Ronstar
Moderator Emeritus
The best thing about being retired is having 100% of my time to do what I want to do. Before I retired, I worked 1-2 days a week mostly from home. That was nice, but nothing compared to having 100% of my time for myself.
NAPS!!! I forgot to mention them. So wonderful and so satisfying.
Before retiring, I hadn't taken naps since Kindergarten. And when I was little like that, I couldn't sleep during the day and hated naps. Now I love them.
+1, the overriding answer to me. What we all do isn’t important, we all have different wants and needs. Having full control over what I do and when is the greatest reward. Some days I’m busy, though never as busy as during my career, and some days I’m lazy - it’s nice.Freedom to do what I want.
ER Eddie - a few questions:
1. Do you enjoy your job and work environment?
2. What are your reasons for retiring?
3. What's your financial situation? Do you clearly have enough money to support your desired lifestyle? If you do, you won't miss the paycheck.
4. What do you want to do in retirement? If you can't answer this, use the next 8 months to shift your mindset from getting fulfillment, identity, social life, etc from the workplace to getting those things outside of the workplace.
Lost: the bullsh!t
Gained: freedom
Good trade!
3. I have more than enough to cover my costs in retirement. I've run the numbers many times, so I'm confident in that. I realize that my fears/worries of being without a paycheck are irrational. Nevertheless, there they are...
4. In addition to what I mentioned in #3 (learning/growth, health, social life, spirituality), I'd also like to move to a different part of the country, spend more time with people/dogs I care about, spend more time outdoors (e.g., hiking), read more, take classes, and get more involved in causes I care about. Maybe explore creative pursuits of some kind. I haven't completely ruled out the possibility of short-term or part-time work, either, but it would have to be something I was genuinely interested in, not just something I was just doing for the money.
What helped me a little with that was that I devised a withdrawal strategy that to me seems like having a paycheck. I'm not saying this would work for everybody, but that it works for me.
Maybe you can figure out some sort of withdrawal scheme that will feel like a paycheck to you.
So, help me out. Let's talk about what is good about being retired.
I get money for nothin' and chicks for free!
What's good about being alive? For some, not much- as evidenced by suicide rates.
Remember the first day of summer vacation as a kid? That's how my retirement feels every day. I get to be alive and free. I. Love. It.
Since I have a pension, and now SS, all I have to do is maintain a pulse and they send me money every month. Is that cool or what?
I get money for nothin' and chicks for free!