So, What’s Next? What am I going to do with the rest of my life?
Many of us in our mid 50s and 60s are thinking about retirement and wondering…what am I going to do with all my free time?
We know what we DON’T want to be doing: getting up to an alarm, commuting in traffic, dealing with all the responsibilities and deadlines and other people’s agenda.
We know what we are retiring FROM.
But, what are we retiring TO?
If you are asking yourself this question, personal retirement planning can be super helpful.
For most of us retirement planning is focused on getting to our retirement date:
Making sure we have enough money.
Deciding on the best time.
Celebrating.
Planning the honeymoon phase: vacationing or decluttering or downsizing.
But, what happens after the novelty of waking up without an alarm wears off? When the “honeymoon phase” is over?
We all react to this transition differently:
Some of us just love every second of our retirement.
Some of us are unhappy and feel lost, bored, anxious or depressed.
Some of us love being retired, but something is missing.
Some of us have ideas about how we want to spend our retirement, but we are not sure how to make it happen.
Why is this transition difficult for so many?
Most of us have been focused on financial retirement planning. Making sure we don’t run out of money is of course extremely important. But, most of us don’t spend near as much time planning how we want to spend our retirement years. In fact, one of the first questions a retirement planner inquires about is the retirement budget. This has always puzzled me. How are we supposed to know how much money we will need in retirement if we aren’t clear on what we want our retirement years to look and feel like?
These retirement years are unique; we have more time and freedom than we have ever had before. As the poet, Mary Oliver wrote, “What will we do with our one wild and precious life?”
While financial planning is essential in preparing for retirement, personal retirement planning can help you transition smoothly into your retirement years so you can live your retirement years with a sense of meaning and purpose.
Below are 3 questions to ask yourself when planning your retirement?
Are you still experiencing hot flashes? Night sweats interrupting your sleep? Can't lose weight? Worried about your bone health? Most retiring women are experiencing some of these post-menopausal symptoms.
Did you know that what you eat can impact these symptoms. I'm excited to introduce, "Flavors of Change: Recipes for this Next Chapter!" a carefully curated collection of recipes designed to support women like you through this transformative phase of life.
leave a comment