A New Beginning
The first step to enjoying retirement is shifting your mindset. This is not an end, but a new beginning. The start of a brand new journey! It’s like when you start a new job, exciting but also a little nerve-racking because you don’t have all the answers.
Embrace this new part of your life with all that it brings! It’s okay to be nervous, or even sad that you won’t be seeing co-workers every day. Don’t deny emotions you may have, rather let yourself express them to the people around you, and most importantly to yourself. When we champion the change in our lives, we take control of how it will affect us.
New Financial Perspective
You have been saving money your whole life! Every time you bought dinner, a gift or went on a vacation there was a tiny little voice in your head telling you that you needed to save more. This is what you’ve been saving for! While everyone’s financial situation looks different, retirement provides you with the ability to invest more in the things you love. Tell that little voice to shove it, and let yourself spend a little!
During this season your financial needs probably look much different than they did in years past. You probably aren’t cooking for 4 or more people every day on top of working to get them clothes, education and all the other random expenses that came with providing for your family. It’s okay to spend a bit more frivolously now that they are likely beginning to provide for themselves and their own families. Letting your perspective on personal finances change with your lifestyle, is key to understanding how you can enjoy retirement.
Staying Active
You no longer have to get to work in the morning! Hooray! While it’s great to be able to sleep in on Mondays, after a while, not having a routine or reason to get out of bed can begin to feel depressing. So, give yourself a reason to get up!
This is a season in life much like the joyous summers of your school days, that you get to choose what you spend your time doing. Maybe you spend more time with your significant other or friends in the morning with a devotional. Maybe you make a fun breakfast that takes a little more time. Or maybe you just get up to enjoy the sunrise. Whatever it is, finding something to get you out of bed is a great first step.
Lifestyle Evolution
Once you’re out of bed, it may feel like you don’t know what to do with all the time you have. It can feel as if the purpose in life is gone. But that’s simply not true, your purpose now is to enjoy what life has to the fullest. You’ve done your part by working for so long, now you can go and do whatever it is you want to do!
Dive deeper into a passion or hobby. Go explore parks and museums. Spend time with your family and friends that you would otherwise not be able to. The freedom of retirement does not have to be a burden, in fact, it’s designed to be a blessing.
Social Support
Get involved in the community, at your church, parks and event centers. Invest yourself in the things that you love! There are many events, meetings and social gatherings that happen throughout the week that you can find, but the first step is to get out there and look for them. You can start small by inviting friends and family to meet you for lunch, or coffee depending on how early you want to meet. Connecting with peers in a more one-on-one setting can be daunting, but will help cultivate unique friendships that will last a lifetime.
Three Quick Ideas
Here are a few quick ideas to consider if you're wrestling with retirement approaching or in the midst of retirement and feeling lost.
Try a Slower Transition
While it’s been a long-standing tradition to stop working cold turkey, you don’t have to do that. The transition to retirement can be a gradual one. Choose to start working part-time or working fewer hours, but still going to work. Many people are choosing to do this now since simply stopping work altogether is a drastic change that can be really challenging to cope with. And don’t worry, you can still have that epic retirement party if you choose to transition!
Woman’s Best Friend
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to pets. That being said, it has become a common trend for people entering retirement to get a new furry friend! Be it a dog, cat or another cute fluffball, having a pet can help you find some purpose and responsibility. Not only that but now you have time to spend with that new friend. You can train and play with them far more than the average person. Getting a new pet could be a great investment for you!
Your Dream Vacation
Now is the time! You don’t have to take a week off to go on a big vacation. Spending time planning and going on vacation is a great way to experience retirement. What places have you dreamed of going? What have you dreamed of doing? Take a road trip to the nearest beach and get a good tan, or fly to Europe and experience new cultures. The options are open to you now, if you like to travel, this can be an incredible way to enjoy retirement!
Retirement can be scary, and that’s understandable. This doesn’t need to be a season of mourning, but a season of new things! New experiences, memories, lifestyles, hobbies, friends and so much more!
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