It is a massive thing to consider. When looking at your retirement in the round, you are not just considering what happens after you finish working, but it’s about the impact that it has on your life. Some people don’t like the idea of relaxing in an armchair and taking up a hobby like sewing! But there are those who cannot wait for retirement and to make their move to Traditions of America for a new start. However, you may very well be on the fence. But if you’ve decided that you are against retiring, there are reasons to hang up your work clothes. But let’s try and provide a wide variety of options so you can make the right decision.
How Do You Feel About the Retirement Way of Life?
On the surface, it may appear to be a very slow, almost boring way of life. And it’s easy to see why. Retirement is what you make it. The fact is that retirement is something you can do at your own pace. Many people find that going into retirement is the ideal moment to reclaim some of their life back. And if you feel that if retirement is just a signal for you to slow down and decline, the options for you are endless! There are many active adult communities where like-minded people are coming together. We can feel that we made all our lifelong friends early on in life, or when we have children, but finding like-minded people is something that you can do at any age. It is what you make it. And you are going to find people that don’t necessarily get on with retirement initially because life has slowed down at a massive rate. But this is why it’s so important for you to find your own version of retirement if you don’t like the one that is offered to you.
Do You Just Like to Work?
There is no shame in it. Some people are workaholics. But you have to ask yourself why you like to work so much? If you like to work, and you feel that retirement is just going to get boring quickly don’t give up work. If you are looking to gradually slow down into retirement, you can reduce your working hours. Some people find that they get into retirement, and 12 months later, they find a job because they need something to do. But for those people who are looking to work, a part-time job could be the right balance. You don’t need to find a job that completely overstimulates you.
The fact of the matter is that you should be doing something that is fun. And if you like the structure, can you apply a different structure to your retirement? And rather than working to learn someone else’s pockets, you could very well do something that is for you. You could now take the opportunity to set up a business that has been at the back of your mind for so long, or you could go in the other direction and structure your life with things that provide meaning. Exercise classes, hobbies that you have always wanted to do, or learning a new language are all options.
Do You Have Financial Concerns?
Some people feel coerced into retirement, perhaps a partner just wants to wind down. But if you have financial concerns and it’s stopping you from retiring, what is the real issue? Sometimes we struggle to save for retirement because life gets expensive. And if you have financial concerns about the quality of life of your retirement, you have to remember there is support out there for you. Retirement is not about living off your pension pot if you do not want it to be. If you have financial concerns, it’s important to become more aware of the support, but also learn how to structure your finances accordingly.
Because if your lack of money is stopping you from retiring, perhaps the realization that you won’t need the same amount of money every single week from the first day of retirement all the way to the end will help. We have to remember that when we retire, our needs will change gradually. We also have to consider that we give into age at some point. This means we will be moving around less and our outgoings will be greatly reduced. So you don’t necessarily need to have a magical figure in your mind. But there’s a difference between having enough to retire comfortably and living a miserable existence in retirement. If you need to reduce the latter, you will need to work towards it.
Are You Concerned About it Being a One-Way Road to the End?
Some people don’t like the idea of retirement because it means they are beyond the halfway points. It’s almost like the Grim Reaper is about to call time on their journey. And we all feel concerns that getting older just means getting weaker and just waiting for our inevitable demise. But this is about your frame of mind. It is no secret that mental health problems can increase in old age due to isolation and deteriorating senses, but retirement is something that frees you from the working world.
There are some people who live to work, and the moment that they have to stop due to health reasons, they start to give up. But for those people who feel that work has been their life this entire time, it’s about putting in a different structure. People that give up work and then give up life are giving up their sense of structure, not the fact that they have been in love with their job. If you think you are going to give up life as soon as you retire, then clearly retirement is not for you. But there is something deeper at play. What are you really scared of?
Retirement Is What You Make It
For those people who are still on the fence with regards to retirement, it’s important to realize that retirement is what you make it. It’s about rediscovering yourself. Retirement is not just about stopping your working life, but it’s about ensuring that you are ready for what the next phase of your life will be. In one respect, you are able to do the things that you’ve not been able to do because you’ve been busy working. Many couples retire and travel the world. These are people who are looking to get something new out of their lives and ensuring that they develop, rather than deteriorate. Take inspiration from those who have been there and done that. Because there are plenty of people who have retired and gave up retirement pretty quickly because they got bored. Perhaps those people don’t have an ideal financial situation.
But even if you don’t have the money to create your ideal retirement, you can create a perfect retirement in other ways. It’s about looking back on your life and thinking about what you have yet to achieve. Now is the perfect time to write your novel or learn that skill. Because we have to get out of the mindset that people don’t achieve anything past the age of 50. Retirement doesn’t have to look like the scrap heap of life. Some people certainly think about it like this, but retirement is the ideal opportunity to tie up loose ends. You’ve got the time to think about things differently. Or, you can now use retirement as the ideal chance to get the most out of life. Whether you’ve decided that retirement is not for you, or you have a few years to go, there is a lot to think about.
