gary northrop

I'm 81, retired for 26 years, and eagerly look forward to each day. Regular exercise -- although I hate it -- has kept me in relative good health and able to survive cancer and a stroke. I still fish and hunt regularly, enjoy photography and learning post processing when not watching 4 to 6 hours of TV each day.

After retiring at age 55, I did volunteer work for a time and took up billiards, playing in local tournaments for many years. I've recently became very serious about learning the harmonica, keyboard, various percussion instruments , and several weeks ago -- musical wooden spoons. (I play by ear, having no interest in learning to read music, and practice the harmonica and spoon-playing during TV commercials.)

To me, the main secret of a happy retirement is having, or developing, passions for living. We are never too old to learn new things and develop new skills . . . until we finally lose our senses!

PatM Loc: Rocky Mount Mo.

Sir,
Being retired is simply a continuation of the life you have always lived. If you worry about money when you have it you will always worry. You likely will be much happier working part time than you will otherwise. You obviously must keep busy hense all the projects. You won’t be happy any other way. Only now you can decide when and how long you feel comfortable traveling touring and visiting the world before you return to the comfort zone you are accustomed to.
Pat

gary robertson Loc: Now living in Sandpont Idaho, from So. Cal

You are going to be busier than you want to be. Since retiring I have no time. Good luck

repleo Loc: Boston

OP here. Again, thanks for all of the encouraging and positive responses. You really have given me cause to take stock.

I went to a pre-retirement seminar recently and one of the questions was 'what did you enjoy doing in your free time when you were young?' I couldn't really remember anything. Later, I realized I didn't have any 'free' time. When I wasn't at my full time job, I was busy building equity in our home or doing side jobs or doing things with the kids. As I got older and needed a rest every now and then, I felt guilty that I wasn't doing something with a tangible result. I worried that if I didn't have the pressure of a job, I would just vegetate and wallow in guilt. Your shared stories have encouraged me that I won't and shouldn't allow myself to be idle.
New Years resolution is to get with a Retirement Planner and see how we can make this a reality.
Many thanks.

bobramewe

One thing is true, there is a bunch of old retired folks hangin around here playin with cameras!...
....just sayin....

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

"if" you can retire now don't wait - do it now- fear of the unknown will keep you a slave forever. Put yourself one a budget that is reasonable. I was off work on disability for 3 yrs - age 56-59 . wife became disabled while I was off - went to the SS office on my 62 birthday because I needed to be home to take care of my wife- SS gave me full 65 retirement benefits. so for the past 18 yrs We- the Wifie and I have done a whole lot of traveling,photography, fishing, and pretty much everything we have wanted without blowing the nest egg.
harvey

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

I was in the same boat as the OP. Job was boring, but with state and federal benefits growing, I set a financial goal which took me beyond the point of retirement eligibility. Have to admit the last year was more a test of endurance than anything else. I pulled the plug when I reached a point where retirement benefits just about equaled my monthly wages. I had a couple of PT jobs afterwards, still do the handyman thing around the house and help out a few friends and neighbors from time to time.
Retirement has been rewarding, and occasionally satisfying. Overall, I still miss the daily routine of going to work and sometimes think my value has diminished since retiring, but I think about it less and less these days. Family has pretty much filled the gap of being needed. I have a feeling your day will slowly fill to the point you will wonder how you ever had the time to work. It may take 2-3 years, but it is not anything to fear. In most cases, quite the opposite. I think retirement is more a personal re-purposing than abandoning the daily routine of work. No one is financially independent as long as you pay taxes, but a few investments, a small pension, a wife who wields a sharpened pencil like a magic wand, have all contributed to a point where we think we are comfortable. If you have your health, you have options. It's not a bad thing ...... just different.

SHUTERED Loc: SO. CAL.

My wife and I found a nice 55 plus community to buy a house in and have found it to be a good idea for us. Besides the competitive events Golf, Tennis, Boce etc., they have concerts at the lodge that play Tribute bands. Fully appointed gym, pool, Jacuzi, Ball Room, Theater. Even has a small Bistro and for those interested a hair dresser. Trips of various interest ( Broadway Plays, Concerts, Museums, Cruises etc.) are arranged with transportation via coach ( fancy buss) are provided ( for an all inclusive price). We have always enjoyed the friendly attitudes of the people here and why not, most are retired with most of life's problems behind them.

