The Best Years of Your Life - After Age 65

Have your ever thought about what you are going to do with the final two or three decades of your life?  While many people retire from their jobs sometime in their 60's, they may continue to live an active, healthy life for another 20 to 30 years.  If you feel healthy and active as you approach your retirement years, what do you plan to do with all that time?

Well known broadcast journalist, Jane Pauley, addressed this issue in her outstanding book, "Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life."  

By using the link above, you will be taken directly to its Amazon page where you can read the first section of her book and decide whether or not you think it might inspire you.  You can also read the review I wrote for the online magazine Squidoo here:  Book Review: Your Life Calling.

Even aside from the Jane Pauley book, we need to explore the many options we have for spending our lives after retirement.  We may choose to travel, immerse ourselves in a hobby, take care of our grandchildren, or enjoy the free time we will now be able to finally spend with our family and friends.  All of these are worthwhile pursuits that can bring us a great deal of satisfaction and joy.

However, some people choose to completely transform the second half of their lives.  A few may decide to pursue an occupation that they hope will change the world.  Others may choose new career goals that are much more modest.

Whatever you decide to do, it is important to realize is that age 65 does not need to be the end of your working careers ... it can be the beginning of something that truly inspires you.

Because of this, I highly recommend Jane Pauley's book.  It is the perfect way to start re-thinking the term "retirement."  Instead of planning to spend those years in a comfy recliner, you may find yourself looking forward to the best years of your life.

If you are planning your retirement and you would like more helpful information, use the tabs at the top of this article to find links to hundreds of articles about the best places to retire in the United States and overseas, medical issues, financial planning, family relationships, and more.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

(Photo credit:  Photo of book cover is courtesy of www.Amazon.com)

What Will You Do After You Retire?

Like many recent retirees, I worried that I would get bored once I stopped working.  In fact, I have known many Baby Boomers who are nearing retirement age who have expressed this fear.

Frequently, they make statements such as, "I don't want to play golf every day," "I don't want to get roped into babysitting my grandkids too often," "I'm not the type to play bridge all the time," or "I hate just sitting around the house watching TV."

As I have mentioned before, I live in an over-55 retirement community with lots of activities ... more than any human being could possibly do.  Within weeks of retiring from my job, I had signed up for a circuit training class three days a week and a yoga class twice a week.  I also joined the Writer's Club and was pleasantly surprised by the number of published authors in my community.  Before retiring, I had already been involved in horseback riding and walking on the beach every weekend.  In other words, I quickly got involved in a wide variety of activities.

In addition, I also drive two of my grandchildren to school every morning during the school year.  While they could ride their bikes or walk to school, I actually enjoy having the freedom to pick up these two grandkids and spend that twenty minutes or so in the morning with them.  One day a week, when my granddaughter has a late start at school, I take her to Starbucks and we sit and chat for half an hour before I drop her off.  This extra time with my grandkids has been one of the perks of retirement.

I've also discovered that I like cooking again ... at least once in a while.  Let's face it, when you are a working wife and mother, it gets to the point where dinner is whatever you can put on the table.  In the past, I was most inclined to stop and pick up a pre-cooked chicken, order pizza or sushi, or do something easy that required the least cooking possible.  Now I'm preparing full meals that take a little more effort.  While I still fall back on my easy meal ideas a few times a week, I find that I am cooking more often than I have in years ... and actually enjoying it.

Of course, I also write this blog and provide content for a number of websites.   This not only is a creative outlet for me, but also provides additional retirement income, doing something I love.

However, this is my personal experience.  So, prior to writing this post, I also decided to canvas some of my friends who do not live in a retirement community and do not have grandkids that live nearby.  What surprised me is that they have no trouble filling up their free time, as well.

Some of them have signed up for classes from the local community college or senior center.  They also enjoy being able to engage in activities that they couldn't spend much time on before ... painting, writing books, hiking, reading and having lunch with friends.  They are cooking, gardening, spending time with grandkids, traveling, redecorating their homes, volunteering for charities, driving Meals on Wheels, and so much more.

While our level of activity will, of course, decline as we get older, I have discovered that Baby Boomers are finding a wide variety of ways to stay busy and enjoy their retirement.  In fact, one refrain that I heard over and over again is, "I'm so busy now, that I don't know how I found the time to work!"

So, if you are hesitant to retire because you believe you will be bored or you won't have enough to do, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.  Anyone who has the energy to work all day will be eager to find more enjoyable things to do after retirement!  Jump right in ... the water's fine!

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Public domain photo of an artist at work is courtesy of www.morguefile.com