day 3 of retirement

[missedearly62]

Been feeling every now and then "what now-ish" as I go thru my day. Jump around alot. Just straightened a bulletin board. Updated our nine laptops/pcs this afternoon. Restarted knitting project started several yrs ago. Sewing table easily accessible as of today. Bunch of new fiction books stacked, one started. Created action plan for improving art skills. All of this and some talking bout how good this feels. Then sneaking thot that i'm trying to convince myself. Just will be glad when worklife is farther out of my mind. Hard to shift from doing to being. But i really dont envy my colleagues who are back at it after holidays. Just trying to figute out what i'm "at". I feel bread making coming on...

[marko]

Just relax. Three days??!! It took me well over a year to come down.

After a while, you'll stop feeling like you're "on vacation" and the "be" part will slowly settle in.

[Brdofpray]

I spent the first month on my back porch, sitting in a rocking chair, watching birds. The second month, I began rocking.

[REWahoo]

Here's your problem right here:

Quote:

Originally Posted by missedearly62 Created action plan for...

Once you're really retired - both mentally and physically - you'll no longer have the nasty urge to have "action plans" or wonder "what now". I found the best tool to adjust to retirement was to remind myself when I got up each morning that I really didn't have to do a darn thing that day if I didn't want to...

[Original Wally]

Missed Dearly....

Dunno what part of the country you are in, but if it is NICE... take a cuppa outside and just SIT. Go for a drive if you get restless. Go nose around the stores and MARVEL at how empty they are during w*rk hours. Have lunch with a friend - even a former colleague. I have a buddy and HE summarized it well: It is all about OPTIONS. And they are YOURS. No pressure. Don't feel that you HAVE to attack that stack of books (three years downstream and my reading list is 8 books pending right now. Plus about 10 movies. I will get to them. Or not. JUST finished re-reading The Adventures of Huck Finn). If you have g'kids close, this is a WONDERFUL time to spend time with them.

if the weather is not nice enough, go to a nearby coffee shop and just SIT and watch folks.

[Tadpole]

Slow down. Don't do everything in the first 5 days. Spread it out, taste it twice, breathe deeply, and smile inside.

[Original Wally]

And sleep in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[W2R]

It took me several months to find a retirement routine. I didn't even know I needed one, when I retired. My retirement routine cured me of the "What now?" feeling of being at a complete loss as to what to do.

Enjoy this time - - you are finding out what you want to do with the oceans of time that you have suddenly acquired!

(Psst...If you feel too much at a loss, join a gym; it gives you some structure, and you can even take classes at most gyms if you want to.)

[steelyman]

I didn't know that Border Collies could retire!

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by missedearly62 Been feeling every now and then "what now-ish" as I go thru my day. Jump around alot. Just straightened a bulletin board. Updated our nine laptops/pcs this afternoon. Restarted knitting project started several yrs ago. Sewing table easily accessible as of today. Bunch of new fiction books stacked, one started. Created action plan for improving art skills. All of this and some talking bout how good this feels. Then sneaking thot that i'm trying to convince myself. Just will be glad when worklife is farther out of my mind. Hard to shift from doing to being. But i really dont envy my colleagues who are back at it after holidays. Just trying to figute out what i'm "at". I feel bread making coming on...

LOL! Just chill! It might take 6 months to a year for you to decompress. Get some exercise every day, and otherwise don't worry if you zombie out for long periods. Futzing around is just fine. Great time to take some art classes. Don't try to make any major decisions or completely reorganize your life just yet.....

[Original Wally]

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelyman I didn't know that Border Collies could retire!

ummmmm....ok. You win. LOST **ME** completely.

[steelyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWeinel ummmmm....ok. You win. LOST **ME** completely.

If you Google the Border Collie temperament, you may be lost then found.

[Original Wally]

Oh, I **WAS** lost, but now am Found. Believe me.


SURELY you are not implying that missedearly62 is a dog?!?!?!?!?!

[steelyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWeinel SURELY you are not implying that missedearly62 is a dog?!?!?!?!?!

No way, Jose. I would never do that! Just someone trying to join the rest of us!

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by missedearly62 Been feeling every now and then "what now-ish" as I go thru my day. Jump around alot. Just straightened a bulletin board. Updated our nine laptops/pcs this afternoon. Restarted knitting project started several yrs ago. Sewing table easily accessible as of today. Bunch of new fiction books stacked, one started. Created action plan for improving art skills. All of this and some talking bout how good this feels. Then sneaking thot that i'm trying to convince myself. Just will be glad when worklife is farther out of my mind. Hard to shift from doing to being. But i really dont envy my colleagues who are back at it after holidays. Just trying to figute out what i'm "at". I feel bread making coming on...

I had the same kind of transition period--I painted three rooms of our house including the ceilings, stencilled a border around a bathroom, finished knitting a sweater, revved up our social life, took on three volunteer commitments, and wrote the first draft of a murder mystery, all in the first year. And I hate painting and socializing.

You obviously have a lot of interests that you have been waiting to devote yourself to. Enjoy getting back into them at whatever pace you take.

Hmmm, breadmaking, now that's something I used to do; a nice crunchy rustic loaf?

[sanfanciscotreat]

Routine, what routine?
Been retired almost three years.
Get up early when going hunting or fishing or early golf (hardly ever).
Otherwise sleep till you want to or one hour before maid comes in.

[missedearly62]

Wow. Thanks for helpful feedback. I clearly have some growing and relaxing to do. And pre-retirement pace to shed. Yeah border collie is about right.
http://www.akc.org/breeds/border_collie/index.cfm

[Sarah in SC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by missedearly62 Wow. Thanks for helpful feedback. I clearly have some growing and relaxing to do. And pre-retirement pace to shed. Yeah border collie is about right. http://www.akc.org/breeds/border_collie/index.cfm

As someone who does border collie rescue:
A) yes you are a border collie.
B) you should take it as a compliment!

I wish you good luck in unwinding and enjoying retirement! But don't pick up any tennis balls!

[ohyes]

Misse,

So very happy for you and your retirement!

Were you teaching? (i was). First few weeks were totally about getting stuff done around the house. Still feel the pressure sometimes, but much, much less often.

You will soon find a calmer, more tranquil existence. For this, you are to be congratulated. It is a sweet life.

[oldtrig]

I have been retired 10 months and 3 days. I try and play golf on Wednesday and Friday at noon and Saturday and Sunday morning at 9 am. I actually started a group about a year before I retired at the course I worked at and I made the tee time 9 am. I also set the times for Wednesday and Friday and did play some on those days when I had time.

Anything earlier than that is out for me. I wish I would have made it 10 am in the winter. I will play if the temps are at least in the 40's which is most days here in the deep south. Tomorrow the high is 60 but I have to repair my sons Toyota but I take one day at a time now. I now have plenty of time for golf so one day is not going to matter.

I never looked back and thought about when I worked. All those years are now behind me. I was not really an early retiree and really never thought to much about leaving work until I reached 65.

I think if I felt good like I did when I was 30 I would probably still be working. I actually enjoyed most days but health problems begin to start so I left. I would not be working where I was last employed but I would open my shop back up and maybe work 20 hours a week. If my health keeps improving I may just do that. I love working with my hands and repairing things. For me that is retirement. Also I would have no boss.

I have a first cousin who will be 80 in June. I asked him a few weeks ago if he ever thought about retiring. He said for him working is retirement. He loves doing what he does. He has been in business for many years operating heavy equipment. He said he had rather be sitting on a D7 Cat than a rocking chair. His dad died at 84 and was working the week up till his death. oldtrig