For the last four months I’ve been sending you blogs on Retirement Strategies, based in part on my book Serious About Retiring, my coursework and research, my own experiences, and those of my friends and clients – both past and present. There have been many issues that were discussed.
As I’ve reread these blogs, I’ve noticed that the topics fall into several categories or themes. I am listing them here for you so that you can explore or re-explore them if you wish. All of these blogs are stored on my website www.seriousaboutretiring.com.
Theme: Transition into retirement.
#3. Getting unstuck. Some people get stuck in initiating retirement; others when the transition has not worked out very well. Are you stuck in your retirement transition?
#4. Clarity. One of Yogi Berra’s famous quotes is, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” It will be helpful for you to know where you’ll be going. Where are you in your lists of retirement possibilities?
#5. Decisions. How do you make the right decisions – as you transition into retirement – so that you won’t regret them as you look back? Your decisions – about what you do, where you live, whom you spend your time with, how you maintain or improve your health – will depend on your own values, experiences, skills, relationships, and resources. How will you make your decisions about your retirement life?
Theme: Planning for retirement.
#7. Planning. Retirement planning is about money and activities so that you have a high-quality retirement life where you explore, grow and contribute. What can you do to improve the quality of your retirement activities?
#14. Financial Legacy. Where will your money and material possessions go after you’re gone? Are your estate planning documents and retirement plan beneficiaries set up to do what you want them to do?
#15. Personal Legacy. How do you want to be remembered for your actions? What can you give of yourself to expand and enrich the lives of others?
Theme: Activities in retirement.
#1. Replacing work. Work provides more than an earned income and benefits – colleagues, structure of your time, achievement, and identity. Do you have some ideas for replacing important features of your work when you retire?
#2. Time left. Starting at around age 50 we begin to think not only how old we are, but how much time we have left. How much time do you think you have left? How do you plan to use it?
#8. Impact. Many retirees lead inspiring lives. How can you get involved to have an impact on the lives of others?
Theme: Health in retirement.
#9. Exercise. Exercise or die? You know that you should choose exercise. How can you motivate yourself to get the exercise you need?
#10. Stimulating Your Brain. It’s been known for a long time now that your brain behaves in some ways like a muscle – use it or lose it. What activities do you want to do more of to have a stimulating retirement?
#11. Managing Diseases. As you grow older, your chances of developing a serious disease increase. Some of these diseases are preventable; most are manageable. When was the last time that you worked with your doctor or other healthcare professional on your health?
#13. The Arts. Having an artistic venture improves health and the quality of life in retirement. What artistic venture would you like to participate in when you have more time and freedom to pursue it?
Theme: Relationships in retirement.
#6. Connections. The opposite of connected is lonely, which is no fun, plus it’s dangerous to your physical and mental health. How do you want to connect with others in your retirement life?
#12. Your Partner. If you have a life partner, retirement will definitely affect your relationship – the relationship will get better or worse, and it’s up to you how this turns out. What are some of the issues that you will need to work out with your life partner about how you’ll use your time in retirement?
I will continue to write and post additional blogs on Retirement Strategies. Are there other topics or themes that you would like me to address in this series?