Finding Purpose in Retirement

[pacergal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo I've discovered finding porpoise in retirement is great for my health and longevity. I almost always see a few when I take the ferry at Port Aransas. I know some of you will be unable to resist pointing out this sounds fishy even though you know whales, even small ones like porpoises, are mammals.

Kidding aside, I find my purpose in my life daily. Family, faith, friends. Keeping connections with others, maintaining a positive attitude of gratitude.
Being retired these past four years has allowed us to help our kids weather some storms that nobody saw coming, and we are all stronger for it and better connected. They are good kids, raising our DGkids well. I am a proud mama.

[Nemo2]

I stopped working, (some who knew me might question whether I ever started), 32 years and 3 months ago yesterday, and the concept of 'purpose' has never been an issue, although I do attempt to emulate Hippocrates and "abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous*"

(*Mischievous in the sense of being harmful........for other definitions all bets are off.)

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FREE866 I think the biggest duping is that people are conditioned to believe that working is the way to achieve a sense of self worth or purpose if you will.

I saw this sign when I was in Poland that said "Work Will Set You Free". Yea. Right.

Retiring has given me the ability to improve my health through better diet and exercise. I can travel. I can help my kids when they need help. After 40+ years of working, I was tired of having to ask permission.

I have found that people whose work gives them plenty of control over the work and how they use their time are often the ones who are happiest to continue working well into their 60's and 70's. One example is a clergyman who can pick and choose when he wants to perform a wedding, funeral or substitute for the absent pastor of a church. I know a doctor who also can schedule his work. They continue working because nobody is telling them they have to work .

[Gumby]

I had a great deal of autonomy in my career, but it still took up all my time. So, when I could, I stopped.

[Dash man]

Faith and Family. We’ve found ourselves being more involved with our Parish and we have family we spend time with and help when needed. We’re helping various charities and have sponsored two children in other countries. We also bring meals to a homeless shelter occasionally.
We’re taking care of a parent in our home and our grandkids keep us busy when they’re here.

[flyingaway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FREE866 I'm very surprised to see such a comment on an Early Retirement board. Are you retired? I think the biggest duping is that people are conditioned to believe that working is the way to achieve a sense of self worth or purpose if you will. I retired at 50 and am almost 4 years in and I can say I feel so much better about my life doing volunteer work, exercising more, reading more books, sleeping better, helping my parents,and just an overall indescribable happiness living a life not tied to a job. Many days I feel like the luckiest man on earth.

What I actually wanted to say is that retirement should be free of seriously pursuing anything with a noble purpose, just enjoying your time. Doing nothing is probably the best.

If you really want to have a purpose, keeping working is a purpose.

[1242Vintage]

My purpose for retirement and driver for taking that step is to to have more time to spend with extended family. I have Mom down the lane, father in law in town and little brother who is disabled on the outskirts of town. I retired so I can have time with them.

And in order to be there for them, have to make sure I’m healthy. Working on trimming down my weight and regaining fitness as a priority.

We love to travel too ... and it’s also family-focused. Back in January little brother and I escaped for a brother week in Mexico. Try to get him out of the cold weather for a week or so every winter and get a little sunshine to brighten him up.

[eroscott]

I follow Wes Moss and have read his book. Below is a brief article on what I've mentioned to friends. There is also a related youtube video here (skip 1st minute):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34418-1AsdU

Title: Why It’s Critical To Find Your Core Pursuits Before Retirement
https://www.wesmoss.com/news/why-its...re-retirement/

Quote:

... The happiest retirees have at least 3.5 core pursuits, according to our surveys and interviews with retirees across the country. The least happy engaged in just 1.9 such activities. Core pursuits can run the gamut from golf or other sports to collecting to gardening to political activism to volunteering to traveling to earning a college degree. To paraphrase an old saying, a core pursuit is anything that flicks your Bic. Understand that these pursuits aren’t simple pastimes; they are passions to which the retirees devote a great deal of time, energy, and sometimes money. The happiest retirees prioritize their core pursuits and derive great satisfaction from those endeavors. ...

[Lawrencewendall]

My current purpose is to see how long I can sleep in every morning.

