Someday's I feel no purpose

[street]

Someday's I feel like I have no purpose in life. This winter has been a long one so far with a lot of snow and deadly cold days. I still get out and walk about 3 miles even days like that. This is a bad year for weather and generally it is better.
Does anyone else feel that way after working all those years in a rat race world? I have days where I'm not busy and it makes me feel like I need to be doing something and not having a purpose. I do have things I can do but I don't feel like doing them. These things aren't something that has to be done at all.
Do you have these feelings at sometime after you have retired? Please don't get me wrong I do love retirement and feel very blessed with being able to FIRE.

 

[ZMAN]

I certainly can see and agree with that. I am in Western NY where the winters can be long and even the dog does not want to go out for too long. Plus without all of the goal seeking and work as part of that goal seeking, life can seem pretty empty.

It seems to me that a combination of working out, meditation and judicious use of drugs and alcohol can get you through the winter and on to better times. And dont forget if you have the scratch that you can take a vaca to someplace warmer. Try Rincon PR for a nice place to relax with fine food and drink.

 

[Nemo2]

Take a trip, see the world, see how other people, many of whom likely have far fewer material assets/opportunities than you, happily cope with their daily lives. Smile at them, they'll smile at you, you'll feel better.

Smiling is always good.....and listen to their stories.....everyone has stories.

 

[Midpack]

How to Avoid Retirement Burnout | On Retirement | US News

The Experts: How to Avoid Retirement Boredom - WSJ

When You're Bored Silly In Retirement - Next Avenue

Reflections on My First Year of Retirement (Part 3: Boredom) - Retirement: A Full-Time Job

 

[Tom52]

I am only 3 years into retirement but I have a much harder time coping during the winter months. In nicer weather there always seems to be a ton of projects that need to be done or activities I want to do. Sometimes these might be very insignificant but they seem to keep me occupied. I don't really feel that I have no purpose in life, winter is just boring for me.


DW and I decided last year that a change of scenery in the winter would do us a world of good. We will be leaving for Florida on January 30 for a month stay in a rented house. Then we will likely travel out to Arizona to visit family for a couple of weeks. By the time we get back we will be getting close to Spring. We would like to think that next year we will plan an even longer stay to a warm destination. Maybe even move to a warm climate in the next couple of years.


Maybe a trip to sunshine and warm weather would perk you up?

 

[Dd852]

Maybe it wasn't true for you, but it was for me - there were plenty of days at work when I felt bored or purposeless or just blah. Certainly there are many fewer now! But we shouldn't hope or expect that FIRE will lead to 100% paradise: there ain't no such thing. We can hope for better, and for fewer of the blah days, but I think we always have to be realistic and think about the positive steps we need to take ourselves. Like getting more sun!

 

[REWahoo]

Someday's I feel like I have no purpose in life.

No, in the 11+ years since I've been FIREd I've never had that feeling. I think I've mastered the ability to simply "be" and find contentment in that small accomplishment.

Or maybe I'm delusional...

 

[Dash man]

I've become more involved in my church and improving my health. Turn off the TV and go see what's out there. People could use help or improve your own life in some way, or both.

 

[Hermit]

I spend more time on this forum! It seems as though several members do and it takes a lot of time to keep up! By the end of the day, I haven't gotten much accomplished.

So there. Its all this FIRE forum's fault!

 

[NW-Bound]

Someday's I feel like I have no purpose in life...

I occasionally felt like that, but after having an illness that could mean the end of me, I don't let it bother me anymore. Heck, I have had a meaningful work life, and am fortunate enough to never been on welfare, not even unemployment. I paid my taxes, raised two children who are now working and paying taxes and SS. I have paid my dues.

Of course, it is not me who lives in a snowy and cold place. I just spent some time in my backyard today tending to the winter vegetable garden, and sowed some snowpeas.

This winter has been a long one so far with a lot of snow and deadly cold days. I still get out and walk about 3 miles even days like that..

Ah, time for some music.

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray
I've been for a walk on a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm if I was in L.A.
California dreaming on such a winter's day
​

 

[travelover]

......... I do have things I can do but I don't feel like doing them. These things aren't something that has to be done at all.
............

Is the problem that you have nothing urgent to do or that you feel guilty for not doing some mandatory tasks?

In my 10 years of retirement, I've found that one of the hardest things to do initially was to give myself permission to just do nothing and not feel guilty about it. Once I got past that I was even happier.

