“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” — Fred Rogers
I recently met two friends who are both retiring this year. One was a reluctant retiree, anxious and scared of what lies ahead for her. She is seriously concerned if she is already physically, mentally and financially prepared to lose her job of 30 years. Though she will receive a decent retirement pay and monthly pension from GSIS, she is not sure of these will be enough to for her retirement needs. My second friend, on the other hand, was full of excitement and eagerness as she does the countdown to her freedom day. She looks forward to spending the days she has long prepared for. Aside from her retirement pay, monthly SSS pension, she has personal pension plans that will pay out as soon as she retires. She also has several savings and investments that continues to give her passive income. She believes she has enough.
Two soon-to-be retirees with contrasting reaction and sentiment. If you will imagine yourself to be in either shoe, who would you want it to be- the reluctant retiree or the excited retiree? No brainer, all of us would want to be the excited retiree.
There is this common phrase among retirees: “Am retired but not tired.” Retirement is not about being idle, dwelling in your past glories and achievements and ceasing to live life. On the contrary, it is about the chance to live with more freedom, choice, wisdom and appreciation.
One of the best gifts of retirement is waking up with a peaceful and stress free mind. You wake up to a quiet morning, read the newspaper and take your breakfast without needing to rush for an early team meeting. You still feel excited about your activities for the day but without the pressure and drama that usually comes in the workplace.
Retirement creates the opportunity to spend time and do what we truly enjoy. Purpose does not disappear when we stop working. In retirement, we find our new purpose, usually tied up to projects and activities that we really love and passionate about but did not have the time and resource to do while we were working.
Retirement allows us to evaluate and appreciate what truly matters in life. We learn to live simpler, accepting life for what it is. We become less materialistic, less self-centered and less exacting. We realize that less is more. We appreciate ourselves more and stop comparing ourselves with others.
Keeping our independence should be our retirement goal. We travel when we feel the itch, we dine out when we crave, we shop when we get bored. It is about being empowered to make our own choices, do only the things we want to do (and not need to) and live our senior years the way we feel we deserve.
Retirement should enable us to focus on the bodily and health changes that come with aging. We now have the luxury of time to do regular exercise, walking or play our favorite sports, without the worries and hurries. We can schedule and do our regular medical check-up and consultation as may be required or as we prefer. We can go for rest and relaxation escapades whenever we feel the need for it.
Retirement is the time to rebuild and strengthen our relationships – with families, friends and relatives. If you have missed a number of occasions and special events due to your hectic work schedules in the past, now is the time to make-up and reconnect with the people who matter. Attend those gatherings, reunions, meet-ups, or coffee dates and share and create beautiful memories with families and friends.
In one article that I read, it says, “Retirement is not the end of the road; it is the beginning of an open highway.”There’s still so much to discover and live for as retirees. I know it for a fact, as I discovered and am still discovering a lot about myself, and what I can still do, when I retired seven years ago.
But I have to say that to enjoy what retirement should be, it needs to be carefully planned and thought about early on during our work life. It will not happen overnight. And we cannot leave it to chance. It is up to us to make our retirement life as comfortable as we want it to be. This will require us to intentionally save, get insured and invest.
Leading to my retirement years ago, just like my second friend, I was excited and so looking forward to it because I know I prepared for it. And now, I am living and enjoying my retirement as it should be.
How are you preparing for yours?
