When we think about our lives being a long and almost unimaginable journey, it is almost overwhelming isn’t it? The year I turned 65 I just couldn’t believe that I had survived this long on the planet Earth, still intact (relatively) and mostly sane (some would debate that statement). But what will the future hold for me and my family? My children are themselves grown adults, and my parents have long since retired and unfortunately both recently passed away.

I should be thinking about the future though, not the past, as I still have a fairly long period of time to live. Remember we can never change the past, only the future. My thoughts about this are two-fold: Am I going to live a happy life in retirement, able to fulfill my desire to travel and live a relatively decent life that is worry free? Or will I start to really show my age as my health and mental faculties start to decline? This is a scary thought for nearly everyone reaching this age, as we don’t know what the future holds. By the way, is it too late to make changes and have a different outcome in your life? I would say definitely not, at least you can change many things about your life with the habits and daily routines that make you either poorer or richer, unhealthy or healthier, miserable or happy.

If you had the power the change these things, I’m sure you would, right? There are many things in life we can’t possibly change, but as long as you are not too far down the road to bad health you can turn things around and become much healthier. The same holds true for your finances, as long as you aren’t too far down the road to bad financial status, such as heavy debts and very little in savings, you can always turn things around by starting to make better choices in your life on a daily basis. This alone takes quite a bit of planning and discipline but is another way to give yourself something to look forward to in your retirement years – getting a better life, while you improve yourself at the same time.

This may seem like an odd question, but do you look forward to retirement? That seems like an obvious “yes” to most everyone I ask, since most people I talk to are about my age. However many people are not the type who like to sit around very much, so retiring can be a very scary thought for them, believe it or not. Most people refer to them as workaholics, and I would probably agree with that assessment however harsh it may seem. But if you have grown up in a household where everyone worked hard, it is the only choice to also work very hard. This can be something passed down from father to son, or even from mother to daughter, depending on the circumstances. After working hard for thirty or forty years it is just engrained in ones soul at that point. So the very thought of not working at all can be somewhat terrifying to these people – what will I do all day if I’m not working? Some of the workaholics I have met do not have even one hobby to take up their time, so that is something that must be learned. How to relax, how to have fun, if this is a foreign concept to you as well then you really must start doing some homework and find a hobby or other past time to take up your time. Otherwise, you may go completely crazy sitting around all day!

This may take some getting used to, and that’s ok too. I think most people have to ease into the idea of not working any longer, and if it’s all you’ve done for over forty years it will probably take a little longer than most people. But this can also be a good thing, working hard is a habit right? So now, look at it as a new task or mission to fulfill, where you need to come up with things to do that are entertaining and fun instead of the work that you have been drudging through for so long. Alright, maybe you loved your job. That’s possible, I’ve heard of that – although I still think it’s pretty rare!

But at some point it’s really a good idea to stop working so hard and get some hobbies or something to do. I say hobbies, but it can be nearly anything that is relaxing including art projects, woodworking projects, take up knitting or crochet, anything to keep your mind occupied that is most relaxing for you in particular. Remember, you are different than everyone else out there and what makes you happy is probably also going to be different so take your time, do some searching and maybe googling, and find out the best way for you to spend your newfound freedom in retirement. It will certainly be well worth it once you find your niche, as they say. And who knows, you may end up making some new friends that also enjoy that new hobby of yours too, which is a real bonus!

Planning for your retirement can be tricky, and there are questions you have like everyone else. If you want to learn and explore more ideas for yourself, check out my book here for more information:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3S2V9VM

Happy retirement planning!