Now for that other little thing. The fear of retirement for me was gripping also. The sudden cutting of one's life long umbilical cord of knowing what you would be doing tomorrow and the day after for an anticipated daily schedule of nothing planned turned out to be non issue. You did say you are married right? Nuff said on that! In short order I found that 24 hours wasn't enough time in a day to get everything planned done. The eventual glee of not completing everything seemed to bring the final feeling of so what? I am retired.

skywolf

You snooze, you lose. You have to have something to keep your mind and body working, but it doesn't have to be a job. One of the reasons I got back into photography was to keep myself going when I retired. I retired last June, but a couple of financial deals that should have happened didn't and my Social Security got cut, so I'm back at my old company, part time on a much easier job (I have hip problems). I hate being back to a job I have to wear certain clothes and do the same thing every day, but I was falling short money wise and getting no freelance work to speak of.

I went out three, four times a week taking pictures. While I was working, I started buying most of the equipment I knew I would need for photography. Even working part time hasn't stopped me from finding new places to photograph.

Regardless, you can't stop. When you retire, you're no longer bound.

PatM Loc: Rocky Mount Mo.

pmorin Loc: Huntington Beach, Palm Springs

So my contribution to this article is a bit late, so I’ll be short.
Be like a Nike slogan and ‘Just Do It’. Do the math and trust your judgment. It’s gotten you this far. Life expands when you set yourself free. As my buddy John, whom I worked with for 20 years said after he retired, “ I am so busy now, I don’t know how I had time to work before!”

Spectre Loc: Bothell, Washington

I don't use that four lettered word "work" anymore. It's all exercise. You get paid to work. Slow down and think about not flying as much as usual. You have time to take it easy and enjoy a few good road trips. National Parks are some of the best photo ops out there. Enjoy!📷

CookieRahll Loc: Brasher Falls,NY

In addition to what I added on the "retirement" subject I wanted to add a few more things after reading every bodies posts. We have been volunteering for about 7 yrs now and the last 4 yrs have been at a different food pantry..the first one we worked at was a fresh, exciting experience but the "clientele" had brand new pick-up trucks, $700 phones and "tats" to beat the band at about $1,000 worth..in other words the was no control who was qualified for all the free food every month..then we found our recent Pantry...what a difference..W2's were in order and these families really need our help...135 families and 346 people! And my husband and I kick in, with another couple every month $100.00 worth of bread(at a wholesale Freyhoffer store)my friend and I do the shopping every month. Last year I managed to get 120 turkeys for Thanksgiving for a grocery store for only $.49 a pound...and this year I went back to beg some more and got 130 turkeys for $.65 a pound...it was great handing out free turkeys!

Its been 8 1/2 yrs since we designed and built our retirement home on 150 acres and our health was really great up until 3 months ago. My husband has metastatic melanoma stage IV....laser radiation(brain) and Keytruda IV for everything else...we had to miss our pantry day today because of another doctor appointment but we still kicked in all the bread! Our friends and our family(we have no kids) have called and helped us out setting up the snow plows(now we have someone do our 1/4 mile driveway)winterizing all the "stuff" and putting everything away for the winter(we're in Northern NY...snow country and love it)

We'll get through this and hopefully continue our wonderful retirement....I'm 70yrs and he's 67yrs, and hope and pray we have more birthdays....

We planned and paid all our bills off for the "toys" we have and grow our own food and get our grass fed beef, turkeys and chickens and of course eggs from good friends....home cook all the food for our dog(8 1/2 yrs old St Bernard)

To keep me going I remember 21 yrs ago when my mother went through the same thing only gone in 8 months...God will only give what He knows you can handle...I sure hop so.

Cookie

OZMON Loc: WIGAN UK

I am 80 years old, also I am a radio amateur but not now active after a long illness, I became interested in photography, and now my greatest pleasure is driving around the Yorkshire dales and Cumbria taking landscape photographs, I live in Wigan UK, and so I do not have a long way to go to be in such beautiful scenery,
also the country air is good for me.
But whatever you choose, good luck, this is a great site to show off your pics and get very good advice from the terrific members on here.
Have a nice christmas. Austin, (OZMON).

RobertW Loc: Breezy Point, New York

I am 83 and still go to my Architectural/Engineering Ofice four full days per week Absolutely BEST advice about retiring--- DON'T!!!!