Pre retirement jitters.

[ohyes]

Clover,

I had jitters I did not even know I had. While so very excited about retirement, my bp went way up the last day of work (visited the school nurse twice that day, lol). For the first few months after retiring, even though I was having the time of my life, there were more bp episodes, acid reflux (first time in my life) and what I believe were mini panic-attacks.

That is alllll long gone now. It disappeared within six months.

But, yeah, there were jitters on the inside. Have thought back on it several times - how such a happy time in my life was causing inexplicable internal stress.

And, I am so very happy I did not wait another year to retire!

 

[Kickernick]

I had jitters before I announced my intentions to retire, but not now. I just started a week's vacation in Florida (Disney) and will return to the office only to transition a few things the last week of March. On April Fool's Day (appropriately), I will work my last day. I'm 49 now and have planned our new lifestyle out in a lot of detail. On top of that, many interesting activities have surfaced in the last 30 days since I announced.

My advice - look forward. We can now do as MUCH as we CAN and as LITTLE as we'd LIKE!

 

[GravitySucks]

Not only pre retirement jitters, but some anxiety the first few months after retirement. I guess that's all pretty normal from reading the other responses.

 

[papadad111]

Well. If no one has said it. Let me say Congrats !

Perfectly normal to have jitters. Big jitters

The Causes can be from lots of sources. A little money anxiety despite the best plans since sequence of returns risk is real.

Can be lifestyle change jitters - let's face it who we used to be was often defined for by what/who/how we did work.

Can be fear of boredom. In the first year of fire, I myself got bored.
And I think my key learning is to allow yourself to wander a bit even beyond what feels "comfortable" wandering so as to really find your new life.
Reflecting, I was too quick to jump into a bunch of new things to stay busy but now I wonder if I traded corporate chaos for self induced chaos just because I was used to the pace of chaos.

So jitters are normal.

Keep sharing. That helped me a lot. Not much support out there other than here online. We Hardly know anyone our age in mid-upper 40s even close to retirement / FIREd status.

 

[cyber888]

Calm down. Retiring from work will make you feel this way. You could have an anxiety attack, shortness of breath, panic attack, breathlessness, heavy feeling on your chest, even depression, lack of sleep thinking about the future, worrying endlessly.

There are many things you can do in retirement - learn something new everyday. Blog, cook, write, exercise, sketch, and lots of book to read.

Did anyone experience them??
So I'm officially retired in two weeks. On one hand I'm super excited. I hate my present job, don't see that changing with mega corp. I've been offered a "go away" package (6 months salary and 6 months health care). On the other hand I've anxious.... What if I'm bored, what if I'm hit by a meteor and need super expensive health care, ...

Anyone else experience this before taking the plunge?
financially I'm fine, I've run a number of different financial calculators, got healthcare cost taken care of until medicare (I'm currently 55) and have a plan for what I want to do after I retire.

Nervous nelly

 

[Sittingduck]

I am 8 days out from RE and am jittery as hell. I know the numbers will work but still - walking away from a good paycheck? I understand how your feeling.

Well the BS bucket is full and overflowing. Everyday MegaCorp is demonstrating why they do not deserve my employment anymore; idiot managers from unrelated divisions who know nothing about our business, closing profitable lines and laying off unbelievably talented people to pad the short term income to boost their profit sharing, etc, etc. It's bad enough that I am leaving some pension money on the table and not getting any "packages" just so I can leave on my terms.

But the landing gear is down and I am about over the end of the runway. Hopefully I will start sleeping better in about a week or so.

 

[DJohns95]

I am feeling it now. If I was 45, not 56, I would even be more worried.

I am taking the plunge, even if I see a few sharks. Life is short.

I've been ready this forum and similar ones for quite some time. I'm 48 and feel I'm just too young to fully retire even though people have told me and all the various simulations have told me my odds of success are 99+%.

