Retiring on Your Own Terms
Too many people have been forced to retire. Others retire when they feel the time is right to do so. Many are fortunate enough to feel comfortable going from their main career into a hobby or into a second business.
“Retirement: When you stop lying about your age and start lying around the house.” ~ Unknown
OK, so maybe this quote is not how you want to retire. It certainly is not how I see my retirement. For those who retire and sit around doing nothing but feeling bored, they probably still have vitality left to start something else if they really wanted to. As with many other things, you need to decide to use the skills and talents you have and decide on something you feel proud doing.
Embarking on a new journey can be an exhilarating experience. Think about when you retire. What will you do with your time? In years past, many people sat in front of the television all day. Some people were more productive – tending to much needed repairs, baking and cooking more, building projects. Times have changed. Fewer people just sit around these days; more people are creating their next chapter. You need to decide what you want to do next in the next chapter of your life.
Determine the Optimal Time to Retire
“Retirement is not the end of the road. It is the beginning of the open highway.” ~Unknown Author
Deciding when to retire is a personal decision and depends on individual factors such as health, financial, and individual circumstances.
Some people like to travel and even take photographs of where they’ve been. If you never got the chance to do this before, retirement may be the time. Maybe you’ve always wished you had more time to volunteer. Think about doing that moving forward. Or think about what else you’ve always wanted to do. Are you ready for this to be the time?
Only you can make that decision.
Being Productive Keeps You Going
“Retirement may be an ending, a closing, but it is also a new beginning.” ~Catherine Pulsifer
As you may have guessed, I will be retiring. Just as an executive who leads a company has many opportunities to lead and handle challenging situations, doing something different can be challenging for many as well. Instead of sitting around being non-active, I’ve decided to become active in a hobby. My hobby is photographing diecast model cars.
Engaging Retirement
Picking up a hobby and developing new skills in retirement allows you to stay physically and mentally active. What comes to mind when you think about a retirement hobby? Having something to look forward to can be looked at in many ways. Maybe, you want to go back to something you did previously. Something you’ve always wanted to do. Some people start writing books, others paint, and so on. Retirement may be an excellent opportunity to explore your national or state park systems. Think about what you want to do and start planning/doing it.
As stated, every ending is the beginning of something new, and every beginning is always a new opportunity. What resonates for you may not do the same for anyone else.
As I retire from the business world, I will also retire from this blog. This is the last column I will be writing. My website will stay active for at least a year for anyone who wants to re-read anything I’ve written. With that, I wish you a new journey of success in the next chapter of your life.
“It’s not trespassing to go beyond our own boundaries.” ~Dewitt Jones