44 and Retiring at End of Year

[silvertip]

First time posting on this site. A friend introduced me to it. For years I've been excited about retiring because there are lots of interests that I have and never get to. Now that it's very close to becoming a reality, I'm starting to get nervous. Our financial planner has ensured that we have enough money. But, will be be bored? Anyone retire and regret it for these reasons? Would love some advice, encouragement, thoughts. . . .

 

[REWahoo]

Silvertip, congratulations and welcome to the forum. You might want to check out this thread for some of the many, many discussions of the "bored" question...

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f47/faq-archive-but-what-will-i-do-all-day-30655.html

 

[SteveR]

Welcome to the forum. Glad you found us and hope you take advantage of the wisdom and experience on the various threads to see what we are all about.

Being bored is not what it is cracked up to be. I don't have time to be bored. At work I was bored...bored to tears. Now that I am not working I have all the time in the world to not be bored. Like NORDS says..."you are responsible for your own entertainment." What have you been dreaming of doing but never had the chance? Well retirement, especially early retirement, gives you not only the chance to do it but the youthful energy to actually be able to do it.

Who wants to retire at 65 or 70 and be too tired or physically incapable of doing the things you want to do now? Life is too short to spend it making someone else rich while you make yourself sick. Get out of your chair and live!

 

[Midpack]

For years I've been excited about retiring because there are lots of interests that I have and never get to.

There are people who are bored silly in retirement and there are those who aren't at all. When you ask here, you're going to get answers from both camps - one will be right for you, and one won't. Based on the sentence above, it sounds like you won't be bored, but put all those interests in writing (for yourself, we don't need to know) and think about whether those interests will fill your time. I found the Get-A-Life exercise in Ernie Zelinski's book to be helpful, there's a thread here if you're interested http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/name-your-50-activities-34245.html Best of luck, you can make retirement wonderful as long as you 'have something to retire to' - doesn't matter what it is.

 

[oma]

First time posting on this site. A friend introduced me to it. For years I've been excited about retiring because there are lots of interests that I have and never get to. Now that it's very close to becoming a reality, I'm starting to get nervous. Our financial planner has ensured that we have enough money. But, will be be bored? Anyone retire and regret it for these reasons? Would love some advice, encouragement, thoughts. . . .

I'm 44. Will retire at 45 and I also have that fear of being bored. I'm an avid golfer, but you can only golf so much in your day/week that it can become monotonous. Important to have a variety of interests other than only one hobby. As posted in the FAQ, pick up Ernie Zelinski's book, "How to retire happy, wild, and free" - I've just started reading it and I'm picking up a lot of ideas on how to spend the retirement phase of my life.

 

[silvertip]

Thank You

Thanks everyone for your really helpful advice and encouragement. For those who recommened Ernie Zelinski's book, "How to retire happy, wild, and free" I've ordered it and look forward to reading it!

 

[Midpack]

Thanks everyone for your really helpful advice and encouragement. For those who recommened Ernie Zelinski's book, "How to retire happy, wild, and free" I've ordered it and look forward to reading it!

Good choice. It's not particularly well written and parts are overly repetitive, but the content makes it more than worthwhile so stick with it to the end. It is one of the better books on this topic IMHO.

 

[Rambler]

Welcome Silvertip. I don't have much fear, personally, that I will get bored. DW, on the other hand, worries that I will get bored...and drive her nuts.

I think if you have put half as much effort into figuring out what what you want to do when you are FIREd, you will probably be fine in the boredom department. If not, just visit this site...you'll find something that interests you.

R