Let’s confront it head-on; retirement
is a major life transformation, like going off to university, getting a partner
for the first time, or going back to living without children in your home.
Retirement may take a little time to get used to; it took me eight years.
Create a plan, but don't worry if the plan will not be as you imagined. Based
on my life experience and my experience in talking to others here are some
suggestions for a steady transformation and a glorious retirement:
· Required duties kill the spirit
notwithstanding age. Don’t agonize about what you
believe you should be doing or what others think you should be
doing when you retire. This is about you. It’s your time to do
what you want.
· Generate a daily plan. It may sound like a fabulous scheme to throw away your alarm clock
and avoid any new responsibilities. A sudden lack of structure is and can be
unsettling for many of us. I stopped getting up at 6:30 over the first
year of my retirement and now I get up closer to 8:30 but that was after 13
years of retirement. We all need a reason to get up in the morning, so I
recommend that you plan to be up by a certain time and have some activities
scheduled for specific days each week.
· Rekindle old friendships. If you can try and develop new friends hopefully in different age
groups. I love to read and since I retired I have read hundreds of new books,
and I love to putter around my house, I find it comfortable. At the same time,
I volunteer, go out with my friends on a weekly basis because I know these
activities dare more beneficial to my mental health. It is not easy making new
friends when you retire, but one of the easiest ways to make new friends is
through new activities such as sports, seminars, cooking classes, travel,
hiking clubs, poker night, book clubs, yoga, wine tasting, etc.
· Get professional help. It took me eight or so years to get used to retirement because I
retired without a plan. I was, however, very lucky because I had friends I
could talk to about goals and what to do with retirement. Some people may need
professional help with this if so, I recommend that you get the help before
retirement not after. The folks who sit down and discuss/plan their
post-retirement goals are the ones who typically have a more satisfied,
fulfilling retirement. This can especially be beneficial for married
couples and can/should be done before you retire to get on the same page about
expectations and concerns. Sometimes people who have retired without a plan may
experience some of the following signs and symptoms, If you do experience some
of these on a daily basis or for more than two weeks, you may be suffering from
depression:
·
Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty”
mood
·
Feelings of hopelessness, or
pessimism
·
Irritability
·
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or
helplessness
·
Loss of interest or pleasure in
hobbies and
activities
activities
·
Decreased energy or fatigue
·
Moving or talking more slowly
·
Feeling restless or having trouble
sitting still
·
Difficulty concentrating, remembering,
or making decisions
·
Difficulty sleeping, early-morning
awakening, or
oversleeping
oversleeping
·
Appetite and/or weight changes
·
Thoughts of death or suicide, or
suicide attempts
·
Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or
digestive
problems without a clear physical cause and/or
that do not ease even with treatment.
problems without a clear physical cause and/or
that do not ease even with treatment.
Not
everyone who is depressed experiences every symptom. Some people experience
only a few symptoms while others may experience many. That is why it is
important to not self diagnose and talk to your doctor.
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