Embrace Retirement to the Fullest
Life is full of uncertainties. None of us have a guarantee for tomorrow and nobody can change the past. We can learn from our past and make every day that we’re given count, but life has a way of bringing things our way that we don’t expect. We need to look at every day we wake up as a gift and embrace retirement to the fullest. Too many people fall into a routine where there is nothing on their calendar except doctors’ appointments. Instead of accepting that as being a part of getting old, you should make it your goal to do or learn something new every day because, inevitably, a new pattern will emerge, and we’ll become the curious and adventurous person we were meant to be. Most people experience only a fraction of what this incredible world has to offer.
Embrace retirement to the fullest and make sure you live every day like it might be your last.
I meet too many people who just don’t seem to want to do anything. They say they have no desire to travel, no hobbies and nothing that really gets them excited except, perhaps, a sporting event on television. I confess that I have a problem with this approach to life and sometimes wonder if the average person is becoming a spectator rather than a participant. I know that I’m going to sound old, but we recently went out for dinner and watched a family of five sit down at a table and each person had their cellphones out in less than a minute. We have a friend who whips out her cellphone whenever someone asks a question to ask “Alexa” who whoever their electronic wizard is to get an immediate answer. What happened to the art of conversation and the brainstorming sessions that built on the ideas of those who contributed to the conversation? We can never talk about politics or any serious topic anymore because we seem to have lost the art of conversation and the magic of an intellectual debate. We’ve lost the wonder of ideas and creation and seem to have taken a seat in the audience to wait for what life has to show us rather than becoming an interactive explorer about all the amazing ideas, places and activities that this world has to offer. Again, I know I sound old, but I worked all my life at a job I could barely tolerate with the thought that my retirement was going to be a time of endless exploration. And it has been. We should embrace retirement to the fullest and experience the world in all of its glory and that includes our inner self!
I don’t think people know themselves as well as they think they do. Nothing can exist for six decades or more on this earth and not have a story to tell or questions that need to be answered or places they want to explore. I think everyone has something that interests them that they want to learn more about or new things they want to learn or try. Life is a journey and all the twists and turns that got us to where we are right now were part of a pattern that we need to explore. If you sit down and really think through the things that occurred in your life, most people can’t help but think that everything happens for a reason. The self-discovery process is not a selfish task or an exercise in self-absorption. Not at all. When we start to know ourselves better, we realize there are still some things we would like to do or try and, when can become a more complete version of the person we were meant to be, we can help others do the same. Most people don’t have the time to do this while they’re working, but retirement gives us a chance to design the rest of our life. A few years ago I created the Self Discovery Challenge for Retirement because I believe too many people have regrets and unfulfilled desires that they may not even be aware of. Instead of going through life bored with a mundane existence, we can make every day an adventure that is based upon our interests and passions. Those memories and fantasies are there for a reason and we should embrace retirement to the fullest and discover what they are.
There’s no excuse not to make the most out of life. Money should not be a reason because, even if you can’t go on a world cruise or expedition across the Himalayas, you can find travel documentaries that give you an idea of the places you want to explore. Try cooking the local delicacies or even learning another language to add to your experience and you might find yourself saving up money to at least travel locally to experience as much as you can. A hike through the Catskill Mountains may not be exactly a trek through the Himalayas but you can have a lot of fun even on the tamest mountain trail and coming across a waterfall will no doubt bring a smile to your face. Maybe you can’t get to Salzburg to experience the Sound of Music but a trip to the Von Trapp Lodge in Vermont will be a memorable trip for sure. We need to embrace retirement to the fullest in every way possible because, as we said at the top of this article, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Don’t let another day just unfold without a plan. Make a plan to make every day count because that’s what we’re here for. Make your list of dreams and then make a plan to achieve them. It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life.
Thanks for visiting. If you like what you see here, please tell your friends. If you haven’t done so already, be sure you take The Self Discovery Challenge for Retirement! It’s designed to help you make the most of this wonderful time of your life. You’re never too old to discover something new about yourself!
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