How to Find Happiness in Retirement
When you think about how to find happiness in retirement, it’s not too different from finding happiness at any other point in your life except for the fact that you may have more time to fill and, depending on how much you liked your job, finding another purpose in your life. For some people who identified themselves with their job and what they did for a living, retirement can be a difficult adjustment period. The best remedy for finding a new purpose in life is to do a little self-examination and to fill the gap that was left by not having to go to a job anymore with another activity such as a hobby that will challenge you and motivate you to develop new skills and goals for the future.
The relationships you have in your life can be another source of happiness. As we age, however, the reality of life starts to creep in and sometimes losing a spouse or another member of the family or even a good friend can be a big obstacle to overcome. This is not an easy thing for anyone to get through and it’s in these times of trouble that people turn to their faith or other activities that will give them a new sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. Volunteering at a hospital, church or other worthwhile institution can make all the difference of the world. Talk to the docents or other volunteers at a historic site and you will usually find someone who is filling their life with an activity that they love. It’s a great way to meet other people and we know of one couple who met while volunteering at Williamsburg and they have struck up a wonderful friendship. Both lost their partner and almost gave up on life. Their friendship has been a life changer for both of them. Keep in mind that counseling should be sought out for severe cases of depression and that is an option that is always open to you. Depending on your financial situation, it might even be free of charge. As hard as it might be to believe after suffering a loss, there is help and hope if you seek it out.
When people wonder how to find happiness in retirement, they underestimate how much difference a simple act of kindness can make.
When you think about how to find happiness in retirement, you might overlook how important an act of kindness can be. That’s why volunteering can be so rewarding but you can be kind in other ways as well. My first job was in the restaurant industry, and I have a soft spot for anyone who serves the public in this demanding field. Do you know what a difference it can make when you are pleasant to a server and engage in friendly conversation rather than treating them like hired help? Do you know what a difference it can make when you leave a generous tip? The extra couple of dollars can bring a smile to their face even when their whole section has “turned over” all at once and they’re short two people on the floor. Talk to a restaurant owner and the most difficult thing they face is finding people to do this demanding job. We should all be nice to them and, when you are nice to people, amazing things can happen in return.
But let’s come back to something we mentioned before: hobbies. Take the time to explore activities that might be of interest to you. I’m convinced everyone has a “hidden” desire that they’ve always wanted to try. I also think when you take on a challenge and master it, you’ve come closer to figuring out what life is all about. You’re closer than ever to bringing a sense of fulfillment into your life and realizing that the secret to happiness is never outside of your own person. When people struggle with how to find happiness in retirement, it’s usually because they’ve never gotten to know themselves as well as they should. Everyone’s reason for being is contained within their heart, mind and soul but, too often, people are more worried about what’s going on with other people than what’s going on inside their own head. That may sound a little harsh but, after three quarters of a century, I’ve managed to uncover some pearls of wisdom left by other people along the way. You will find happiness by making others happy and, how you do that, is part of who you are and why you were put on this earth. Even if you think you were born to master the game of golf, you will get even more satisfaction than ever when a person who you’ve trained and mentored has that same level of success. Helping others along the way on this journey we call Life is everyone’s calling. How we do that is up to us but that’s part of the challenge. You were born to help others find happiness and create more happiness in your own life than you ever imagined. Go out and give it try. 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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