The Big Decision:
The company I worked for was in the process of downsizing and I was feeling kind of tired of working a full time job so I volunteered to take a severance package. This money would provide income until I was old enough to retire. I was almost 55 and looking forward to retirement. I had dreams of travel, relaxation, or maybe just being a beach bum.
The company I worked for was in the process of downsizing and I was feeling kind of tired of working a full time job so I volunteered to take a severance package. This money would provide income until I was old enough to retire. I was almost 55 and looking forward to retirement. I had dreams of travel, relaxation, or maybe just being a beach bum.
My First Few Months of Retirement:
The first few months of retirement were pretty good. My husband and I traveled, spent a few weeks at the beach, visited the kids, and I tried very hard to relax. My evenings were spent reading or surfing the web and my days were spent sitting in the front porch swing. Since I've worked off and on since I was a child, I was starting to get restless.
The first few months of retirement were pretty good. My husband and I traveled, spent a few weeks at the beach, visited the kids, and I tried very hard to relax. My evenings were spent reading or surfing the web and my days were spent sitting in the front porch swing. Since I've worked off and on since I was a child, I was starting to get restless.
Boredom Sets In:
After a few months, I started getting bored. Why did I volunteer to leave a job I really liked? What was I going to do with the rest of my life? I was feeling old and wasted. I could look for another job but who was hiring retirees? Self-pity was taking it's toll on me.
After a few months, I started getting bored. Why did I volunteer to leave a job I really liked? What was I going to do with the rest of my life? I was feeling old and wasted. I could look for another job but who was hiring retirees? Self-pity was taking it's toll on me.
A Call in the Night:
One evening the phone rang and it was a job offer. Imagine that, here I was old enough to retire and I get a call out of the blue to work at something I didn't know a thing about. I was desperate for something to challenge my mind so I took the job and worked at it for about a year before something better came along. The job was challenging but it involved driving into very remote areas, alone, and in the middle of the night. Being the coward I am, I didn't enjoy being out in the middle of the woods at night alone. I saw bears, rattlesnakes, skunks, and various other critters I couldn't begin to identify.
One evening the phone rang and it was a job offer. Imagine that, here I was old enough to retire and I get a call out of the blue to work at something I didn't know a thing about. I was desperate for something to challenge my mind so I took the job and worked at it for about a year before something better came along. The job was challenging but it involved driving into very remote areas, alone, and in the middle of the night. Being the coward I am, I didn't enjoy being out in the middle of the woods at night alone. I saw bears, rattlesnakes, skunks, and various other critters I couldn't begin to identify.
An Ad in the Paper:
When I was in school, I always dreamed of becoming a teacher so when I saw an ad in our paper for substitute teachers, I applied. This was a very rewarding experience. I taught kindergarten through college level classes along with adult education classes. Since I wasn't qualifed to teach full time without a few more years of college, I started looking for a job with insurance and other benefits.
When I was in school, I always dreamed of becoming a teacher so when I saw an ad in our paper for substitute teachers, I applied. This was a very rewarding experience. I taught kindergarten through college level classes along with adult education classes. Since I wasn't qualifed to teach full time without a few more years of college, I started looking for a job with insurance and other benefits.
A New Career:
It didn't take long to find the perfect new career. Our local hospital was searching for someone to manage their information systems department and my prior experience made me the perfect fit. This is probably the best decision I've ever made careerwise. You see, the perfect career can happen at any time in a person's life. For me, it was when I was pushing 60.
It didn't take long to find the perfect new career. Our local hospital was searching for someone to manage their information systems department and my prior experience made me the perfect fit. This is probably the best decision I've ever made careerwise. You see, the perfect career can happen at any time in a person's life. For me, it was when I was pushing 60.
A Second New Career:
Now that I'm older, I've decided to use my knowledge of retirement issues to start a retirement lifestlye coaching practice. Most of my coaching is one-on-one by telephone during the evening hours which leaves me plenty of time to write content for this web site. I think I have the best of all worlds right now.
Now that I'm older, I've decided to use my knowledge of retirement issues to start a retirement lifestlye coaching practice. Most of my coaching is one-on-one by telephone during the evening hours which leaves me plenty of time to write content for this web site. I think I have the best of all worlds right now.
Bottom Line:
I was never meant to not work. I'm happest when I'm busy, both mentally and physically. My perfect retirement is working at a job everyday and taking a few weeks vacation each year to relax. If you are wondering what my husband thinks of my working, let me assure you, he loves it. I'm not grouchy, he has his days free to do what he wants and we devote our weekends to each other.
I was never meant to not work. I'm happest when I'm busy, both mentally and physically. My perfect retirement is working at a job everyday and taking a few weeks vacation each year to relax. If you are wondering what my husband thinks of my working, let me assure you, he loves it. I'm not grouchy, he has his days free to do what he wants and we devote our weekends to each other.