Understanding Retirement
When you’re young, retirement seems like a distant reality, something that may never come. But as time passes, it becomes more relevant, and understanding how to maintain happiness after retirement is essential.
My Parents’ Retirement Journey
When my parents retired, they were still full of life and energy at 60. Their workplace honored them with a touching farewell party filled with well-wishes, gifts, and a heartfelt “Happy Retirement” message. This celebration marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives—a time to focus on being healthy, wealthy, and at peace.
Drawing from their experiences and advice from friends, neighbors, and others who have retired, there are four crucial pillars for a successful and happy retirement: Physical, Social, Mental, and Financial well-being.
1. Staying Physically Active
Physical health is the foundation of a fulfilling retirement. Regular exercise not only strengthens the body but also sharpens the mind. Whether it’s joining a club, gardening, or traveling, staying active is key. Activities like walking, swimming, yoga, and dancing are excellent choices. Remember, the goal is consistency and enjoyment.
As we age, it’s important to adjust activities to match our physical capabilities. Many exercises, like yoga and Pilates, offer different levels, allowing you to participate according to your comfort and ability. Gardening, a popular pastime among retirees, provides both physical activity and mental relaxation.
2. Staying Socially Engaged
Social connections are vital in retirement. Physical activities often double as social opportunities, allowing you to meet new people and form friendships. Simple pleasures like meeting friends for coffee, joining clubs, or even chatting with strangers can significantly boost your happiness.
Traveling is another way to enhance your social life. Exploring new cultures, sharing experiences, and making new friends along the way can enrich your retirement years. While travel can be physically demanding, the mental stimulation and joy it brings make it worthwhile.
3. Keeping Mentally Stimulated
Retirement offers the freedom to explore new interests or deepen existing ones. However, it’s common to feel a sense of emptiness after leaving the structured routine of work. This is where mental stimulation becomes essential.
Engaging in activities like reading, puzzles, learning new skills, or even solving everyday problems can keep your mind sharp. The human trait of curiosity drives us to learn and explore, making retirement the perfect time to indulge in lifelong learning. Staying mentally active also helps prevent cognitive decline, ensuring a vibrant and fulfilling life.
4. Financial Stability
Financial security is crucial in retirement. It’s important to manage your finances carefully, avoiding risky investments that could jeopardize your savings. For those with substantial resources, retirement can be a time to enjoy life without financial worries, perhaps even giving back to the community.
For others, careful budgeting and planning are necessary to ensure that your retirement funds last. Consider part-time work or hobbies that can generate additional income. Today’s technology also offers opportunities to earn money online, making it easier than ever to supplement your retirement income.
Blogging as a Post-Retirement Activity
One exciting way to stay mentally active and financially secure is through blogging. Platforms like Wealthy Affiliate offer tools and training to help you start a blog, regardless of your prior experience. Blogging allows you to share your knowledge, connect with others, and even earn money—all from the comfort of your home.
Why Wealthy Affiliate?
Wealthy Affiliate is an excellent platform for those interested in blogging. They offer step-by-step guidance, from setting up your blog to monetizing it. The platform is beginner-friendly, offering free trials and affordable membership options. With a supportive community and comprehensive resources, Wealthy Affiliate makes it easy to succeed in the world of blogging.
Conclusion
Retirement is a time to focus on what truly makes you happy. By staying physically, socially, and mentally active, and managing your finances wisely, you can ensure that this chapter of your life is fulfilling and joyful. Whether you choose to explore new hobbies, travel the world, or start a blog, the key is to stay engaged and enjoy the journey.
I totally agree with everything you say here. You need to keep an active mind in retirement and what better way than learning how to build a website, write about something you love, generate traffic and make an income online along the way. It sure beats doing crossword puzzles. I’m in my fifties and this is exactly my plan. By retirement to have replaced my full-time income. Wealthy Affiliate is the best there is and the help you get is fantastic. Thanks for a great post, very informative.
You are welcome Greg. I am glad you are finding it productive.
There is so much to learn and most of it is useful in many aspects of life today. The information systems are moving over to the internet. Officialdom is moving and business is flying over to the internet.
I feel like Affiliate Marketing is like the steam engine in the industrial revolution: a key major influence. We are here in the middle of a revolution and at the forefront of its development.
Exciting times.
Great post ! I hope to have an enjoyable retirement some day ! Having a way to earn money while being retired in a part time way would be completely awesome !
First I have to make it to retirement!
Your suggestions will definately be very helpful!
I love the idea of making money online and think that would be the way to go!
Mike
Thanks Mike.
We are certainly entering a time of change away from high street stores and into internet marketing and information.
I feel it is the right time to get into an internet business because the growth is enormous and not likely to slow down for a while.
Establishing an internet business now could well be a long term investment that keeps paying back for years.
Good luck with your own future business.
My dad will be coming to retirement later this year, he would prefer to continue working as he needs the extra cash, I am trying to help him look at some online opportunities but he is not an expert with computers, the first month of just $19 is very low, if he decided to join, what are the longer term costs? Also how good at computers do you need to be? Many thanks in advance if you can answer this
Thanks David.
If he joins up as a Premium member in the first 7 days of free membership, the first month is $19, then it is $47 per month after that.
If he pays an annual fee, there is a saving; $539 for the year.
However. If your Dad is not 100% comfortable with computers and buying and selling on the internet, get him to join as a free member and take his time getting used to it.
The courses are video based and he can watch and repeat as many times as he likes. They really do start at the beginning because everyone comes from a different background with different experience and skills.
the skills they teach are laid out step by step and one thing at a time.
This will give your dad some time to get used to the language and methods in internet business.
If he decides he really would like to give it a go and build a business online, then join up as a premium member.
There are [plenty of people in Wealthy affiliate who started out unfamiliar with computers and internet business. It just takes them a little longer.
Basic skills to start are: able to get online / click on buttons / use a browser and run videos which are the training courses.
Sign up through my website and I will coach and support him.
Hope this helps. Let me know if there are any specifics you would like to know.
I agree with you that a person has to stay physically, socially and mentally active after retirement. I would say that even part time employment doing affiliate marketing is a top job for senior citizens. And I believe that Wealthy Affiliate is a good place for retirees to learn internet business because of the support there.
Thanks for the comment.
There is also the question of pace. It is possible to go at your own pace. You can work when you have the time and when it suits you.
Some people are early birds and some are night owls and this business suits both.
Maybe also retired people will have some self-discipline to help them set a timetable for working.
I agree, it is an ideal job for retirees.
Hey, this is great, thanks for sharing this!
I sell Medicare supplements and retirement financial plans (like Life insurance policies with high interest living benefits, and annuities), and I have been really shocked by how many people are completely unprepared for retirement financially. Many people are finding it impossible to retire at all!
I’ve also seen the other end of things. People who retire but then don’t use their time well, becoming more and more lethargic and tired.
Your advice for BOTH of these problems is great!
Thanks Jordan. Perhaps when we are young, we are happy getting on with life and a time after retirement is far from our thoughts. Things have become more difficult after retirement these days since pension funds are not able to pay out as well as they could before. Certainly, there are a lot of people in 2018 who struggle after retirement.
Remaining active and having a good social life after retirement is essential these days and some times an online business can be a possibility. It can certainly keep you busy and introduce you to a lot of other people. It can also produce an income if done correctly.
There are a lot of people in retirement on Wealthy Affiliate although there are many other activities retired people can involve themselves in.
Retired people often have the time and background experience to devote to this business.