Advice

I have received some interesting words of wisdom regarding retirement. The best advice has come from two of my friends.

My friend, Pat, gave me the advice that the first year of retirement should be a time to plan what retirement will look like for me. I really found this advice to be helpful because the biggest question people have is "What am I going to do with all my time"? I like the idea of exploring options and deciding what is important or not important. It is interesting that we feel that we need permission to give ourselves that time.

The second piece of advice came from my friend, My, who helps people with retirement options professionally. His philosophy is that a person can generally always go back to work if they find retirement unfulfilling. Why not take the time when a person is healthy and capable to do fun things like travel, get better at golf and backpack Europe? This advice also resonated with me because I am healthy and able to do all these fun things now. The 80-year-old Jenn may not be able to do all these things.

As I inch towards my retirement date, I am realizing how retirement will be a change of attitude as well as a change of daily activity.

19 Wednesdays!