Satisfying Ways to Fill Your Retirement Years

 

Many retirees struggle to feel busy or fulfilled without a full-time job. It's a common problem lots of people face when they finally reach this stage of their life. Transitioning to retirement is a strange feeling. In fact, having more time for yourself can almost feel wrong for some people. Don't worry, though. We will be taking a look at a few satisfying ways to fill your retirement years so that you can avoid these feelings of unfulfillment.

After the carefree days of childhood, most of our lives feel like a nonstop high-speed rollercoaster. The years are filled with work, social demands, relationships, hobbies, habits, chores, and more, filling most days to the brim with possibilities. However, something happens for many people when they retire: they suddenly have a lot more time on their hands. Though this prospect is exciting for most, some people find the transition leaves them feeling restless.

After nearly an entire life of always having something to do and somewhere to be, this newfound freedom can make even the most excited retirees a little antsy. Fortunately, retirement offers a golden opportunity to invest time in what truly matters to you, not just what you are obligated to invest in.  Here are some satisfying ways to fill your retirement years which will help you overcome your anxiety about the transition.

Invest Even More in Your Relationships

Having long-term healthy relationships is one of the most important factors influencing our well-being. When you retire, you have the unique opportunity to invest in your relationships like never before. Deepen your connections with family and friends, host gatherings, plan trips together, or simply enjoy quiet evenings reminiscing over dinner. These moments of connection strengthen your bonds and create lasting memories that enrich your life.

Do What You've Always Wanted To Do

During retirement you can allow yourself the freedom to explore new experiences without the constraints of a work schedule. Every day is a vacation now, and we should take advantage of that.

You can create a retirement bucket list which includes all the things you have wanted to do and see, but have not gotten around to, yet. Checking these items off your list will give you goals to work towards and contribute to the satisfaction that you are honoring your life's desires.  My husband and I definitely worked on our bucket list when we reached our 50s and 60s.  We had traveled in our younger years to nearly state in the U.S., but never made it to Alaska.  We ticked that last state off our list after we retired. 

Pick Up an Complex Hobby

Most people have hobbies throughout their lives, but don't have the freedom to invest in more complex, time-consuming hobbies. When you retire, you do! What have you always dreamed of becoming good at?

Does starting a large garden sound interesting to you? Have you wanted to get started in classic car restoration? Maybe you've always wanted to really get into woodworking, painting, or pottery. Whatever the case, these hobbies require some financial and time investments which younger, working adults often can't afford. Retirement is your chance to invest in these interests.

Volunteer for a Cause Which Matters to You

Finally, giving back can be one of the most fulfilling opportunities in retirement. Find a cause which you care deeply about and invest some of your time in helping others. Volunteering not only benefits your community, but also fosters a sense of purpose and connection in your life, enriching your retirement experience.  My husband and I have volunteered for years at a local homeless shelter. Other friends volunteer with their church, or at a food bank, or a local school. Whatever you do, take the time to enjoy it.

These satisfying ways to fill your retirement years can help you embrace this exciting chapter in your life. The goal is not to fill your time with busywork and obligations, such as you had during your working years, but rather to choose commitments which add value to your life and those of the people around you. Doing so will likely lead to a more fulfilling retirement that doesn't make you feel bored or restless.  Staying active, challenging your brain, and socializing with others are also activities which researchers believe will help you postpone dementia.  So, get out there and enjoy retirement to the fullest!

You may also want to read up on more great ways to stay busy in retirement. I recommend this book: "Retirement Heaven or Hell: 9 Principles for Designing Your Post Career Lifestyle." (Ad) It will really help you think about how to get the most out of your retirement years.

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If you are interested in learning more about common issues as we age, financial planning, Social Security, Medicare, where to retire, common medical issues as you age, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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

Photo and post credit to: Logical Position 

Book Review: "The 60-Something Crisis - How to Live an Extraordinary Life in Retirement"

 

Link to: "The 60-Something Crisis"

If you are a Baby-Boomer who is retired or near retirement, you may be wondering, "What's next?"  You have probably done what you can to assure your financial security, and made decisions about when to collect your Social Security, what type of Medicare plan you intend to use, and how to begin using withdrawals from your retirement savings.  However, what you may not have considered is what to do with the decades of life you may have left.

Most healthy, active Baby Boomers are not content to sit at home, putter in their gardens, watch soap operas on TV, or crochet doilies for their sofa arms ... activities which once occupied the time of our elderly grandparents.  We want to pursue lives which engage us, and make us feel as if we are getting the most out of the final decades of our life.  But, how do we do that?

