Retirement can be an adventure, or it may be a roller coaster. Below is a highlight of what some retirees may experience during their retirement years:
Honeymoon: Retirees enjoy their newfound freedom. Relaxing and engaging in activities that their previous working schedule did not allow.
Disenchantment: Retirees discover a lull in their retirement. They may feel bored, or a lack a sense of purpose, missing the stimulation that work and colleagues provided. It may not even seem as exciting as they had hoped.
Reorientation: Retirees will reassess their retirement during this phase.
Here is where they begin to engage in new activities, and reinvigorate their sense of purpose. They might also develop a more realistic plan for their retirement years.
Retirement Routine: In this stage the retirees will adapt to their new retired life and will become content with their activities and purpose.
Termination: Some retirees return to work either working part or full time.
However, for most people, termination occurs when the individual becomes too sick or fragile to live their life independently.
If you are already retired, where do you think you fit in these stages? It is important to be aware of these stages and understand that you might experience ups-and downs (the rollercoaster) during retirement. Despite this, retirement is an amazing opportunity to thrive and enjoy your life.
Focus on fundamental relationships. Having more free time might mean more time to spend with your spouse, family, and friends.
Going from spending nights and weekends with your loved ones to being together more frequently can be a wonderful but can be overwhelming at the same time. Having those feelings and emotions are okay! Talking about your fears, expectations, and concerns with your loved ones and friends is the key to success. Do not let things get to a boiling point before discussing them.
The transition to retirement can not only affect companion relationships, but also the relationship between a retiree and their adult child(ren) or stepchild(ren).
Most importantly is to establish expectations with adult children regarding the care or babysitting of grandchildren.
Be sure to have the conversation about what you are willing to offer and your expectations. If you are going to take on a regular role in caregiving of your grandchild(ren), it will also be important to discuss potential differences in parenting styles with your adult child(ren).
The conversation should also include any financial support you may have been giving them. Is this going to change? If so, how? Be sure they understand you are now on a fixed income and may or may not be able to continue the support you have given in the past.
The bucket list you have always wanted to tackle can finally be done.
