Impending retirement...just musing

[ras1500]

At age 71, I am four weeks away from retiring after 47 years in aerospace engineering. As previously mentioned the COVID situation has had me working from home since March. This has provided some retirement practice. I think I'm ready for it. If I get bored, by boss said I can come back part time as a contractor.

[mesa]

Retired in September. No boredom here, all our hobbies take lots of time and we have plenty of time!

[Frostie]

A work-friend of mine retired a few months before I did. A few weeks afterward, he had to come back to the office for a paperwork thing. He was a popular guy and several of us gathered round to say Hidy. One of us asked, “Butch, what’s the best part about being retired?”

He smiled and said, “Sunday nights.”

[Slothead56]

Originally Posted by Frostie

A work-friend of mine retired a few months before I did. A few weeks afterward, he had to come back to the office for a paperwork thing. He was a popular guy and several of us gathered round to say Hidy. One of us asked, “Butch, what’s the best part about being retired?”

He smiled and said, “Sunday nights.”

No more Sunday Scaries! Hadn’t thought of that!

[Mr. Jelly]

Remember the world got along just fine before you started working and it'll get along just fine when you quit.

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by tinnitus

The trick then will be to keep having birthdays so I eventually "break even" with the increased monthly amount I get to compensate for the years I didn't collect - and hope I'm still sane enough to know how much it is.

And therein lies the rub! They want you to wait so you collect for less time - if at all!!

I'm 59 and can retire as early as this coming March. We'll be debt free by then so I'm seriously considering it. My job is okay, I don't hate it. I like the work, the people and the pay is good. But time is finite. I have a lot of hobbies and I want to maximize them while I'm still young enough to enjoy them. The only downside at this point is my wife would still have to work several years and I worry she will come to resent seeing me living the life while she slaves away. Time will tell.

[RP]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Remember the world got along just fine before you started working and it'll get along just fine when you quit.

Just watch About Schmidt....

[MrDB]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

Many years ago, my Mom told me hat she hoped that I could retire when I was young enough to enjoy it. It was good advice. I retired at age 58, and I just turned 57 last month.

It is also good to retire when you have enough cognitive capacity available to support you as you transition to a new style of living. If you are too stuck in your ways (because of normal cognitive decline) building a satisfying retirement life can be more challenging.

I think most men have neglected non-work friendships for much of their life, and this is a complaint that I hear rather frequently from men my age: I dint have many friends. That can be addressed easily enough provided that you have an open mind and do some things (like join clubs, or do volunteer work) that will throw you together with others who are in a similar situation....more time, more interest in having friends to make your days feel emotionally warm, but have interpersonal skills that may be a bit atrophied or limited.

Maintaining the body takes more time and effort as we age....something many older friends have told me, but the actual experience is still a bit of a surprise.

Retirement is good... very good. It can be a big adjustment for a few months, maybe even a few years, depending upon your details.

He was so much older then, He's younger than that now

[JKMartin]

post deleted

[srick]

I’ve pretty much avoided giving my two cents opinion to retirement threads as our situations are all similar, but different. But, like all of us, this year has given a lot of time to ponder our past, present and future lives.

In my dental,office, I have seen countless folks go through the retirement process: forced and unforced, rich and poor, male and female. In a nutshell, I would have to say there are several things that lead to a successful retirement:

• Relationships
• Projects
• A reasonable nest egg
• Acceptance to change
• A continuing sense of self and self-importance

My own retirement is looming. Complicating it is the sale of the practice - finding a buyer who will take good care of my patients (and hopefully become my family dentist), the loss of hundreds of personal relationships that I have with my patients, and the loss of all of those time fillers (fixing a leak, ordering supplies, tweaking systems) that a small business demands. It makes for a very angst-filled and worrisome transition - walking away is not an option for me.

I used to adore my free time. I had tons of interests and I managed to do them on a shoestring. Somewhere over the past forty years, that spark has been tamped down. I hope and pray that it can be reignited.

But y’know, we can only go forward on the timeline... that’s the ultimate rule of our universe. You may have heard this adage: “Yesterday is history and tomorrow’s a mystery. But today, you have a gift that we call (appropriately) ‘the present’, so enjoy your present.”

Keep playin’ yer guitar folks!

Best,

Rick

[RP]

Originally Posted by srick

In a nutshell, I would have to say there are several things that lead to a successful retirement:

• Relationships
• Projects
• A reasonable nest egg
• Acceptance to change
• A continuing sense of self and self-importance

Rick

I would add one thing to your list, Rick. That is how much you like/dislike your pre-retirement job. Those who are very connected and receive more than a dollop of self-esteem from their work would tend to have a tougher time retiring than those of us who are/were merely sticking it out until retirement. I fell into the second group and was elated to retire at 60 and have thoroughly enjoyed my "golden years" despite not necessarily meeting all of the criteria set forth in your list...

[srick]

Originally Posted by RP

I would add one thing to your list, Rick. That is how much you like/dislike your pre-retirement job. Those who are very connected and receive more than a dollop of self-esteem from their work would tend to have a tougher time retiring than those of us who are/were merely sticking it out until retirement. I fell into the second group and was elated to retire at 60 and have thoroughly enjoyed my "golden years" despite not necessarily meeting all of the criteria set forth in your list...

True - I have a tough job, but I am never bored and I can never complain about my boss (either myself or 750 patients). It's exhausting, but stimulating; at the end of each day, I know where I stand.

I am gradually getting used to the idea of leaving, but it is essentially akin to a 'grief process'.

[6L6]

I fully retired at age 58 and am now 75. It's been some of the best years of my life for sure!

For me the biggest thing was being able to plunge into my grandchildren (I have 5 and all live within 15 minutes), travel, and spend a LOT of time playing my guitar.

Retirement is even BETTER than you can imagine it to be!

[RP]

Originally Posted by 6L6

...Retirement is even BETTER than you can imagine it to be!

I agree wholeheartedly....

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by RP

I would add one thing to your list, Rick. That is how much you like/dislike your pre-retirement job. Those who are very connected and receive more than a dollop of self-esteem from their work would tend to have a tougher time retiring than those of us who are/were merely sticking it out until retirement. I fell into the second group and was elated to retire at 60 and have thoroughly enjoyed my "golden years" despite not necessarily meeting all of the criteria set forth in your list...

Thats a very good point RB my job had devolved into a very stressful situation, the Construction company I worked for had hired a couple "project managers" that I suppose had "degree's" in "Construction management " or some other mid level management experience BUT no practical construction experience at all . They would feed the customers completely unrealistic promises and expect the crews to make their fantasies come true. I had intended to work until 60, but could not stand the constant BS, so retired at 57.... Best career and happiness quotient move, I ever made......