
• Parkrun
• A walking group
• A local café
• A choir
• A gardening club
• Volunteering
• A University of the Third Age group
• Or something completely different

In the article, I also share a simple **Three Visit Rule**.

If there is somewhere you have been thinking about trying, go three times before deciding whether it is for you.

The first visit might feel awkward. The second is usually easier. By the third, you have a much better idea of whether you like the people, the activity and the community around it.

Because retirement planning is not just about pensions, investments and whether you have enough money.

It is also about creating a life with **structure, purpose, relationships and community**.

📖 **Read the full article:**
https://www.cervellofp.co.uk/2026/08/27/find-your-third-place-where-will-you-go-when-work-stops/

📘 **Get the What Happens Next book:**
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1918097720

🧭 **Take the What Happens Next Quiz:**
https://whathappensnext.life/quiz/

🌐 **Explore more articles, videos and resources:**
https://whathappensnext.life/

And here is the question I would love you to think about:

**If work stopped tomorrow, where would you be next Tuesday at 9.30am?**

Chartered Financial Planners serving high-earners across South Essex: Thorpe Bay, Billericay, Stock, Chalkwell, Danbury, Shenfield & beyond. Expert wealth planning & retirement advice.

07/10/2026

If You Had One Extra Hour A Week

A powerful closing question asks what you'd really do with one extra hour every week. It might reveal exactly how you should be spending your money.

Watch the full video here - https://youtu.be/Foy5EhdN9ec

07/10/2026

When you retire, you don’t just leave a job.

You can also lose something much less obvious: your **automatic community**.

For decades, work gives many of us regular contact with other people, familiar faces, routines, conversations and a sense of belonging.

Then one day, that structure changes.

In this episode of **What Happens Next**, I explore the idea of the **“third place”**.

Not home.
Not work.
But somewhere you go regularly that gives you connection, community and a reason to show up.

Your third place might be:

• A golf or padel club
• Parkrun
• A Men’s Shed
• A walking group
• A community choir
• A gardening club
• A University of the Third Age group
• Or somewhere completely different

The important thing is not what it is.

It is that it gives you regular human connection.

I also share two practical exercises to help you assess your current social connections and find a community that feels right for you, including a simple **three visit rule**.

Because retirement planning is about far more than having enough money.

It is also about building a life with **purpose, connection, wellbeing and belonging**.

🎧 **Listen to Episode 93 here:**
https://whathappensnext.life/podcast/episode-93-retirement-can-feel-lonely-why-you-need-a-third-place-after-work/

📘 **Get the What Happens Next book:**
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1918097720

🧭 **Take the What Happens Next Quiz:**
https://whathappensnext.life/quiz/

🌐 **Explore more articles, videos, resources and events:**
https://whathappensnext.life/

And I’d love to know:

**What is your third place, or where could yours be?**

In this episode of What Happens Next, host Chris Daems explores the idea of the “third place”, somewhere that is not home or work but gives you community, connection, routine, and a sense of belonging.

06/10/2026

Meet Jake

In this video Jake talks about how important it was to create a clear plan for his and his wife’s future, how Cervello’s cashflow forecasting gave them peace of mind about never running out of money, and why he believes their trustworthy, thoughtful approach and willingness to challenge assumptions makes working with them such a positive experience.

06/10/2026

What if one of the best ways to create a happier, more meaningful life after 50 isn’t travelling more, buying more or keeping yourself busier?

What if it’s helping someone else?

In the latest episode of **What Happens Next**, I’m joined by **Emma Jellett from Southend Association of Voluntary Services (SAVS)** to explore the powerful role volunteering can play in the next chapter of our lives.

We talk about what can happen when work no longer provides the same structure, purpose and connection, and how giving your time to something you care about can help fill that gap.

Volunteering isn’t just about what you give.

It can help you:

• Meet new people and build genuine friendships
• Create a stronger sense of purpose
• Reduce loneliness and isolation
• Stay connected to your local community
• Improve your own sense of wellbeing
• Use your experience and skills to make a real difference

And you don’t need to commit every day of the week or completely reinvent your life.

Sometimes it starts with a few hours, a cause you care about and the willingness to get involved.

🎥 **Watch the full conversation here:**
https://youtu.be/Eyq7ZlGp6kc

I’d also love to know:

**If you had a few extra hours each week to give to something that mattered to you, what would you choose?**

📘 Get the What Happens Next book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1918097720

🧭 Take the What Happens Next Quiz:
https://whathappensnext.life/quiz/

🌐 Explore more at:
https://whathappensnext.life/

What if the secret to a happier and more meaningful life after 50 i...

05/10/2026

The Dreaded Retirement Question Nobody Can Answer Why does 'what do you do' feel impossible to answer after you leave work?

This clip breaks down the hidden identity crisis behind a simple dinner party question.

Watch the full video here - https://youtu.be/IwzTviZZBMU