[flyingaway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telly I think some may be misunderstanding your comment. I took your comment as, if someone retired, and then now seeks a sense of purpose in their post-work life, then maybe they shouldn't have retired yet. To which I agree. I took the OP's thread topic as relating some information (to which one can take or leave), and was wondering what other retiree's do that they think is a sense of purpose (if they needed one) in their retired life. And I do think there ARE some retirees that really need a sense of purpose in their retirement lives. Personally, that is a non-issue for me. Not that I am competition with the past works of Mother Teresa, or anything like that!

Yes. You are correct.

I think that a retirement is to retire from pursuing any serious purpose.

[FREE866]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lawrencewendall My current purpose is to see how long I can sleep in every morning.

right?


this whole idea of "what's your purpose" is a bit much I might add. All these articles and books on "what are your goals in life". That's like corporate America narrative BS in my view. I'm done with that part of my life! Enough already lol.



I like to do things via volunteer work that help animals and people and I'm immensely grateful to be in this position. That's enough for me. I don't want or need to have some grand plan to "change the world" or have to put undue pressure on myself to "do something". And yes, nothing beats the option to sleep late, especially on a Monday morning!

[Lawrencewendall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FREE866 right? this whole idea of "what's your purpose" is a bit much I might add. All these articles and books on "what are your goals in life". That's like corporate America narrative BS in my view. I'm done with that part of my life! Enough already lol. I like to do things via volunteer work that help animals and people and I'm immensely grateful to be in this position. That's enough for me. I don't want or need to have some grand plan to "change the world" or have to put undue pressure on myself to "do something". And yes, nothing beats the option to sleep late, especially on a Monday morning!

Only been RE'ed a year and I've already forgotten what day of the week it is!

[Midpack]

It's an individual thing - people who ridicule those who seek purpose are as wrong as though who ridicule those who “live in the present” almost exclusively. Some people need structure in life, some don't. Some people are extroverts, some introverts or something in between. Making money is supremely fulfilling to some people even if they have more than enough, to others enough is enough.

I enjoy the freedom of retirement and the only thing I've found essential to happiness is not hemming myself in with permanent personal commitments. I'm not sure I'll ever want to run anything again, I volunteered and took a position on a yacht club board early in retirement - I doubt I'll ever do anything like that again. OTOH I am more than happy to take on finite projects even ones that take a long time - there has to be goal/defined end or I'm unlikely to volunteer.

I am putting a lot of focus on golf and sailing right now, but I could drop one or both if something more interesting comes along - and probably will if my first 66 years are any indication. I've always enjoyed variety and new things over focusing on one thing (e.g. I know people who are happy playing golf or fishing every day - I would grow to hate any activity if I did it every day).

[harllee]

I have been retired almost 20 years now (retired at age 50) and during that time I have volunteered for organizations that I feel are very worthy of my time--that really gave me purpose. Right now my biggest purpose is helping my husband who has an autoimmune disease and my 90 year old mother to stay healthy.

[travelover]

I bought a blender and am working on whirled peas.

[RobbieB]

I've come real close to perfecting my bean sprout eggrolls.

[albireo13]

I like turtles!

[NW-Bound]

My purpose in life since ER 8 years ago was to stay healthy, and to travel as much as I want (too much travel could become tedious, same as work).

This year, no travel is possible due to Covid, and I have been spending a lot of time babysitting my DIY solar power system, tweaking it to supply my usage as much as possible and to make my electric bill as low as possible.

I carefully tested my lithium bank, and was pleased to see that the energy loss for a round-trip charging/discharging cycle was lower than 5%. And that made me happy.

[MissMolly]

Eat more bacon.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby Must I have a purpose? So far, I'm doing pretty well without. I just wake up every morning, do what I want all day and then go to bed when I get tired.

My thoughts exactly. I remember shortly after retirement, sitting on the back porch and thinking "Okay, what next?"

And it came to me, "Why do I have to do anything? I've spent all my life getting to the point where I don't HAVE to do anything."

A post by Nords explored that topic more fully a while back. I keep it bookmarked. Also note the tagline.

But if one has to have a "purpose" I just ordered two new R/C airplanes that will do things I've never done before with an airplane. One does extreme "3D" maneuvers. The other goes 140+ MPH. For an R/C airplane, that is "smokin"! Most R/C jets don't go that fast. One challenge there will be staying mentally far enough ahead of the airplane to keep it in sight.

https://www.horizonhobby.com/product...EFL12350C.html

https://www.horizonhobby.com/product.../EFL16550.html