Nearly 60, former anchor Chan Yi-yi discovers the joy of no longer chasing success

After more than 30 years in the media, former TVBS anchor Chan Yi-yi says retirement brought a discovery she had missed while constantly moving forward: “I never realized not having to chase anything could be this joyful.”

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I never realized not having to chase anything could be this joyful.

Now nearing 60, Chan left frontline journalism and began teaching at National Taiwan University’s journalism institute. She shared her reflections during an appearance on the podcast “Abundance Is the Beginning.”

Chan said she had treated work as the most important part of life when she was younger. She invested so much time and energy in her career that she once ended a relationship because of it. For people of her generation, she said, meaningful work could take priority over love.

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Love could be put to one side.

Her view changed with age. She once saw life as a path that had to rise continuously, with positions, salary and abilities all accumulating. Afraid of falling behind, she kept forcing herself to learn and catch up, always “climbing upward in a straight line.”

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Climbing upward in a straight line.

That pressure eased as she approached 60. “I can retire now. I don’t have to keep striving for and chasing something,” she said. Chan believes people eventually need to learn to simplify, accept life’s natural pace and leave room for other generations to take over. Away from corporate routines, she no longer has meetings and schedules dictating her days. She can decide when to wake up and how much time to devote to teaching and students, a freedom she says has made her feel unusually relaxed and happy.

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I can retire now. I don’t have to keep striving for and chasing something.