Retiring Lady Makes Her Blogging Debut

Hello, there new fellow retirees!

I started working when I was 11 years old; I created a little backyard Saturday morning daycare center in my hometown out on the Eastern plains of New Mexico . I charged 25 cents per kid for two hours of storytelling, drawing, singing etc. which allowed the neighborhood moms a chance to have some coffee and do a few chores in peace. I was an entrepreneur then, but in my later career, I mostly worked for others. My next job was as a waitress in my aunt's truck stop cafe. I have to say that one was the most difficult of all the others which came later, including 33 years as a practicing lawyer. Anyway, my point is I worked for 50 years before deciding I was ready to make a change. I took Social Security the second it became available, even though you can get more if you keep working longer. With the government always threatening to do away with or seriously curtail these benefits, I thought the risk of waiting outweighed disadvantages of a smaller check. I also have a state pension, which is much smaller than it would have been had I waited another NINE years for full benefits. For me, it was just clearly time to do something different. My daughter and her boyfriend as well as several other friends of mine who know I enjoy writing and talking to people suggested this blog, so here I am!

I intend this site to support all those suddenly cast adrift into the scary world of FREEDOM. If you have previously been showing up at your appointed place to take orders from someone else according to their agenda, even if you were really looking forward to a brand new life based on your very own desires, you might not be completely prepared for the possibility that you don't exactly know what you're supposed to do with yourself now that you can theoretically do anything you want to do.

I got some great help from my EAP plan at work. They provided four free sessions of "transition counseling" and my kind and insightful therapist alleviated some fears I had about the huge changes inevitably involved in retiring from the regular work force.

I have also consulted several books and websites as well as friends who have already made the leap into retirement. I offer my top five suggestions based on that research:

#1: Don't immediately try to go back to formal work just because it's what you are used to and it feels weird to be completely at your own beck and call and no one else's.

#2: Make "self-care" a priority. Take your vitamins, exercise, do not neglect any medical or psychological problems--get the professional help you need.

#3: Take a trip by yourself, preferably for several weeks, so you can figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. Ideally take no phones, computers, TV's or any other technological distractions with you. It's best if the place is quiet and in a natural setting--perhaps a beach or wooded area rather than a big city or tourist attraction.

#4: Do daily meditation; just quiet your mind and see what comes up for you. At a minimum, it will help you relax.

#5: Do NOT stay at home watching TV and traveling back and forth between it and your refrigerator. Isolation is a killer. You'll also probably gain weight, and that will affect your overall well being.

Ok, so that's my first post and it feels exhilarating. I look forward to receiving comments and suggestions from readers who wish to share their own experiences with retirement. THE BEST IS YET TO COME, fellow travelers on the Retirement Road!

Retiring Lady