Thinking of retirement? Here are some questions answered.

I’m not sure who sent me this photo. I may have taken it, but I doubt it. I am not sure if it is a sunrise or a sunset. I’m guessing a sunset. I’m not sure if a storm later developed, a storm had just happened, or if those clouds will simply dissipate.

This photo, then, serves as an analogy for retirement.

Retirement can be the end of a good or bad situation, or it can be the beginning of a good or bad one. It all depends on the individual’s circumstances and personality.

I’m not going to give financial advice. That is up to you and maybe your financial advisor. I am, however, going to give you the facts as I see them.

The reason I decided to blog about this topic was because of a conversation my husband had. Some friends that play pickle ball with Barry asked him the other day about retirement, whether he liked it or not. They are approaching that age, and their concern is not financial. Their concern is quality of life. Will they enjoy it?

Many people I know absolutely love it. Probably most. Based upon my observations, here are the reasons I think they love it:

1. Their children and grandchildren live in the same town and keep them busy. They go to ballgames, chauffeur and baby-sit when needed, and have “the kids” over for meals.
2. They have a hobby that is more of a passion, and now they have plenty of time to enjoy it. Golf, pickle ball, painting, sewing, whatever–they have the time.
3. They enjoy just being at home. Whether it’s watching Netflix or reading a book or sunning on a float in a backyard pool, they are perfectly content doing their own thing.
4. They’re involved in volunteer activities and civic clubs. They are busy because they choose to be, not because they have to be. They now have more time to help others, and doing so gives them a sense of purpose.

Now let’s talk about the people who don’t like retirement as much.

1. They miss being around other people. This is especially true for the divorced and the widowed. Living alone is difficult for them, and retirement makes it even worse.
2. They struggle financially because they didn’t plan well for this stage of their lives. They can no longer enjoy things that cost money because of budget concerns.
3. They miss having a purpose in their lives. They’re not “joiners,” so civic clubs are out of the question. They don’t enjoy television with a couple of hours each evening being more than enough.
4. They’ loved the work they did, and they miss doing it. They retired before they burned out, or their burn-out went away after just a few months of leisure.
5. Their spouse is not on the same page as they are. One wants to travel or even move away while the other wants to stay home more and stay in the same home they’ve lived in for years.

I have to admit, I don’t love retirement, and I’ve been retired for eight years now. I had to retire earlier than planned because of the vision loss issue. I was still able to drive, and I worked as a substitute teacher for about four months. That was an ideal situation for me. The downside? Most of my friends were still working, and I didn’t have anybody to do anything with. My husband was working, and although I did quite a bit taking care of my mom, I was bored much of the time. The boredom magnified times ten when I became unable to drive, so I’m probably not the best person to write about this.

But I think, even if I had perfect vision, I would have been much happier doing part-time work when I retired. Like most people, I used to dream about retirement, but I never dreamed about a do-nothing retirement. My idea was to retire from education and work part-time in a fun job. Unrealistic, I know, to think of selling tickets at Graceland so I could be around Elvis stuff three days a week. Unrealistic to think I’d be writing one novel after another and making the best-seller lists. Any idea how many people are writing books these days and how few actually make money from it?

My advice then?

See if you can go to part-time work before you quit work for good. Figure out how much you need from your 401K or draw your pension and social security and supplement with your part-time income. This will help you make emotional and financial adjustments.

Be sure you consult with a financial planner to see if it’s even possible. If you haven’t planned for this season of life, you may have to delay retirement much longer than you had intended.

Know yourself. Don’t let your hatred of your job or your burn-out to cloud your judgment. Countless teachers are ready to quit teaching every year in May, but time off in the summer revives their spirits, and they find the strength and regain their enthusiasm for what they do. And, folks, I’ll say it again. Teaching is the hardest job I ever had. My favorite jobs in order: banking (loan officer), middle school principal, and teaching. Teaching, if done right, is challenging. I hear it’s worse these days because of complaining parents who don’t think their children should be held accountable for anything, even grades. Well, that’s a topic for another post.

A final thought. Regardless of how you feel about your job, know your strengths and abilities. There comes a time when you can’t do the job you once did. There comes a time when your co-workers and you have nothing in common and do not work as well together. There comes a time when you’re the “older” one who no longer garners respect from your co-workers. A clue? If they call you “sweetie” or “honey.” If they’re calling each other that, fine. If they’re just calling you that, it means they think you’re…well, old. They’re treating you like a child.

And, if you live in the South, you know the differences in the “Bless your heart” comments. We can tell what they mean.

If you retire, I hope you love it. I hope it is everything you imagine. I hope you enjoy this season of life as much or more than you’ve ever enjoyed any stage.

And I hope no twenty-something has the gall to call you “sweetie.”