The word itself has many meanings: Sabbatical, rewirement, third age and my favorite: golden years.
Originally the word was derived from 16th century terms meaning seclusion, retreat or withdrawal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If anyone had wanted to talk with me in my earlier decades about retirement I would have laughed and said, ‘there is no way I will ever reach that age.<\/em> To be clear; retirement is like technology, it’s completely different for each person.<\/em> This essay describes a few things about my journey into the golden years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first thing that you experience is the honeymoon phase. It’s like a vacation with no end in sight. For some reason I entered my ‘rewirement<\/em>‘ expecting to reduce my calendar to inbox zero. First of all, life comes differently, and secondly, then we expect it to. As with any- and everything else in life, perspective is key. The way you look at things is the way they are for you. The authors H\u00e9ctor Garc\u00eda and Francesc Miralles put it wonderfully in The Book of Ichigo Ichie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n An elderly person can decide to wipe the slate clean and reinvent themselves, because they, too, have their whole life ahead of them. We have been writing our book – or as I tend to think about it – a series of books ever since we started making choices in life. You co-authored a book in your late childhood and teenage years. (Co-authored with parents and teachers) A new book began in your late teens and twenties. And so on…<\/p>\n\n\n\n In retirement everything can be new again because you can see life with a sense of calm detachment. You have time now to learn new things if you choose, things you never thought of learning before. Which in turn fills up your calendar again. To be perfectly clear in my message: This is not about rosy red glasses and fooling yourself about a grand life with rainbows every day<\/strong>. It’s what makes retirement a magical time. We get to learn what is most important for us now. This was pretty much my journey into My Golden Years.<\/em> Have a great day.
Well here we are, I did reach that age and my gratitude for that is renewed every single time A New Day is Given.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Honeymoon Phase.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
It is a time to unwind, relax the shoulders and learn to breath again.
It is also a time to get clear with yourself that the vacation doesn’t end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Calendar Doesn’t know you’re Retired.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Sure, the blocks of free time are larger and more often, yet still boredom is never an issue. As those who know the history of ‘Ataraxia’ can easily tell, this space hasn’t advanced for a very long time. We will be talking about procrastination in later essays but the concept of blocking your time in the calendar remained for me after retirement. There is truly a lot to still be done every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nIt is a Fascinating Part of Life, If You can see it That Way.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
You can always enjoy a great wonder when the honeymoon phase ends. The calendar starts filling up again, whether you use one or not, and you can begin to realize that you are in the middle of writing a new book. The book of your lifetime. Your protagonist is yourself, and the decisions you make every day are still changing your future self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
What matters isn\u2019t how many more years we might live but what we will do with the time we have left.<\/em>
\u270f\ufe0fEmphasis added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nSo what is so fascinating about retirement?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Barring serious health issues, I believe the worst thing a retiree can do is to become inactive. That only sets up a negative feedback loop.
Think about learning instead; knitting, gardening, walking, playing an instrument, cooking, yoga… Remain active as far as possible with your body and mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is about learning and practicing how to deal with your perspective of the future. How to deal with negative thoughts and training your mind to pick out the things you have to be grateful for.
Feel free to use my mantra for my early morning hours; A Brilliant New Day is Given to You.<\/em>
Gratitude and Thankfulness are actions, choices and a mindset that can be learned at any age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Compared to the earlier parts of life where chasing after money, stuff, spouse, children, new cars, more new stuff, more guitars and more ways to eat pizza; these golden years should show us how unimportant it has all become. We get picky about how we spend our most precious resources – time and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSo then…<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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It is a New Book<\/em> and you decide day by day to make it interesting, full of awe and gratitude.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Maybe you won’t learn brick laying (or maybe you will) but there are myriads of things to learn just the same.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
If you’re technic savvy, search for chair yoga even if you don’t walk much.
Talk with your Doctor about what is good and doable for you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
This one is the easiest to do, yet it is very important for our well being.
(You have my permission to search for the science backed evidence.)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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I hope at least once sentence resonates with one of you out there.
Subscribers feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
~A.J~<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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