Life in Retirement
May 23, 2013 § Leave a comment
Retirement is something that you are really looking forward to. But it will not be fun if all you do is feel lonely, have no purpose in life and run out of money. SO, let’s talk about making your retirement terrific.
What are your dreams – For thirty, or more, years you have been dreaming of retirement. Not that you don’t like your job or the people with whom you work. But making your own schedule has been a goal and now it’s almost a reality.
Most people, in my experience, haven’t really thought through the details of exactly what they want to do for the thirty or so years you may live actually IN retirement. And that can make the early going less dreamy than you’d hoped.
So what are your dreams, my friend? What are you hoping to do in these years? If you are a person who enjoys completing a task, but in retirement you have no tasks, what will that mean for you?
It can’t all be napping– Being well-rested in retirement is part of a person’s usual retirement dream. Not having to wake up at a particular time and HAVE to be somewhere. But are you going to be happy spending every day with no purpose? Think about when you’ve been on vacation, sitting around all day, every day, and how just doing nothing kind of makes you more and more sleepy. After a few months of that, then what? Emotionally, sleeping all the time probably won’t result in joy.
Where do you belong – What about friends with whom to enjoy lunch out or a beer? If most of your friends are from your now former workplace, where do you now belong? The friends at work can’t always take a day off to hang out with you. They have responsibilities and time commitments. They may see you once and in a while. But soon life at work and with that circle of pals will go on, without you.
Purpose and passion– What I am leading up to is this. I recently read this sentence, ’When you work at something you love, everything else flow from it. Your social life, your friends.’ Finding your passion not only gives life purpose and makes time fly that thread of passion fills life to overflowing with joy. Friendships will naturally develop as you become acquainted with others of like-mind who can’t wait to share in your pursuit. They will share they enthusiasm with you and you with them. The phone will ring, there will be laughter and fun and you will be living life fully.
What’s the bottom line? Give your life in retirement thought. Not simply about the money, though that is a foundational element. Consider your whole life. Prepare for it like you did for the birth of your children, or your favorite vacation.
And whether you choose to get a part-time job for some extra cash or to pursue a dream work at what you enjoy. Consider going back to school to get new skills or certifications to give this passion your all. After all, you have YEARS left in life yet to be lived! Follow your passion and retirement will be just even better than you dreamed. (CR9214)
Finance with Chocolate Sauce 
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