After dreaming about your retirement for years, perhaps even decades, you’ve finally accomplished all of your goals. Congratulations on reaching your goals! Hopefully your retirement will be everything you hoped it would be.
But at some point, many retirees report feelings dissatisfied. Rather than not enjoying years of your life doing things that don’t make you happy, remember that you can always reinvent your retirement!
Re-examine old goals.
When you were younger, you established retirement goals based on what you thought would make you happy. But often we find that as we age, our attitudes and feelings change. It’s okay to realize that you chose the wrong location for your retirement, or that the hobbies you wanted to pursue are all wrong for you. Nothing is set is stone, and you can always make new goals!
Be open to new experiences.
Retirement is the idea time to reinvent yourself. After all, you have the free time to pursue any activity you wish! Drop any hobbies that you no longer find enjoyable, and try new things.
Stop being a spectator.
It could be that you still have the same interests, but need to experience them in a new way. If you love art, but find art museums less than thrilling, sign up for a ceramics class instead. If you love the theater, join your local acting troupe instead of simply attending performances. Even if you’re only involved in activities behind the scenes, or you volunteer to help organize events, you will likely find these activities more fulfilling than being a spectator.
Remember that retirement isn’t a finish line.
Maybe your career felt like a race to the finish line, but that’s not what life is all about. Enjoy your newfound freedom. Try to view your retirement as an opportunity to continue living passionately, not the end result of a series of steps. Be open to growth, change, and trying new things. Embrace the excitement of rediscovering yourself!