I'm just so sick of all the corporate BS right now. The company I work for used to be fun but was bought out by a venture capitalist and it has been all downhill since then. So, instead of retiring I'm just going to take the summer off and recharge. Then I will use the opportunity to find something fun to do without consideration of how much it will pay. Ideally I will find something that pays $20k-$30k and that way I don't even have to touch my savings/investments and I can just let those grow.

 

[RobbieB]

Never had pre-retirement jitters, was looking forward to it for as long as I was working.

But after the first "2 week vacation" I was like "OMG what have I done, life as I knew it is gone forever"

Change is scary but it's always a new adventure. Welcome to the club -

 

[bclover]

A huge THANK YOU!! YOU'RE THE BEST to everyone. On my final week countdown. lol and of course my boss is working me to death. A few coworkers are taking me out to lunch which is very nice.
Two other guys took the early buy out package. Dealing with retiree services (to get my retiree health benefits started) is turning out to be interesting, 50 minute waits each call to get answers but I tell myself that I'm one of the lucky one's who still gets a defined pension and retiree health benefits.

Got the college kids their vision check ups, dentist visit and routine checks, lol just for good measure.

thanks again. you guys really calmed me down.

 

[travelover]

........ lol and of course my boss is working me to death........... .

Pssst...you are in the driver's seat now. Just do as much as you feel like. Once you are gone, someone else will have to do your job anyway.

 

[HadEnuff]

I'm sure your emotions are normal, and common. I'm in my first month of retirement, although I eased into it as well, working only a few 1/2 days per week for 6 months prior to the actual RE day... I have to say, it does feel weird. Not a bad weird, but definitely weird.

Despite the fact that I was hugely responsible for the world's continued existence, due to my labors, I have found that even in my retirement, the planet survives, somehow. I think it will continue to do so....but it seems so weird....

All sarcasm aside, you'll be fine.

 

[DustyMom]

It is so comforting to read all these posts.

I literally just moved up my planned retirement date from early next year to anytime now.... Thinking no later than June 1. I kept running the numbers and seeing big balances left even at age 100, so I knew there was really no point in continuing to work. I must have reached that last straw over the weekend because I started campaigning to get DH on-board with my change in plan. He is warming up to the idea.

But I am finding a surprising reaction within myself. I am terrified! I have never been without a job before. And the thought of drawing down that nest egg that we took such pain to build is making me queasy. I KNOW that is the whole reason for it's existence, but still......

It's good to know you have all been there and powered through it. I will too. Just need some practice I guess.

 

[Bir48die]

I call this "the fear of the unkown". I am a person with lifetime anxiety. I've just had to work through it. In many parts of my life I've had to jump into this new area of my life, a new job or position. I've dealt with my late wife's long term illness or my sons rehab. Through all of this I've survived.

Now I'm in my last week of work. Tonight is my "send off" and then I have the rest of the week to clean out my stuff. I am fearful for sure. To stop the accumulation phase and start the spending phase is new territory. However, everything to date has worked out and it's not by lack of planning that I make this move.

So, here goes nothing!

 

[MasterBlaster]

So, here goes nothing!

Into The Abyss ! Nobody comes out the same !

 

[Thormole]

Currently in my second day of retirement, and have also felt worried and anxious about this new life event. I think this is normal for many folks. Already starting to feel good about finally being my own boss, and experiencing a level of freedom I haven't enjoyed since I was a child. Good luck!

 

[misshathaway]

Take note of the small joys. I go swimming at the club in the wee hours of the morning just like I did while I was working because I'm a morning person. But oh the bliss when I leave the club knowing that I am driving home to have a cup of coffee and read the news. It's been 6 months, and this daily moment still makes me smile.

 

[Doribe]

You Bet. I have been experiencing pre-retirement jitters for more than 10 years now ! One day I'll actually retire just to see if I can calm down.

 

[GravitySucks]

Jitters turn to excitement yet BCLover?