How do you picture your retirement? How did you picture it before you got there? I am sure very few of us had the same picture for both questions. Retirement itself has nothing to do with age. It is merely going from one life style to another.
I have a nephew who had enlisted in the army right out of high school.
By the time he was 30 he retired from the service and went into business for himself doing a lot of what he had learned while in the service. I have known those who have retired from more than one career. You can prepare yourself financially for retirement or survive forced retirement by knowing one thing... it will happen. We have politicians in there 70's and Judges in their 80's and all sorts of industries full of senior citizens.
Talking to others who have gone through the experience is always helpful. You do not have to settle for doing nothing... in fact I can state from first had experience that the less you do ... the less you will be able to do until you can't do anything. It is a matter of choice. It does not take money to stay active... only determination.
I have found the most successful retirees are those who have found a happy something...a hobby, a group, a volunteer assignment, or a new career.
Retirement villages are not for everyone. Traveling is not for everyone. Joining the circus is not for everyone. If you look for something to keep your mind and body active you will live longer, healthier and happier. How you picture your retirement is the difference between having a productive one and just existing until it is over.
Joining groups that have similar likes is one way of enjoying those with the same interests and even lifestyle.
That does not mean crawling into a bucket full of do nothing's and whiners. Be selective and choose your company wisely. We are not all in the same basket.
You will discover things you did not even know you were good at or discover things best of all you knew nothing about until you tried it. Retirement is a time of discovery. They are called the golden years because they are the years we can put our wisdom to work for the enjoyment of it.
Broaden your horizons to new possibilities. Explore and have fun doing it. These days with the Internet you can learn about anything.
Allow yourself time to relax but don't confuse relaxing with doing nothing at all. Do something is relaxing. Keep your mind active. The human brain is a muscle just like all the others in that it needs stimulation to remain useful. You do not have to be mobile all the time but your mind should be stimulated everyday.
Treasure this time.. Let yourself accomplish something... anything. Gardening, Golf, Swing on a swing it makes no difference what it is. Do something you enjoy. Become active at something you enjoy doing.
Don't cry about it...Do it.
Don't just whine about it. The sky is not falling... You just retired. Your life is not over you are just starting a new chapter.
Allow yourself the time to get used to your new lifestyle.
