RETIREMENT
It's Finally Here!
One of the greatest feelings in my life was to reach my final day of work. I hate to admit it, but I never liked working. I never found a job that I really loved. I came close a few times in my career but there was never a time that I couldn’t wait to get to my desk. I had too many other things that interested me. Work always took second place, or even third or fourth. They paid me well, I’m happy to say, but there’s a freedom that you find in retirement that is truly one of life’s great pleasures.
For some people, retirement represents too much freedom. They struggle with the lack of structure and direction. That’s one of the reasons this website was created: to help people through that drastic change of lifestyle and offer suggestions on how to fill the time in your day. Hopefully, you’ll think of this website as an orientation to the different areas that retirement offers, and you may even find a bit of advice on what to do if the financial conditions you’re facing are not all that you hoped for.
Retirement is Time to Explore New Things.....
Retirement, of course, isn’t all fun and games, but we have found that it comes pretty close. It’s a time to explore new and even old interests, hobbies and sports that you’ve wondered about or wanted to get back to. There’s more time than ever to travel and see new things. Sadly, the pandemic took away a of years, but we seem to be getting back to normal with occasional blips here and there. The winter that we could not travel to warmer surroundings was certainly difficult, but we learned to appreciate the wonders of winter in the beautiful place that we retired to. The Hudson Valley is magnificent in every season, but we sometimes don’t stay around for the beautiful snow-covered mountains. Retirement has given the opportunity to slow down and appreciate the seasons and the wonders of nature.
We’ve been fortunate enough to visit many different retirement locations and have enjoyed meeting fellow retirees who share their own experiences about how they enjoy retirement and the unique places they have been to. We love to dine out and have learned to appreciate the different flavors and cuisines from around the world. We have great fun trying to recreate some of the dishes we tried when we get back with our friends and family.
Food seems to be what brings everyone together no matter where you go and retirement gives you the time and luxury to savor the moment. Europeans take the time to linger over a meal, and they never seem to be in the same rushing mode that Americans seem to thrive on. I remember our evening meals sometimes being cut short because of an activity one of children had to get through. After-school sports events were always getting in the way of a relaxed evening meal but that's what family life is all about. Retirement has been a time to "lower the volume" and "slow down the pace" and we are happy to say that we have taken advantage of that fact every day. Even cooking can be an enjoyable event. We have taken some cooking classes with other couples and enjoy getting together to share what we've learned. After all, learning new things is a wonderful part of retirement, and you should never put anything out of the realm of possibility. Did you want to learn how to play an instrument or take up acting? Do it. That's what retirement was made for. After all, if you don't do it now, when exactly are you going to get to those things?
We also know that, for many people, retirement has made money (or lack of it) a bit of a problem. There are ways to conserve, as we all know, but there are also ways to generate a little more income without getting a job and leveraging a talent or interest that you may have. If you’re artistic, you can sell some of your work. There are many ways to do this. If you have a woodworking skill, the opportunities are quite plentiful and there is something to be said about a good, hand-crafted piece. Retirement does not have to mean an end to making money if you are willing to be creative and keep your options open. There are many potential retirement businesses that can be started for very little money. If money is a problem, you might want to look into something that will create more income for you. It can be a lot of fun and might be just what you need.
If writing is something that you’re good at and enjoy doing, why not make a little money from it as well. Many retirees become first time authors, and, with a little marketing, their books can sell better than they ever thought. Memoirs, local histories or a collection of short stories featuring local places can be very popular and the path to self-publishing has gotten easier with technology.
You can even make money with a website like this in a subject area that’s of interest to you. It’s fun and challenging at the same time. Plus, you’ll be learning something new and that’s always good for people who are approaching retirement age. Life is what you make it and so is retirement!
We feel very grateful to have reached this point in our lives. Many people don’t get here at all so we should live every day like a gift because it truly is. It’s time to take a look around you and appreciate everything that you have. It’s time to make the most out of every day. It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life!
Thanks for visiting. If you like what you see here, please tell your friends.
If you think it might be fun to start your own website (it is!) please look here.
Tired of joint pain caused by inflammation? There’s a company that has made wellness a reason for their existence. They have products that have helped me tremendously. I invite you to take a look here.
Please be aware that clicking on some of the suggestions made on this page may result in a commission being earned by the author.