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Today is my first day as a retiree. I am going to keep a log on how my life is changing as the first days and weeks pass.
I thought a new thread will be interesting to see how people have adjusted to their "New Beginning".
If you have just retired, or if you have been retired not long ago, let us know how did you life changed, how are you "easing into retirement". I plan to keep a log so that I can look at it a year from now, maybe sooner, once I get into an established routine as a retiree.
More on this later when the day is over. I will tell you all about how my first day went.
First off congratulations on your first day of retirement. This is the first day of the rest of your life. Now you will have time to do all the things you never got around to doing.
Congrats on your retirement. Let us know if you become more aware/more observant of your surroundings as a change in your life that you didn't anticipate.
Congratulations on your retirement - I'm sure you will love it.
I retired in February. I would say the biggest change is the lack of stress - my job was increasingly stressful in the last few years. Once I left, it was like the weight of the world lifting off my shoulders! My SO is retiring soon, and we will move in the fall, so I have not gotten involved in many activities since I know we're moving soon. Was a little concerned that I'd be bored, but the opposite is true - there is always something to keep me busy. If I'm home I love to read, do crossword puzzles, putz around the house, can get lost on the computer reading about things that interest me. I spend more time with my granddaughters, get together with friends. Life is good. Now I understand when people say they wonder how they had time to work. Good luck to you, retirement is wonderful.
CONGRATULATIONS!! I collect stuffed bears and I have one that says"Life Starts At Retirement" and that is soooo true. Without work,you will discover a whole new and exciting world out there. Being away from work allows you to enjoy life in a way not available to you when you are working. Not having to work creates the ideal time to enjoy leisure time,a time like you never had before. I have a whole new attitude which comes from less stress. Some of the benefits and changes I've noticed so far is a higher quality of life,personal growth,improved health(my blood pressure is the lowest it has been in years(110/80),higher self-esteem,excitement and adventure,quality of family life has increased, and less stress and a more relaxed lifestyle. I absolutely love it and cherish each and every day and try to enjoy them to the fullest. Hope you will do the same and best of luck to you! That's a good idea of logging. I have been journaling for years and find it very enlightening and therapeutic.
I retired last October, and am loving it. My wife retired ~ 2 weeks after I did. We really felt I was going to have a tough time adjusting to the lack of stress and pressure, so approximately 8 months before I retired I began working 4 day work weeks, and 2 months before retirement I went down to 3 day work weeks. During the long weekends I played golf, goofed off, and got ready for our planned move.
Whether the short work weeks helped, or perhaps I was just ready to give it all up, I haven't looked back. I don't miss my company, don't miss the work. Like many people I do miss my colleagues, but we stay in contact via email.
My life has changd tremendously since I retired, but all for the better. So far so good!
Its going to take awhile to get use to retirement. The first thing to expect is on the evening before you usually return to work you need to get use to that get prepared feeling;it takes awhile to sink in. You also need to rememeber that you now can slowdown because you are not rushed to get shopping at the store done and scheduling things around work. Take some time to relax while doing ordinary things you usually rush thru.
I retired from my full time 30 year job in January of 03.
Took it easy for a few weeks and then took a part time job in a machine shop and completely retired in July of 08. Guess I just wasn't used to not working and it didn't feel right to not have somewhere to go everyday. Thats why I took the part time job.
Since I was a mechanic all my life and always tinkering with mechanical things and interested in restoring old stuff I bought a couple basket case motorcycles. I am restoring them as money permits and doing something I like to do. I also bought a 1949 Plymouth to play with but it is just upkeep since it was in good shape and was a drivable surviver when I got it.
Now I work in my "man cave" (garage) and do projects around the house that I never seemed to have time to do before.
I don't miss working now and wonder where I ever found the time to hold down a job all those years. (You will hear a lot of retirees say that)
Most important thing is to find something you like to do and stay busy and keep the mind and body active for as long as health permits. If I sat in a chair all day and watched tv I'd go nuts and I suspect the body would deteriorate from lack of activity and hasten any health problems. I can't do things that I did 40, or even 10 years ago but I know I have to keep moving and stay involved with life and stay active physically and mentally. Best way to do that is to find some hobby or recreational activity you enjoy and just do it. You have plenty of free time now to do what you want, or to do things that have been neglected. But the most important thing is not to retire to the recliner. Retire to the rest of your life of doing what keeps you active and interested on your own schedule. You don't have to be on time everyday to punch the time clock.
I retired from my full time 30 year job in January of 03.
Took it easy for a few weeks and then took a part time job in a machine shop and completely retired in July of 08. Guess I just wasn't used to not working and it didn't feel right to not have somewhere to go everyday. Thats why I took the part time job.
Since I was a mechanic all my life and always tinkering with mechanical things and interested in restoring old stuff I bought a couple basket case motorcycles. I am restoring them as money permits and doing something I like to do. I also bought a 1949 Plymouth to play with but it is just upkeep since it was in good shape and was a drivable surviver when I got it.
Now I work in my "man cave" (garage) and do projects around the house that I never seemed to have time to do before.
I don't miss working now and wonder where I ever found the time to hold down a job all those years. (You will hear a lot of retirees say that)
Most important thing is to find something you like to do and stay busy and keep the mind and body active for as long as health permits. If I sat in a chair all day and watched tv I'd go nuts and I suspect the body would deteriorate from lack of activity and hasten any health problems. I can't do things that I did 40, or even 10 years ago but I know I have to keep moving and stay involved with life and stay active physically and mentally. Best way to do that is to find some hobby or recreational activity you enjoy and just do it. You have plenty of free time now to do what you want, or to do things that have been neglected. But the most important thing is not to retire to the recliner. Retire to the rest of your life of doing what keeps you active and interested on your own schedule. You don't have to be on time everyday to punch the time clock.
Some folk's can remain a busy bee like this fella then there are folk's like
me that have become disabled and "want" to be a busy bee but have to
settle for whatever they can do and like it.
One thing is sure no matter your situation.......you learn to adapt and
enjoy life anyway.
Congratulations on this huge new change in life to the OP!
So, as all us mid-50s+ co-workers were saying as we hung around at 3a on the night shift at the psych hospital, why would we retire? "So we don't have to come here anymore!"
Also, I think it is likely/possible that I will work a couple of nights a week in early retirement (defining retirement as buying annuity with my pension). Not that I'm so eager to keep working, but I don't have any plans that require me to have months off or anything. If I'm living here in my home and doing local things, I should make some walking-around money while I can. We all agreed that it would be great to, if someone makes life difficult for idiotic reasons (aka "our management system"), to just walk, knowing they don't have us under the thumb. It's a whole lot easier to do something when you feel you have more of a choice.
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. I am going to keep a log on how my life is changing as the first days and weeks pass. 
