About this time last year, I was starting my 30-day retirement countdown, crossing off the final days of work. At that time, there was some apprehension about what I would do with all the time on my hands.  Would I feel productive without career aspirations? Would I be able to keep busy and constructive? I had been practicing for retirement for many years, searching for hobbies, volunteer opportunities, educational possibilities, and activities. I made lists of movies and books that I wanted to explore, arts and crafts that I wanted to pursue, and places that I wanted to see.  The biggest question on my mind: would it be a difficult transition?

As it turns out a year later, I’m thrilled with my decision.  There was no looking back whatsoever.  I enjoy my freedom, and continue to be grateful for my good health.  It’s really quite simple: if you’re not feeling great, even retirement will be miserable.  I’m a big believer in daily mental and physical exercise, a habit that needs to be developed early in life. To fully appreciate retirement, you need to both save money and  keep your mind and body in shape. There’s plenty of free time in retirement to get fresh air, break a sweat, or seriously train for an event.

It certainly helps that my wife is a few years younger and still working for a few more years.  She keeps me active and engaged in the evenings and on weekends with events, business entertaining, and travel.  While she’s at work, I spend a lot of time alone, with little interaction outside of our pets.  I run in the morning just prior to when she leaves for the office, write for a couple of hours each day, walk the dogs, sort the mail, watch a couple hours of educational TV, read a few chapters of several different books, complete some household chores, and play some Spider Solitaire to fill the time.  I prefer to limit my time in the car to a couple of days each week running errands or meeting friends for lunch. Sorting the mail can be extremely exhausting, so sometimes a nap is in order.

Honestly, I’ve learned more about history this past year than I did when I was a student. In my case, I think I needed to have my own history before I gained an interest in the past, so retirement has become a time of study, as I look back over my own life and try to compare it to others.  More times than not this can be a bit daunting, as I’m currently reading Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson, who would make any human being feel like an underachiever.  I really thought that I might do some drawing in retirement and bought the software programs for my Microsoft Surface, but that hasn’t happened yet. I also have a nice ukulele that I purchased with good intent, but unfortunately it has only served as a decoration in my office.  Hopefully, one of these books that I read will inspire me to pursue some of the items on my retirement to-do list that I prepared last year.

I’ve found that staying at home can be very addicting, as driving and travel can be filled with hassles. I love to travel, despite the challenges, and spend many hours of my retirement time at home booking hotels, rental cars, airline flights, cruises, and dining reservations for the 80 nights that we spend away from home each year.  (See Post #320).  Anticipation is often the best part of traveling, reading about the places you’ll visit and the sites you’ll want to see.  By the same token, it’s frustrating to have gone somewhere, and discover later that you missed a key historic site or other hidden treasure.  Travel is, in fact, all about treasure hunting, where following a map leads you to the buried gold.

Retirement was always a dream of mine, and now that it’s finally here, I want to make the most of it.  Travel documentaries, internet searches, and library visits can expand your retirement world, but you also need to be in shape to lift that luggage, navigate airports, and enjoy the walking tours.  Just like retirement, travel requires practice getting ready for your next adventure.  Make a plan and work that plan because practice makes perfect!