Hi... I'm scared

Thanks everyone for the pep talk and great ideas!

I thought a lot last night about what I'm worried about and I think I figured it out. I have a high school education, no college, yet I have a job that 'requires' a master's degree in English.

I worked HARD to get where I am. If I find myself having to go back into the workforce I don't know that I'd be able to even get an interview much less replace my job with a comparable one.

BUT I'm not planning to go back to work so I'm just going to have to let it go... otherwise I'll never retire!
 
Good for you, Lisa! Kudos to you for all of the hard work you did to get where you are in your career. Now it's time to put those talents to work to make your retirement great!
 
rdy2go said:
I am close to giving my notice and go over the numbers in my head many nights before I go to sleep. I told a friend that and he said he has the same dreams since he is preparing to retire also. I think it must be pretty universal.
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I still have dreams that I am in college, approaching finals week, and realize there is a class that I forgot to attend. And I can't find my schedule that shows where the class meets.

That and finding myself in public sans clothes.

The thought that I use to calm my brain regarding retirement numbers goes like this: We are well prepared based on the information that we know. We have a plan for health care, pension, income in retirement, social security, draw down of investments, and so forth.

We cannot predict the future, but based on the past, our plan looks sound.

If something outside the historical past happens, we will still be in better shape than X % of the population in our age bracket. (Where X = a number somewhere between 95 and 99). For me, that is good enough.
 
Not quite Early

My wife passed away in 2005, and I figured I should still work to keep me sane.
Unfortunately, my boss of 10 years retired, and the new manager started bringing in his own people. I saw the handwriting on the wall, and waited until January to get my 7% profit sharing:)
2 days later, I was on a plane to South America for a two week excursion.
I have never looked back, or had interest in keeping in touch with any of my former coworkers.
I now fly for Angel Flight West, Pilots & Paws, volunteer on a tourist train, and work with a food bank.
 
Clone said:
I still have dreams that I am in college, approaching finals week, and realize there is a class that I forgot to attend. And I can't find my schedule that shows where the class meets...
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Funny, I had a similar dream a while ago, that I was already in graduate school when I realized that I forgot to finish the BS program. In the dream, I was sweating bullet that they would find me out. I wanted to finish those missing classes but could not find out where they met.
 
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NW-Bound said:
Funny, I had a similar dream a while ago, that I was already in graduate school when I realized that I forgot to finish the BS program. In the dream, I was sweating bullet that they would find me out. I wanted to finish those missing classes but could not find out where they met.
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Wow. I have a dream every so often where I show up at class in college and I realize that it's the final and I haven't even been to one class, and I know absolutely nothing. HATE that dream :)


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bmcgonig said:
Wow. I have a dream every so often where I show up at class in college and I realize that it's the final and I haven't even been to one class, and I know absolutely nothing. HATE that dream :)


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+1. I have that dream every so often as well and it's always a Math class 😁


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Lisa,
Thanks for sharing your fears. They are normal. When you first leave, there will be a shock to your system. It may take several months to get over the initial shock and a few years to find a new normal. It is a great journey.
If you want a real education the look into Osher Lifelong Institute that is available at UNLV. You will learn new things and possibly find a new community of friends. Google OLLI at UNLV.
You have saved some else's current employment and you will find that you are saving yourself also. Give yourself a pat on the back.
 
Clone said:
I still have dreams that I am in college, approaching finals week, and realize there is a class that I forgot to attend. And I can't find my schedule that shows where the class meets..
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Wow. I had this dream several times just before ER.

like Lisa I 2 worried that I might be making a huge mistake. I've been retired nearly 6 months now and life is WONDERFUL. I figured the worst thing that happens is that I end up broke at 85 and have to live on SSI. I've been keeping a sporadic diary since ER to go back to so I can remind myself that it was worth it should that happen
 
Three words of advice: Plan a Vacation. I ER'ed in 2013 faced with similar anxieties. I planned a fun, extended vacation for a couple months after I left work. This gave me something exciting to look forward to and to plan and also acted as a kind of buffer between my career life and my next life. It helped immensely to put my mind off what I was leaving and to inaugurate something new.
 
bmcgonig said:
Wow. I have a dream every so often where I show up at class in college and I realize that it's the final and I haven't even been to one class, and I know absolutely nothing. HATE that dream :)
Click to expand...

I have a very similar dream every so often, too! And it is college, not work. Yet when I went to college I was a good student, had good grades and was not a slack off, so what is with the dream? I thought in my case it was because I could easily work from home more than I do, but the dream is never work it is always classes.
 
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The final exam dream was explained to me this way: you are worried about being unprepared, and this is how the mind is expressing it.


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Pbkmaine said:
The final exam dream was explained to me this way: you are worried about being unprepared, and this is how the mind is expressing it.
Click to expand...

I think that nails it. I have this dream in three forms. Sometime I forget to deliver the papers on my paper route, sometimes I forget to study for an exam and sometimes I forget to do something for work. Sure is nice waking up retired.
 
No bad dreams, just bad sleep. I just worked my penultimate day. Next Tuesday is it! Barely slept last night.


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Lisa,

Fellow Las Vegan. Similar background and issues. Once i get off this train, can't get back on. The die has been cast and the paychecks stop next month. When you worked all your life and always earned, it is tough to say goodbye to a regular paycheck. I am trying TimSF's advice. Long vacation is first on the agenda. After that a long list of things I always wanted to do but never had the time. My wife called it quits a few years back and loves the freedom. I look forward to joining her, but still have those doubts. Just have to jump into it and the fear will go away soon enough.
 
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