Need Some Encouragement

[Bigal50]

I gave official 2 weeks notice yesterday, and am feeling empty. My boss says it's 'buyers remorse'. I'm 58, and have had a steady income and saving since 12 with my first paper route. Now it is about to turn off and start drawing down the pile of money.

This is the moment I've been building up to for 40 plus years, but I'm more worried than happy. I couldn't wait for the last day until I made it official yesterday.

Help me see the glass as full, not half empty, please!

 

[Lcountz]

After 46 years of working and saving you are bound to feel some trepidation.....!!!

You will probably have moments of intense highs and lows over next few weeks but when it is finally official, you will feel GREAT!!!!

If you've done your planning and can swing it financially, you will be OK and in two weeks you will be posting here saying you wish you'd done it sooner! I sure do!!!!

Congratulations and enjoy the trip to FREEDOM!!!!!

 

[Sarah S]

Hi Al
Congratulations! It will be fine! But it is a little intimidating. I retired yesterday! And I am happy today. But after my retirement party the other day I had a virtual panic attack of omg what have I done!! I was fine the next day but this is huge step and I think second guessing yourself is normal. Do you have plans for your retirement? Maybe list all the great things you will get to do now that you will be free?

We are here for you. Good luck!

 

[DeborahB]

I had the "advantage" of having been downsized several times so I knew what not-working felt like (and I liked it, except for the lack of cash)

You'll be fine - it is going to be a big change if you've always worked and had a structure that wasn't self-imposed. But there's a huge world out there and it's a lot of fun not having that structure. Give yourself a year to get used to it. It may take that long. And dance with joy!

 

[DeborahB]

I do love these smileys...

 

[Bigal50]

Thanks. That's just what I needed. I've planned my finances, post-retirement activities a bunch. My brain says I'll be fine but my heart needed that encouragement.

 

[pb4uski]

Change is difficult. Hang in there.

 

[NW Landlady]

Wash Them Blues Away BIG AL!
Time to PAHTAY!!

and YOU DESERVE THE SWEET LIFE NOW MORE THAN ANYONE!!
Big Congrats!

 

[Onward]

I am usually the first one to advise escaping w*rk, but if I had buyer's remorse immediately after deciding to retire, I would reconsider my decision.

 

[MBAustin]

No question, you have earned it!

If you feel like giving back, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and your time and talents will be much appreciated.

Overall, it's time to smell the roses!

 

[heeyy_joe]

Time to golf! Soon you will be so busy you will wonder how you found time to work.

 

[keegs]

Hi BigAl...my guess is that I'm going to feel this way as well as will many or most folks. In a few days you'll be wondering what all the worry was about.

 

[Moscyn]

Bigal50, sending you buckets of encouragement. You know you will be fine and it is also fine and natural to feel a little remorse now. Am sure you will be happy with ER. I am approaching 3 years of ER in a few months time and am enjoying it. I did have little panic attacks of no more monthly salary initially but don't miss it much compared to the quality of life I now have,

 

[marko]

Bigal50, it'll be fine. What you're going through is normal, I think. We've all been there.

I think what a j*b does is give you (in addition to an income) a sort of 'structure' to your day to day.

After 45+ years, you're used to that structure and now need to let things shake out.

 

[MichaelB]

I gave official 2 weeks notice yesterday, and am feeling empty. My boss says it's 'buyers remorse'. I'm 58, and have had a steady income and saving since 12 with my first paper route. Now it is about to turn off and start drawing down the pile of money.

This is the moment I've been building up to for 40 plus years, but I'm more worried than happy. I couldn't wait for the last day until I made it official yesterday.

Help me see the glass as full, not half empty, please!

You're still going to have a steady income. Now, instead of someone else paying you, you pay yourself. Your gass isn't half full, it's totally full!

 

[cantlogin]

You're still going to have a steady income. Now, instead of someone else paying you, you pay yourself. Your gass isn't half full, it's totally full!

Exactly, exactly, EXACTLY!
That's the perfect way to view it.

 

[Dawg52]

Change is difficult. Hang in there.

Exactly. Moving, buying a new house, etc can all bring on these feelings. But if you have done all your prep-work(as you have), those feelings usually go away in a short time.

Look forward to all the good times ahead and you will be fine. Enjoy your retirement.

 

[ls99]

It too shall pass. Kind of like Generals getting demoted to PFC. In this case it means Private F*$#ing Citizen. That was a joke getting out of the Army. For most of us it was a promotion.

Enjoy the freedom.

 

[NanoSour]

All you need to do BigAl is go to a local Starbucks and watch all the frantic people rushing in for their fix to get through the work day. You will witness many people with stress on their faces that is both noticeable and palpable.

Sit back, relax and watch the show. Being a spectator is grand.

 

[ER Eddie]

I'm prone to second-guessing myself, so this happens to me a lot. I vacillate. I do it with a lot of major and minor decisions. As soon as I pick one option, the other one starts to look better. It's almost as if I don't like being locked into one course of action; I like to keep my options option. That will make me a good fit for retirement, but I think I'll have the same second (and third) thoughts that you do.

 

[Walt34]

Strangely, I also find myself somewhat reluctant to leave my current job in July as planned. I guess it's just the change and I'll get over it.

At least this time I have a better idea of what to do next.

 

[HighRoller]

I gave official 2 weeks notice yesterday, and am feeling empty. My boss says it's 'buyers remorse'. I'm 58, and have had a steady income and saving since 12 with my first paper route. Now it is about to turn off and start drawing down the pile of money.

This is the moment I've been building up to for 40 plus years, but I'm more worried than happy. I couldn't wait for the last day until I made it official yesterday.

Help me see the glass as full, not half empty, please!

If you "really" feel comfortable that your finances will allow you to live in retirement like you want "and" you don't want to work anymore, then the answer seems simple to me. I think many of us have been there but kept working a few more years just out of fear. (It's called the OMY syndrome) That was my case, but now that I've been retired (over a year now) I have "zero" regrets/fears. Any regrets/fears I had faded in a few weeks once I retired.

 

[martyp]

It is a little late to be saying this but retirement is not all about financial independence. You are not just retiring from work. You are starting something new in your life. That requires some thought and planning too. If you haven't done this then of course there is going to be a void to fill and some second guessing about what you are leaving behind.