Monday, November 28, 2016

Expect the unexpected

No one knows how their retirement will play out until they begin living it. Expect the unexpected. When I retired I struggled with the concept of not having to work, I suffered from the I was an Important Person and it took a while to realize that being an important person was not defined by the role played when working, but was defined by what you do and think.

Retirement has been filled with many adventures, I have travelled many times to Australia, played golf (badly--but with a great group of friends)  throughout my home province, volunteered on a  wonderful charity that helps thousands of people each year. I started two online stores, and have continued this blog longer than I though I might. I have started a garden and in the second season had a better crop than my first year. I have struggled with almost losing my wife of 46 years to  a brain injury and as a result developed a sense of family. I have lost about a dozen friends and relatives to death and have started to mentally prepare for that eventuality.

Expect the unexpected, is the key to having a successful retirement and changing your own expectations about what life will be like after retirement. The old saying go with the flow, springs to mind I move into the winter season here and wait for my daughter and our extended family to arrive from Australia for the Xmas holidays. 

Life has been good since I retired and realized that I was in control of what and when I did stuff. I still volunteer and give one workshop a week on issues of concern to Seniors and have met some wonderful people through this process.  I suggest that planning for retirement means planning for fun, excitement and the unexpected and just sit back and enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts. Thanks to Love Being Retired for the ideas for this post

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