Retirement

Introduction

When I announced my plan to retire at the age of 63, my friends and coworkers were shocked. The word retired did not seem to belong in the same sentence with my name. I was known as energetic and vivacious, still in the prime of my productive years. No one could picture me sitting around the house all day in a drab, ill-fitting housedress doing nothing.

But I knew something they didn't. Growing up, I watched my mother retire early and then proceed to lead a fuller life, adding to her years of distinguished service as a teacher. She traveled; she entertained; she mentored; she was active in the community. Whenever I visited her she was always getting ready to attend some event, or just getting back from one. She was living life to its fullest and being her best self.

For my mother, retirement was the time to get busy pursuing diverse interests like those just mentioned which, in combination, sweetened her journey towards self-actualization. I decided right then that I wanted to be like her when I grew up. And so, having put in my time at the office, at 63, it was time to go be myself before it was too late.

We often do not realize how being in the workforce limits the ways in which we can be ourselves. Similar to caring for children, working day after day puts tremendous demands on time and energy. Our true thoughts, feelings, and desires become secondary to these important obligations. Even on vacation, a part of us remains on the job because it is difficult to completely disengage from the workplace, especially in cases where the office calls to refer or consult on matters within our area of responsibility. Oftentimes, the fear of returning to an arduous workload is enough to ruin a long-planned vacation. Retirement offers us the opportunity to disengage from all of that – and engage in what we love.

During the writing stage, I distributed this book to a few friends for feedback and one comment really stuck out – "This book is not for retired people. It is for people of all ages who want to learn how to live life to its fullest."

Indeed, although I have chosen to write this book for people in my age and stage of life who are faced with society's stereotypes about what it means to be retired, the good life really can begin at any age. I hope many younger people will pick up this book as well, both so they can begin enjoying life as soon as possible, but also so they can begin planning and have it as easy as possible to do what they love in retirement.

A note about planning: when writing this book, I intentionally chose not to cover the aspect of financial planning for retirement. Not because financial planning is unimportant. Rather, the earlier you start planning for retirement, the earlier you can make it happen. In writing this book for retirees, I am writing primarily for people who have already done their financial planning because planning for retirement needs to start much earlier than retirement itself.

For the pre-retired person who picks up this book, I urge you to investigate the many books, seminars and workshops available on the topic of financial planning for retirement. This book covers ways to see the world, make music, get creative, give back, get connected and lead the good life on any budget. But money does make things easier – and the more of it you have, the bigger your retirement plans can be.

I do not claim to be the authority on finding inner peace. I am no Dalai Lama possessed with the wisdom of the ages. What I do have is experience in creating a retirement for myself which allows for amazing travel experiences, acquiring new and exciting skills and fully participating in making the world a better place – all of which precipitated quite a few adventures along the way.

By watching my mother before me, I learned the importance of not taking my time on this earth for granted. Although I chose to write this book in the midst of my own retirement and direct it towards fellow retirees who might be wondering "what's next?" now that they are no longer working – it is true that all of the experiences chronicled in this book could be had by anyone of any age.

So do not wait to develop the mindset that your time is precious. Do not wait to look into the many opportunities within your grasp – even if you do not have a large budget. So many fulfillments in life come simply from being fully present – to ourselves, to our families, and to our communities.

In this book I will share tips, information and encouragement to help you live your dream – in retirement, or before it. I will discuss where you might find resources and support for some of the dreams you have – from making fulfilling travel experiences a reality; to becoming known for your skills at creating beautiful music, art, and food; to ways you've never thought of to make the world a better place through volunteering.

I will share resources that are new to the modern world; such as an overview of how technology can make travel easier and more affordable, and how the Internet can be used to learn, teach, meet like-minded people, and even help you make money doing what you love. I will also discuss the profound benefits to you and to your family that can come from telling your life story in any format you choose – and offer some tips about how to discover and share the unique stories you have to tell.

Many people – including those who are not yet retired – could fulfill dreams they didn't even know they had if they only knew where to look, or perhaps, if they had a little "push" from a friend. Let me be that friend. I can help you discover how to have fantastic travel experiences and find relevant resources to turn your dreams into reality.