Ready or Not, Retirement is coming

 Are you ready for retirement? I thought I was, but I was not, and I went back to work for eight more years because I loved it and hoped to do it forever. But after eight years of full retirement, I love my job and I hope to do it forever (or at least another 19 years).

When I first retired, I visited my daughter in Australia, and she asked me if I and my wife would consider moving to Australia. I said no, because changing your lifestyle, location, and place of living or living luxuriously is not retirement necessarily. Retirement is a new phase offering new possibilities and could be a dream come true. But my idea of moving to a warmer climate is one that I did not consider because my friends and family except for my daughter are where I live.

So, as you consider retirement, don’t think of it as retiring “from” something; think of it as retiring “to” something else. And if you don’t know what that something else is, you’ve got a problem. But a solution to that problem is to take some time to be introspective and think about how you will gradually transition into my new way of life. This will guide you to your “what’s next.” The possibilities are endless. And that I recommend you pursue with vigour!