The Joys of Retirement
written by: Dianne Moritz
A friend of mine recently complained that retirement is a complete bore, nothing like he imagined it would be. But hey, what is?
Never a particularly active person, he finds it difficult to find meaningful things to do with all his extra time.
I happen to like not working, but my pal, mired in depression, said I couldn’t name three good things about retirement.
At this stage of life, as always, it is up to each of us to create the kind of life we want.
Retirement may not always be a round of great golf, but there are some terrific advantages to walking away from the working world.
The main advantage is that I am no longer limited by time restraints and schedules. My time is my own, completely. Now and forever, I can create the kind of life I want for the rest of my life. I can…
1. sleep in everyday of the week.
2. toss out the alarm clock.
3. play golf, or do anything, any time.
4. binge watch my favorite films.
5. ditch those power suits.
6. skip dressing for success.
7. pursue a long, lost passion.
8. be my own boss.
9. stay up late.
10. write my memoirs.
11. volunteer.
12. join a yoga class.
13. move to Arizona.
14. relocate to Florida, Mexico, or Maui.
15. take up pottery.
16. be messy.
17. join buddies for bingo.
18. play bridge.
19. baby-sit the grand-kids.
20. go barefoot.
21. imbibe before noon.
22. take guitar lessons.
23. save $ on senior’s day at the market.
24. book a trip on a whim.
25. buy an RV and drive off to nowhere.
26. go dancing till 3 AM.
27. book a senior’s cruise.
28. enjoy early-bird dining.
29. decorate my condo instead of my cubicle.
30. attend movie matinees.
31. re-read all the classics.
32. bone up on Shakespeare.
33. go to the beach every day.
34. watch all top 100 movies from the American Film Institute.
35. go sight-seeing in NYC.
36. teach English online to Chinese children.
37. tutor a struggling student.
38. teach someone to read.
39. exercise more.
40. join a gym.
41. study art.
42. visit the best museums.
43. fly off to Paris.
44. feast on paella in Spain.
45. try frog legs.
Furthermore…
46. Commuting is history!
47. Sweats are the go-to grab.
48. I qualify for senior tickets at theaters, National Parks, and more.
49. I have plenty of time to cook gourmet meals.
50. I don’t have to act civil to co-workers I don’t care for.
51. No more late nights at the office!
52. No more tolerating stupid jokes at the water cooler!
53. No more discussing the day at the office.
54. Or listening to others talk about their day at work.
55. No more Secret Santa gifts.
56. Office holiday parties? Over!
57. Career advancement courses? Finished!
58. Competitive urges? Done!
59. Yearly critiques? None!
60. Worries of dismissal? Finished!
61. That martini lunch can last all day.
62. Daily planner? In the trash.
63. Lunches with co-workers? Kaput.
64. Over-achieving? Obsolete!
65. Office gossip? Who cares!
66. I’m no longer over-worked and under-paid.
67. Time is mine.
68. I’m still here.
69. Life’s a beach!
70. Bucket list….time to begin!
Hey, friends, pack your gear! Who’s up for a road trip along the sunny California coast? And perhaps a few days stay at a surfing camp?? It’s never too late to learn to catch a wave or enjoy a spectacular sunset over the Pacific. Let the adventures begin.
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