LIVING A FULFILLING LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT

Life after retirement starts out with a period of adjustment. While it may feel like a time of endings at first, it is also filled with possibilities and new beginnings. Getting older is a privilege. It is important that we try to see it this way. We hear so much about worsening health for the aging that we often overlook  the many fantastic reasons to enjoy life.

These ‘golden years’ are denied to so many. If you are one of the lucky ones, grab the opportunities that await you in your golden years. Life prior to retirement was spent working and committed to raising a family. Now that these obligations are complete, we have  the perfect opportunity to focus doing all of the things we want to do.  Enjoy it! Take in the fruits of your labor after many years of working hard and build a life after retirement that brings you meaning and joy. Here are some of the things you can to do embrace your senior years and make the most of this special time of life. 

Redefine Your Purpose

Getting older is the next chapter in your life. It provides an opportunity to redefine yourself. To many people, ‘purpose’ is linked with their work or career, but after retirement what gives us purpose changes. Some for their purpose spending time on their interests and hobbies, such as volunteering or charity work. Others find it spending more time with family and enjoying grandchildren. Still others enjoy more time with their spouse or friends with similar interests, traveling and ticking off items on their bucket list. Learning and adventure is around every corner.

Prioritize Health and Well-being

Living a meaningful life after retirement will definitely require attention to self-care and paying attention to our physical and mental wellbeing. Make self care a priority by including regular exercise in your routine. Choose activities you enjoy, like walking, swimming or dancing.  Find ways to make a healthy diet fun. Learn to cook if you don’t know how. Learn how to add herbs and spices to your recipes to make them taste delicious, YouTube and cooking channels are a great venue for improving all sorts of skills. Explore different flavor combinations and what works best together. Try new foods. A healthy, satisfying diet can be fun!

Embrace Lifelong Learning

The older we get and the more we learn, the more we realize how much we still don’t know. There’s so much knowledge out there waiting to be gained. Don’t let age be a barrier to learning and exploring new things. You might have learned in the past as a stepping stone to getting a new job, starting a business or earning money in some way. Now, learn for fun. Learn because you can, because its interesting and because you want to rather than because you “have” to. You’ll discover that learning is empowering and it builds self-esteem. Look for educational programs, online courses, or workshops designed for older adults. Science is showing that learning keeps our mind sharp, improves memory and helps us grow as a person.

Build Social Connections

Human beings are social creatures. Social connection is essential for our emotional wellbeing. After retirement our social circles shift, and it may take some time and effort to build a new one. To that end, look for ways to connect with others and spend quality time together.  Set aside a day every week or month dedicated to this purpose. Make it a part of your routine.

Consider joining community activities or become part of clubs or groups with that share similar interests. Plan a “game night” with family and/or friends. Meaningful conversations are crucial, so make sharing experiences, laughter and even challenges with your loved ones a priority. Unfortunately loneliness is one of the biggest issues that older people can face. After retirement you may need to be proactive to improve connections. Begin by putting in place measures that will assure you that you will still be seeing people that matter and making friends. 

Embrace Change After Retirement

In the years after retirement, you might encounter changes in your physical abilities, your living arrangements and/or the loss of loved ones. This is hard, no question. If this is the case consider extra help, such as hiring a cleaning person, someone to do odd jobs or even 24 hour home care. While these transitions can be challenging, they can also offer us the opportunity for growth and finding new meaning. If you go into change with an open mind and have the right support it will make these things a little easier to deal with. You might also want to consider looking into new living arrangements that better suit your needs such as downsizing or independent living communities. Change is a natural part of life. Embrace it when you can by incorporating some of these suggestions into your life.