Retirement

[Tony uk]

I think, maybe I should have used the title early retirement (I am mid fifties). By the end of this year I will have taken retirement from my job. This is, as a mix of health, personal and professional reasons. I just wondered if any of the contributers to the Board, had any ideas, or thoughts to pass on to someone who is about to enter this stage of life. I have a few ideas, which include, travel, and purchasing a bicycle for exercise and also for short distance travel. Also, volunteer work, to help keep active and meeting people.

 Any thoughts, suggestions and ideas are most welcome.

[Calm]

Planning ahead is good so you don’t fall into a routine that wastes opportunities you now have.

But be sure and ‘schedule’ free time so not every minute feels booked.

I think retirement is a good time to recapture if one has lost it the sense of freedom that many of us had in childhood (and to experience it the first time if you missed out in childhood) of being able to do nothing, but wander or read or whatever the impulse strikes us without feeling guilty that some responsibility was waiting for us and we are cheating ourselves and others to have a moment of true leisure.
 

*** This is probably a privilege of the financially stable, who have enough not to worry about where the next meal is coming from or where they will sleep that night even if they don’t have other luxuries beyond free from responsibility time.

[Pyreaux]

Take all your medicines when you are supposed to. Exercise your mind, not just the body. Easy on the sweets.

[Chum]

I live in a typical wage household, in a 4 income economy. Like many, many millions of Americans, I have no retirement plan because there has never been resources for one.

The good outcome is I work until I die.  It isn't optional.  Having that, I am extremely fortunate that I like my work.

My retirement dreams are to not be homeless, to have food and to not get a treatable, serious illness before I reach medicare age - assuming (usable) medicare is still a thing then.

Could go either way.  I've had most of a decade with housing I like and food every day.  That puts me ahead of more Americans than I could ever count. I hope it keeps up.

[bluebell]

I noticed for my grandpa (and more recently my father) that it was really really important for them to stay busy.  To keep a schedule and have plans for the week on what you are going to do or what needs to be done for every "work" day of that week at least.  

[manol]

On 11/6/2025 at 11:21 AM, Tony uk said:

Any thoughts, suggestions and ideas are most welcome.

Create!  We thrive on being creative, even if it's just something tiny.  And we stagnate when we create nothing. 

In my opinion. 

[Kenngo1969]

Once you are baptized and have complied with any minimum requirements for length of Church membership (a year, I think?), you can serve as a senior missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!  

(Seriously, though, whether you join our ranks or whether we can continue to count on your valued friendship as a fellow Christian of a different stripe, you're OK in my book! ) 

[Tony uk]

Many thanks for your post Kenngo. 😁

[Kenngo1969]

6 hours ago, Tony uk said:

Many thanks for your post Kenngo. 😁

Certainly, Sir!  

[Stargazer]

It has been said that sometimes we have buried people who died years before, because they mistook retirement from work for retirement from life. So, stay busy, exercise both body and mind, and find something worthwhile to do. Some suggestions:

• Start a YouTube channel! Perhaps you have wisdom or knowledge you can share with others. 
• Write a book about something you enjoy, or do a George Eliot and write the Great British Novel!
• Read the Bible in one year; read the Book of Mormon in one year.
• Make a list of classic works of literature that you haven't yet read, and read them all
• If you're physically able, take on athletic challenges such as the 24 Hour UK Mountain Challenges. Note that since the UK doesn't have high mountains like the Alps, you don't need technical climbing equipment for this
•  Learn a foreign language or two, and visit their respective countries to practice. You could start with Welsh, since you wouldn't have to go too far to find speakers
• Learn to play a musical instrument you haven't yet learned to play, and perhaps use it to entertain others. Or if you already can play one, set a goal to play it even better. 

Edited November 13, 2025 by Stargazer
spelling correction

[Tony uk]

I am certainly grateful for all the great input, that is coming my way. It is very much appreciated.

[Tony uk]

Well yesterday, Friday. I finished my last working day, on leave now before I formally retire. Mixed emotions, lots of memories, and leaving with a lot more friends than I realised that I had. However, as one chapter ends, a new one begins. I am certainly looking forward to the new start.

[sunstoned]

I am well past retirement age, but I have been afraid to pull the trigger and retire.  I am in academia, which is one of the few places where age is somewhat respected. But I am losing capacity, both mental and physical. I have no faith in the current administration, and I am worried that Social Security will be targeted by the alt-right.  So I suck it up and trudge off to work every day.