After FIRE

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Three very useful books I recommend dealing with the often overlooked qualitative side of retirement. They include some excellent self-assessments relating to preferences in retirement. Together, they cover all aspects, including health, happiness, personality, social, activities, family, housing, etc.:

"The Joy of Retirement: Finding Happiness, Freedom, and the Life You've Always Wanted":

Amazon.com: The Joy of Retirement: Finding Happiness, Freedom, and the Life You've Always Wanted (Audible Audio Edition): David C. Borchard, Patricia A. Donohoe, Sean Pratt, LLC Gildan Media: Books

"My Next Phase: The Personality-Based Guide to Your Best Retirement":

My Next Phase: The Personality-Based Guide to Your Best Retirement: Eric Sundstrom, Randy Burnham, Michael Burnham: 9780446581172: Amazon.com: Books

"Comfort Zones: Planning a Fulfilling Retirement":

Comfort Zones: Planning a Fulfilling Retirement, 5th Edition: Marion E. Haynes: 9781592009909: Amazon.com: Books

 

[Major Tom]

Welcome BB and as REW pointed out, it would be hard to know where to start with pointers on transitioning to ER, as this forum is full of 'em. It's one of the major topics discussed here regularly. My advice would be to pull up a chair every now and again, pour yourself a cuppa joe, and spend a happy hour or two reading the threads here. Repeat this on a regular basis - there's a lot to read! Some folk seem to experience great difficulty transitioning while for others, it's easy. A survey was done a few years ago on the different Meyers-Briggs personality types who frequent this little place on the internet and while there was a wide spread of types, introverts were in the majority with INTJ's forming the biggest group. Whether or not you buy into the ideas on dividing people into these 16 different types, it does point to the fact that certain personalities adjust more easily.

I'm an introvert, and a particularly insular type of oddball. I have one very good friend, and a few who I'd categorize more as various levels of acquaintances (with a few being pretty darned close to being in the friend category). One really good friend is all I need. I love my own company, almost more than is healthy for me. I barely noticed the transition to ER. This was basically how my transition to ER went - woke up on the first morning I didn't have to work. Said to myself, "Oh cool, I don't have to go to work." Rolled over, and went back to sleep for a while. Got up, made coffee. Did some stuff. Pottered around. Drank more coffee. Ate lunch, *pottered some more, ate dinner. Finally went to sleep.

I've been doing that for about 7 years now

PS "Pottering" does, of course, cover a fairly wide variety of activities