Retirement is often defined as the withdrawal from one’s position or occupation or from one’s active working life. This is a drastic and daunting transition in one’s life as decades of work routine comes to a startling halt. Losing your schedule and structure of routine makes a tremendous impact on the emotional and mental health of a person and it is surprisingly common.
Retirement should be a process and should be handled gradually and steadily. It should be understood that it is a new chapter in one’s life and finding a place of contentment and happiness is imperative.
It is crucial for a retired person to find a purpose and keep themselves engaged to avoid falling in the pits of depression. Having a good reason to live is extremely important, it fuels your emotional and physical well being.
It makes you work towards a goal and increases your knowledge and happiness quotient. Organize your schedule in a way to keep yourself mentally, physically and socially motivated and engaged.
While retirement is about a drastic change in your routine rather than having no routine at all. It’s important to make your daily schedule and follow it consistently. Do not overwhelm yourself with your routine, after all this new stage in life is all about enjoying the slower pace and ease of not following deadlines.
Visit all the places you always wanted to visit at leisure, meet your family and friends. The purpose is to suit up and enjoy your days at your leisurely pace.
Identify what you enjoy doing, there are always a lot of passions that one has to give up and squelch due to hectic work schedules and time commitments. Away from those life pressures, now is the time to take out those paintbrushes, or to dust your piano and vocal cords and enjoy doing what you always wanted to do. Get back in touch with those instincts and be inspired, spark your light, freshen up your heart’s desire and do what gives you joy.
Good deeds never go waste, no matter how big or small, also they don’t have a timeline. Go ahead and volunteer. Helping others carries with itself a double punch, make a positive impact on someone and feel great at the same time. So one of the best ways to keep your worries at bay is to try and help others and make them feel better.
Staying physically active is the key to being positive in life. Exercising is vital to keep the blues at bay. Being physically active is prescribed as the key to keeping yourself healthy and happy. Pick up an activity that appeals to you and keeps you motivated. Keep in mind your physical abilities, your budget and your free time while choosing your favorite activity.
Take up some vocational courses. Learning new things stimulates and keeps you positively engaged. Looking forward to new avenues and adventures could be beneficial for your health.
Stretch your mind and make new opportunities for you. Learning at any age helps acquire and facilitate knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits.
Travel, go to places you always wanted to. Take small refreshing trips where you can free your mind of all worries. Traveling changes, you physically and psychologically and makes a tremendous impact on your well-being. Break that routine, disconnect and let yourself loose on these trips. A change of scenery makes you appreciate the little things in life.
At Legacy Transitions, we help you seize the moment and make retirement one of the most exciting phases of your life. Connect with retirement coach Bob Foley and find out more about this.
