Self-Help Stop

I’ve always heard it said that retirement planning should start with our first job. We’re never too young to start saving money – not just for retirement but for travel and buying our first property as well. I wish I had bought a condo or townhouse by the time I was 25 but I wasn’t thinking very far ahead. I would be in a stronger place financially if I had.

But this article is not about finances. A topic I still find boring except when dreaming about what I would do if I won the lottery. This post is about planning what you will do with your time in retirement. The tools I suggest in this post can be used at any time for any type of change. So, even if you’re not ready to think about what you will do in retirement, read on!

Retirement is one of the bigger transitions in life. It can take a long time – a year or more – to adjust. Some people never truly adjust. They feel lost. They spend a lot of time floundering around trying to figure it all out. Just like I did in my 20s and 30s when retirement never entered my mind. In middle age, I feel like time is speeding up. I am all too aware of time passing and want to ensure that I get to all the things on my bucket list – which seems to be growing instead of getting smaller as I cross things off! Beyond traveling and drinking coffee in European cafes while reading books and eating pastries, I need to engage in creative and meaningful work. And I don’t think that will change when I retire.

Humans need a purpose. Individuals are called to different experiences such as parenting, finding your soul mate, saving the world, making a fortune, or earning a living to support a passion. A life purpose isn’t necessarily related to the job we do. For many years, I felt limited because I needed to work at a corporate job with a good salary and benefits in order to live. I didn’t have the time, energy, or money to do all the things I wanted to do. For many years, my life purpose was to love and be loved and to always be learning. This has led to an interesting and meaningful life. It has evolved over the years and probably will continue to expand and grow as my life changes. But I have a good idea, if not a solid plan, for retirement.

And that’s what you need – a starting point. Some people want to golf every  day, travel, or spend more time with their grandkids. A loose plan and some tools along with a willingness to be flexible, adaptable and open will make the change fun, interesting, and a little smoother. I think starting a whole new life is exciting because it is filled with possibility and potential. If you don’t feel that way, that’s okay. Following are some tips and tools to help you on your journey.

Preparation

Here are a couple of practices that will serve you tremendously. Develop and use them now for a more engaged life with more choices and opportunities.

• Change your mindset – A growth mindset can help you be more open and flexible while a change mindset enables you to see the opportunities that are around you all the time.
• Focus more on self-care – self-care can lead to self-compassion and increased self-confidence and allow you to better manage the emotions of change – including grief – while facilitating healthy aging.

Planning (or Dreaming)

Use the following questions to start thinking about retirement.

• How would you like to use your time every day when you’re not working anymore?
• What are you passionate about?
• What makes you happy that you’d like to do more of?
• Who would you like to spend your days with?
• How much time do those individuals have to spend with you?
• Where would you like to live?
• Where do the people you care about most live?
• Are the activities you want to do location-dependent?
• What type of weather will be comfortable for you?
• How much are you willing to change to have the life you want?
• What might hold you back or get in the way of your desired life?
• What can you do about those challenges and obstacles?

Tools & Tips

• Take a values assessment – knowing what is most important to you will help you live more in alignment with those core beliefs and achieve your goals.
• Take the Wheel of Life assessment – evaluate your self-care practices and see what needs attention.  
• Talk to retired folks – prepare a list of questions to facilitate the conversations.
• Work with a life coach – a life coach can help you live a more aligned life, change your mindset, and develop a plan to create your dream life. Start today and do more of what you love!

Final Thoughts

The best time to start retirement planning – or life planning as I like to call it – is now. The future is uncertain and this moment is where all our power is. What do you want to do, stop doing, or change and what is holding you back? Whatever it is, you are worth it and you can have it.