One way to find the guidance you need to navigate the final quarter of your life is to read the inspiring book, "The 60-Something Crisis - How to Live an Extraordinary Life in Retirement." It will help you to realize that reaching retirement is not the end of the useful part of your life.  Indeed, it may be the very beginning of a period of time during which you could be your most productive and/or create the most amazing memories. 

The author, Barbara Pagano, points out very early in the book that the vast majority of people today feel healthy and energetic when they reach their 60's.  People our age still get exercise, wear Fitbits and Apple watches, go dancing, play golf or tennis and, best of all, many of us still look pretty good.  Many of us are also health conscious, watching our weight and what we eat. 

However, once we reach our mid-70s, research shows that our happiness often begins to drop off.  The incidence of suicide and loneliness increases at this age.  We may have regrets, especially regrets about not having achieved our dreams and aspirations.

Is there a way to re-write this script and change the outcome of this final period of life?  Yes!

"The 60-Something Crisis" is a Different Kind of Retirement Book

As you read this book, you will begin to evaluate your retirement years in a different light ... a much healthier, happier approach.  First, you will redefine what it means to work in retirement.  The author points out in the first section that retirement is a major disrupter in your life.  It can be a time of disappointment and frustration, unless we change our current path, and choose a better one.

The second section of the book discusses how you can find a future that is truly your own.  Here are the important topics discussed in this section:

Geography of Place - What place makes you happy?  This could be the time in your life when you should move there, wherever that may be. Some couples even pull up roots and embrace a nomadic lifestyle together. This is the time to enjoy the places and lifestyle which make you happy, now that you are no longer tied to living out your remaining years in the same place you have always lived.

Yield - While there are many definitions of yield, in this context it is described as "our beacon of triumph leading us to meaning and well-intentioned living."  Whatever work you choose to do in your remaining years, it must offer a "yield" or return in value.  This would include getting "fair pay for your value, control of your time, and a chance for creativity." We all want to feel that there is a value to the way we are spending our time during this part of our lives.

Freedom - Barbara Pagano describes this as "fiercely owning your life."  This is your opportunity to pursue activities which you consider important.  If doing this makes your life feel new, she emphasizes that "to feel the newness of life after 50 or 60 years of living is extraordinary."

Kinship - Ms. Pagano asks in this chapter, "Are friends and family more important than eating kale?"  The answer is a resounding "yes."  It is very important that you do not become socially isolated as you age.  While a huge number of people in their 80s and 90s live alone, it is more important than ever to find ways to lead active social lives, even if you prefer to live alone.

What's Next in Your Retirement?

The last part of the book emphasizes how important it is NOT to squander your last decades of life.  If you want to know how to get the most out of your final 25 years, reading this book is a good place to start.  It will open your eyes to all the possibilities you still have left in your life!

As I read this book, I analyzed how I might apply it to my life, since I am now in my mid-70s and certainly do NOT feel depressed or dissatisfied. Why is that?

Details about this: Framed Surfer Photo

Applying this Book to My Life

It would not be fair to recommend this book to others, if I was unwilling to share how I have applied these principals myself.

Personally, reviewing this book has also made me happy that I have been writing this blog since I was in my early 60s, and have now added an Etsy store to my online activities, which is another way for me to be creative, earn extra money, and have the freedom to work when and where I want.  I have learned that there is no reason to allow myself to be bored during the final decades of my life.  I want to embrace my life, my family, and my friendships as much as possible!  

I have used my life experiences to create a line of jewelry engraved with a variety of inspirational words and slogans. I also spend hours nearly every week at our local Southern California beaches and similar locations, and have used some of the photos I have taken to create unique products on my Etsy store, DeborahDianGifts. What fun I have taking photos and arranging to have them printed on framed posters, t-shirts, coffee mugs and a host of other items.  I'm living in a part of the country which makes me happy, doing things I enjoy.

I am benefiting in all the ways the book recommends, including enjoying the geography of a place I love, getting a yield from it, having freedom, and even finding kinship with the people who walk with me and work with me on my different pursuits.  As Barbara Pagano suggests, I feel like I'm living "an extraordinary life!"  

I encourage you to read this book and begin to examine your life and improve the quality of your retirement years.  If I can do it, you can, too!

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If you are interested in learning more about how to have a successful retirement, saving money, financial planning, Social Security, Medicare, where to retire, common medical issues as you age, travel and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase from an Amazon ad, I'll make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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

Photo credit:  Amazon book cover and my Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/DeborahDianGifts