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Not me! I am having a great time eleven months the into retirement.
This concerns my slightly younger Sister who refused to follow my advice, and all others within a year or two of retirement. PLEASE! Determine what you want to do in retirement and make preparations in advance for those plans/activities.
I read a book in preparation for retirement entitled "How to Retire Happy Wild and Free" , at least I think that is the title, which discusses this major change of life. A slow read in parts, and the current reprint was not fully updated from the original 2004 edition, but the message and the joy & goal identification worksheets are still valid.
Analyze yourself to determine what you enjoy in life, what you want to accomplish in retirement, and put things in motion while still working toward satisfying both of those realizations.
The old adage of 'Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail' applies to retirement too. Don't wind up in therapy lamenting "Poor poor me, I feel so lost". Unless that is what you truly desire.
“Analyze yourself to determine what you enjoy in life, what you want to accomplish in retirement, and put things in motion while still working toward satisfying both of those realizations.”
Sure. But be prepared that your local environment will change (maybe through over development or new political extremism) and that you will change (perhaps in health or fitness) in ways that are out of your control. Then what?
You could move, but places you once knew have also been changed. You can research to the nth degree but what did you miss?
My best advice is to remain flexible and hope for the best. You might get lucky.
My best advice is to remain flexible and hope for the best. You might get lucky.
Yes, remain flexible and and adjust accordingly since many individuals never put enough thought or experimentation into finding out what they really enjoy and makes them happy. Many of us just embark on a career and if we are somewhat successful, we just continue on the path and that becomes out main focus for many years.
There are plenty of opportunities out there in retirement that can make us happy and can be very fulfilling ❗️
Roger, I have no idea about the book but I certainly agree with your advice. Retirement is a major life change and one we can plan for. Before actually retiring it can be a major help to consider how we want to live when work no longer controls our lives.
I got to "retire" as a test when my husband was transferred for 3 years. Found out I needed to have all aspects of my life in balance when I finally retire.
Physical Have plan for regular exercise in some form
Spiritual Identify some spiritual activities. Some like church. Some like meditation.
Creative Find some creative outlet
Charitable Do something for someone else as much as possible.
Personal Keep some fun activities in your life
Relationships Work to keep up good relationships
Educational Keep learning something all the time
Since so much has always depended on external events and entities that I have no control over I do fine with a seat-of-my-pants flight plan. Knowing my resources and giving myself permission to substitute options are vital to this style.
Guess it's a matter of personality. I've never felt comfortable locked into a plan of any type all my life and am grateful that now in retirement I can create a sense of freedom from all the conventional "you shoulds" of life.
A great boxing coach once said "you can make great plans... plan A, B, C..... until you get punched in the face..."
Or "No plan survives contact with the enemy" where the "enemy" is too much free time.
I've known people who work one or two days a week in a retail job just to get out of the house and connect with others. I've revived my own business and good thing, too -- we've hit some large unexpected expenses. And of course the cost of everything has gone up sharply.
I don't think this is a particularly good time to retire. If the sister is having difficulties, gloating about that seems an odd reaction.
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