Slowing Down in Retirement

I try to stay as optimistic as possible within these pages.  I am optimistic about all the possibilities that retirement gives us.  But the reality is that as we age it is only natural to have a little more trouble doing things we had done in the past.  Slowing down in retirement is a natural part of aging and it is better to acknowledge reality and do it on your own terms than to have someone dictate to you about what you can and can’t do.

There are some realities that need to be addressed and regular health exams and visits to your doctor are a good place to start.  Although many seniors have tried to keep their minds as active as possible, you should always be aware that no one is as sharp physically or mentally at seventy years old as they were at thirty.  It would be a good thing if more people on the national scene recognized this and made way for a younger generation of leaders and it would be good if young people stood up more often to take the lead.  But, as much as we see it on the national scene, we see it in our personal lives.  As people get into their mid seventies and early eighties, looking at their capabilities should be an ongoing process.  No one likes giving up their independence but being proactive in this area may help create a solution that you can live with.  It may be as simple as asking questions like: should you be driving as much as you used to or should you be driving at all?  Looking into alternatives ahead of time could help alleviate some difficulties later when you have no choice but to stop driving.

Slowing Down in Retirement is Not the End of the World.

Some people see slowing down in retirement as the end of the world and, while it may be hard to face the aging process and everything that comes with it, slowing down doesn’t have to mean stopping.  We enjoyed cruising immensely and have eagerly booked excursions without any thought about the level of difficulty that came with each outing.  We are starting to look at those things now and acknowledge that booking more than one tour or activity in a day might be something we start to cut back on.  In fact, on our last cruise, there were quite a few people who opted out of all the group tours and arranged private tours on their own or just stayed on the ship and relaxed.  We have learned that booking a private tour from a reputable company is one of the best travel investments you can make.  You see and learn a lot more and, quite often, the amount of walking and waiting on lines that you have to do is far less than what the group excursion called for.  Learning to relax a bit more and slow the pace down to what is comfortable can add a lot of enjoyment to your trip.

Slowing down in retirement can also mean a little bit more time for self-reflection.  I have long been a proponent of having an attitude of gratitude and I know of nothing else that has contributed as much to my sense of fulfillment and happiness.  I am very fortunate to have had the life that I have had and could not have asked for a better partner in life than my wife of over fifty years.  We have decided that we will slow down together.  We’ll modify our travel activities but, hopefully, never have to give them up altogether.  Sometimes things become more enjoyable when you slow them down.  Music, wine and an evening of conversation with someone you love doesn’t sound like a bad thing at all.  Slowing down in retirement doesn't have to mean not trying new things either.  A new hobby might be just the thing you need to transition to a slower pace in life.  Instead of hiking those trails, why not capture them on canvas?  Instead of living new adventures, why not write about them?  It’s a way to develop a new mental skill, keep your memories alive and provides an emotional release that has to be experienced before you can know what a wonderful feeling it is to be able to communicate a wonderful scene or feeling or emotion to somebody else.  It’s something that you’ll want to do as often as you can and, when you reach retirement age, you have more wisdom to share than you ever did before.

Slowing down in retirement can be a beautiful thing.  There is a season to everything under the sun and that is no less true with retirement.  But the learning never stops, and, in many ways, it can be more enjoyable than ever.  Why not find out?  It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life!

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