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 Retirement Surprises By Harvey Corwin
Facing retirement many years later, I also had the anticipation of wonder and excitement. Would I have regrets, would there be enough money, should we move to another location, and how would I experience the new life style emotionally and mentally? Ultimately both decisions regarding our 1966 marriage, and our more recent retirement happened to be two of the best experiences of my life. I’ve had great joy and fulfillment in both of these decisions. However, wonder and surprise can be both positive and negative. When you retire from a career, the last thing you want is negative surprises. Let’s talk about some of these possible surprises. Get a Life Throughout my 40 year career, I have observed co-workers in my organization who worked days, nights, and weekends. Unfortunately, their only world was their work. They did not have a life out side of their working environment. When they finally retired, they sadly had not built any non-work related relationships. They had neglected their spouse, family and friends. Big surprises were in store for them when they faced a new world of relationships. As a minister, I have spent time with people who were facing death and those who were near to the end of their life. I never heard any of them say “I wish I would have spent more time at work.” In fact they wished they would have spent more time in their relationships with spouse, family, and friends. Personal relationships must be built throughout the working years so when retirement comes, you will enjoy a positive life with no surprises. Financial versus Emotional One of the biggest surprises and wonders is the financial aspect of retirement. You want to know how much you will receive monthly on your retirement plan and how your health insurance will work out. Will there be enough money to live on, or will you have to get another job? All of these questions can create anxiety. As you plan, consider a 20% buffer in your budgeted expenses. Under estimating your expenses is a fast way to create a negative surprise in your retirement years. Finding Purpose Finding purpose in retirement is the key to your life fulfillment. I remember talking to a friend who retired a few years ago. He said “I have made a lot of money throughout my career, but now that I’m retiring I have no purpose or fulfillment. My life is empty.” And it was true. Even though he was a multimillionaire, he had lost his relationships with his former wife, his children, and many of his friends. A self-centered life ends on a dead end street called “Remorse Avenue.” Plan ahead how you will live your life after retirement. Have goals, ideas, plans, and a purpose for your life. If possible, start living these plans before you retire. Ideas Volunteer at a school, church, or for a community service outreach. Be a mentor for young couples in their marriage. Write an article on your favorite topic, and if that goes well write a book. Organize your life, estate, and personal wishes. Get rid of stuff that has no value to you. Make a list of what you personally own and how you want to distribute it. When you’ve done this, you’ll have an objective perspective which may be beneficial in both current and future planning. There can be a peace of mind achieved in getting your affairs in order. Set a Date It’s important to set an exact retirement date with the year, month, and day on your home calendar. I remember telling my employer that I would be retiring in two years so that he could also plan for my transition. He laughed and said “no way, we will work together for years.” Two years later when I announced my retirement he was in shock. The reason you need two years is so that you can begin to organize your new life style. Begin to work on relationships that might have slipped through the years. Plan activities that you want to do so that you won’t get on your spouses nerves by being underfoot day in and day out. Think of how you can be productive by giving back to your family, church, and community. The most fulfilled people I know in retirement are those who give of themselves by volunteering; continuing some type of ministry; or generally find a way to help people. There is nothing more fulfilling than an “others-centered life” to keep you active, engaged, and sometimes even out of trouble. From the start of your two year count down, make the time to plan and avoid the negative surprises and accentuate the positive elements of retirement. Freedom Years My freedom years have been good! I have more time with my family, more time for researching things I’m interested in, more time for relationships, and more time for my relationship with God. Retirement has been an exciting adventure, and I cherish everyday with my wife who is the love of my life. Adding the additional strengthening of relationships with family and friends, it can be the best time of your life. Hopefully your transition into retirement will also have the positive elements of wonder and surprise like I have found in mine. ______________________________ Harvey Corwin, Marriage and Family Educator, writes from Redmond, OR. All rights reserved © 2010 AnswersForMe.org. Click here for content usage information. |
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