 

[street]

Great articles and I hope for next week that I can get to the cabin for a few days. I will snowshoe in and rough it if the weather gets better.

Traveling is something we aren't crazy about but for next year we might need to do that for a month or so.

 

[lemming]

Ultraviolet Bath Photo, Russia Picture - National Geographic Photo of the Day
If this just hit you when winter set in maybe you should try light treatments.

Really, a lot of what keeps us entertained -rerunning gains % every 4 days, shopping on internet for hours, chatting, are all not purposeful. Maybe you can decide that just being is good enough. As for travel I've decided that is not for me either but I am content at home.

 

[Ronstar]

My uncle warned me of the "no purpose" syndrome right before I retired. He told me that it's ok to spend days doing nothing and feel good about it.

My advice is to develop hobbies. For me, spending time on my hobbies gives me purpose.

 

[Jpg1717]

We also live in the cold Midwest. We recently joined a great gym with indoor pool, steam, sauna, whirlpool, running track, weight machines, ... We now work out here every morning and it is a great start to the day, and you are always in a good mood when you leave after a good workout and steam. Renting a house in Florida for the month of February. Some part time consulting also helps. If you try working out, traveling somewhere warm, and doing some volunteer work you may feel better. I'm sure there are many others who feel like you do, but you can take action to change this. At the gym I heard one older gentleman say " every morning when I wake up I have 2 decisions to make - I can decide to have a good day, or I can decide to have a bad day-and I always decide to have a good day ". Good Luck

 

[Hermit]

If you don't have enough to do, may I suggest building your own house by yourself. You will have plenty to do. On the other hand if you are married, taking on this type of a hobby could end you up single!

 

[frayne]

I've been retired going on eleven years and for the first seven I worked part time in the winter months just to get out of the house and to stay busy. The last couple I have been going to the gym and working out which helps giving me a feeling of purpose. In the warmer weather, between golf, motorcycle riding and a host of other outside activities I have no issues of being bored and lethargic.

 

[RAE]

We live in the Upper Midwest, and although I love it for about 8 months of the year, the winter months were getting really hard to endure for me, especially as I got older. Shoveling snow and taking long walks with the dog kept me moving, but they're not all that much fun after a while, especially when it gets really cold. Once I retired, we started going south for a while, and that has helped my mood immensely. We started by renting a house for about 6 weeks down here (Gulf coast), but now we are up to 2 1/2 months, and I could probably stay even longer. The things that keep me active down here (mostly kayaking, fishing, and birding) are great fun, and the weather is usually nice, so I'm very happy here. Once we get back home, it is close to spring, so not too bad. And about a month after we get back, spring arrives, and I'm super busy with all my usual activities (gardening, fishing, hiking, house and yard projects, etc) from then until the late Fall.

 

[RobbieB]

I always feel as if I have no purpose in life. I never sought any either.

I just like to have as much fun as possible -

 

[Rustic23]

For me "Having purpose" is greatly overrated! Humans may be the only species on earth that thinks there must be purpose in their life. I reached the age of 73, have a great family, friends and enjoy getting up in the morning. Nothing that I do has purpose. It just is!

 

[NW-Bound]

If you don't have enough to do, may I suggest building your own house by yourself. You will have plenty to do. ...

... particularly as you are also fending off the weather while building it. But it is unquestionable how it can keep one super busy.

When people are trying to survive, that becomes their purpose and they do not have time to think about being bored.

I'd rather keep my mind busy on other less critical things, like finding out where I will park the rental car to go into Milan, or how to take the tour at Remy Martin distillery in the next trip.

 

[NW-Bound]

Speaking of building one's house, I recall recently watching on DVD a movie called "Still Mine". It was based on a true story of a man in his 80s who set out to build a new home because his existing house was no longer suitable for his ailing wife and himself. This movie got several nominations for some awards.

Talk about giving oneself a purpose! I am not that good. I can find purpose in much more mundane things, like how to cook a dish better.

 

[Danmar]

I've never felt purposeless, but if I did, I would go out there and find some purpose. Happiness is one of our most important responsibilities.

 

[FIREd]

For me "Having purpose" is greatly overrated! Humans may be the only species on earth that thinks there must be purpose in their life. I reached the age of 73, have a great family, friends and enjoy getting up in the morning. Nothing that I do has purpose. It just is!

+1!

 

[ls99]

I can't ever remember needing a purpose for life. Cogito Ergo Sum.



BTW What the heck did Descartes do all day beside trying prove that he does not exist, and failing.