Retirement Detox
If you are just retiring, you need to detox all those years of employment and the hustle and bustle of everyday life!
It’s time to relax. Yes, I realize you don’t know quite HOW to do that. You might relax for a weekend, maybe even a weeks vacation — but for a month, or three months — how does that happen?
It happens slowly.
You might be anxious at first, knowing you should be busy and productive — and yet, not quite finding the energy for momentum to do anything on your To Do List!
This is ok, but do give yourself a break. Detox your anxious thoughts — you are not a has-been, you are not near death, you are retired and starting a new phase of life. You've been here before, when you first went into the workforce, when you got married, when you became a parent, when you became responsible for raising a family — all steps into the unknown future.
Retirement is simply one more step. You aren’t sure where you are headed. You aren’t sure what you will do all day, every day. You aren’t sure if you will remain in the same home or downsize, or move out of state. You aren’t even sure your income will cover your monthly bills!
Believe me — slowly but surely, you will feel the retirement shift and your life becomes your new norm. You are transformed from a busy, never-enough-time individual to a more laid back version of your old self.
Mind you— You might not find peaceful right away. Peace is elusive as you chase it, but will come in time as you accept your new life.
You might be restless at first, and need to work, part-time, or as a volunteer helping others. Getting outside the home — and helping others — is the best medicine for retirement. Being of purpose, meeting new people, keeping your mind challenged while keeping physically on the move is the key to your best self.
You will need to find new interests and might consider things you enjoyed as a child. My husband is back into locomotive trains (though, quite honestly, he did swaps with other collectors to get a larger size as he couldn't quite see the smaller trains he thought he wanted to work with)! So many interests to look into, some will bring new people into your life with like interests.
In time, you will love retirement and the freedom it brings!
You will love waking when YOU choose to wake, and staying up half the night if you choose to. You will love doing whatever you care to do, whenever you want to do it, including odd meal times. Life is all about you and how you choose to live it!
For now, while retirement is new — consider this your Retirement Detox phase of life. Allow yourself lots of catch up sleep. Sleep is good and will help you reboot in life. Consider where you might live, what you might pursue, but there is no rush. Play with your options. Make lists. Consider the pros and cons of each decision. But mostly — Chill out! Relax!
Enjoy the good life!
Breathe!
*From Retirement-Online.com