Retirement is something that most of us will spend half our lives looking forward to. The idea of finally being able to say goodbye to long work hours and spend our time the way we want it is massively appealing.
But then comes the reality. And for many people, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
Retirement can often be followed by a sense of loss – loss of purpose, loss of responsibility and loss of importance. This can be a painful transition in some cases and many people will even find that they end up having something of an existential crisis.
But even if you don’t feel that way psychologically, what it does to your body can sometimes be devastating. The problem is that you don’t just lose that focus and purpose – you lose the excuse to go out and socialize more often and you lose the socialization. Combined, this can eventually lead you to stop challenging your brain and pushing your body as regularly; which is when old age and deterioration can really start to sink in.
Think about the older people you’ve known in your own life: very often, the moment they enter retirement is the moment that they start to really deteriorate and physically age.
So the question becomes: how do you stop that from happening?
It’s Never too Late to Be What You’ve Always Wanted to Be
The secret is not to ‘stop’ when you reach old age. Take an extended holiday sure but then make sure you give yourself new challenges, goals and activities.
For some people, this might just mean joining classes, volunteering and generally being more active. For others though, it can mean pursuing a childhood dream or a passion. This is your chance to become the thing you always wanted to be – whether that means becoming a rock star or a film actor. Maybe writing a book, or launching a company.
Think that sounds absurd? Now is the best time to do it. There’s tons of work available for older people on TV and even in films. And as for becoming a rock star, you might not manage to be the next Bon Jovi but you could certainly start your own YouTube channel and be very successful that way.
And running a business is that much more enjoyable when your lifestyle isn’t dependent on it and when you’ve paid off your mortgage…