Transitioning into Retirement

“The only thing constant is change itself,” Heraclitus the Greek once said, and so right he was. Our societal lives demand flexibility. The average citizen makes many significant transitions within a lifetime. As sure as life and death, as definite as paying taxes, changes are inevitable. Births, deaths, moves, career changes, marital status, finances, and on and on—with retirement bringing one of the greater transitions—all demand change. Life is liquid, ever moving and ever changing. Along with change, people face fears, new possibilities, and challenges. Any time the status quo is disturbed, a feeling of uncertainty arises. Fears of the unknown haunt like bumps in the night. But for many, flux stirs adrenaline in their souls; a challenge, a new opportunity to start over, produces oxygen for the flames of desire. nnPeople go to work, day after day, year after year, looking forward to weekends, vacation time, or any other break from the mundane work-a-day world, with retirement being the supreme goal. “Then I can do just what I want or do absolutely nothing, as the case may be,” think many. Just with so many other great expectations, reaching that goal may turn into supreme disappointment and disillusionment. The difference between a disillusioned retiree and a happy one depends on several factors, three of the major ones being circumstances, preplanning, and attitude. There is little that one can change about some circumstances, but preplanning and attitude are in each individual’s control. As with any transition, mapping out a definite strategy can certainly make the journey more pleasant. Some positive steps for making retirement all it can be follow.nn1. Start putting money back early in your career. Social security simply will not be adequate for all your wants and needs, nor was it ever intended to be. Often people’s needs increase during the retirement years rather than decrease. nn2. Do things you have always wanted to but never found time to do. You might start early in life making a list of things you want to achieve or enjoy before your life is finished. When you retire, work down the list. nn3. Plan ahead for activities to make your life meaningful: hobbies, a second career, volunteer work, yard work, travel.nn4. Stay active in civic and religious activities. nn5. Enjoy your freedom from day-to-day responsibilities by doing something spontaneous—unplanned trips, fishing trips, fun things with friends, going for a walk with your mate. Maybe setting the alarm at regular getting up time and having the joy of clicking it off, turning over, and sleeping another hour would be a great exercise of this freedom.nn6. Have a plan for each day. (You just do not have to follow it if something better comes along.) If you do not make plans for your time, meaningless activities will absorb it.nn7. If taking care of elderly parents is likely to fill some of your retirement time, plan ahead for this, too, as much as possible. (Have a family pow-wow before retirement to divide duties equitably among the siblings. If some live away, make it clear their part may consist of hiring caretakers to take their shifts.) Whatever you do regarding the care of parents, do it with joy; someone will have to do the same for you someday. (The same may apply for taking care of grandchildren.)nn8. Make a conscious decision to be happy. Often people who are unhappy before retirement are most likely unhappy afterward simply due to negative attitudes. Circumstances may be out of your control, but your attitude is very much within it.nn9. Invest time with younger people. They can benefit from your wisdom, and you can learn from them. Some great avenues for this would be volunteering at school to be a study-buddy, reading to children in the hospital, and yes, volunteering to take care of grandchildren or neighbors’ children—at your convenience.nn10. Start living a healthy lifestyle early and continue it as long as you live. Do not wait until you get older and sicker to start eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise. It may be too late then. An older man once said, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”nnNo, life will not be perfect in retirement, but remember, life was never perfect before retirement. Do not look back and yearn for what is past; look forward to what life opportunities are in store for you at this stage. Be prepared for both joys and sorrows; face all with a positive attitude and a strong sense of spirituality. Enjoy the journey.nn** This article is one of 101 great articles that were published in 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. To get complete details on “101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life”, visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/greatways3.html n