My dream retirement would possibly kill me

[yogapam]

Originally Posted by Gams

The strangest thing about retirement is people are always asking me, “What do you DOOOO all day?” I’m not the first person to retire and I have no problem entertaining myself so I don’t get it. Even my dad asked me that and he’s been retired for over 20 years so I said, “Well, what do YOU DOOO all day?”

Lol, I get that too....then I give them a list....
Some people think retirement is some sort of death sentence, I see it as the harvest time of life!

[Demeris]

I retired 6 years ago. I did some part-time work and some consulting the first year I was retired, then I settled in to being retired 9 months out of the year and consulting 3 months out of the year. This year I pared that down to 6 weeks in the summer, which allows me to be in a cooler clime than south eastern AZ for the hottest part of the summer.

Frankly, I'm so busy now that I wonder how I ever had time for a career. I have projects around the house, projects related to the land my house is on, projects I had put aside until retirement. I have my elderly (87 years old) father to check up on daily (he lives a stone's throw from me). I have books I've been meaning to read for the past 45 years. I take a number of online classes every year. I have retired friends I need to meet for lunch, regularly.

I work out in the morning, but I am also struggling with some post-menopause health issues. When I get them straightened out, I'm hoping to be able to workout twice a day--well, not workout twice a day, but do a workout in the morning, then walk or swim in the afternoon. Right now I have enough energy and strength for a 30-50 minute workout in the morning. OR a nice walk with my dog (except the past few weeks have been too hot to walk outside).

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by laurajhawk

...If you're retired, what does your day look like, especially in terms of fitness/activity? If you're not retired but thinking about it, what do you think you'll do?

DH and I have both been retired for a while now. He (an honorary VFer) does his workout in the morning. I do mine in the afternoon.

When we moved to hour home, we changed the master bedroom into a workout room. It has gym flooring and assorted fitness equipment we've both acquired over the years. It's hard to skip workouts when the gym is in the next room.

Our area has two seasons: Hot and windy or cold and windy. So, outdoor options are limited. I do love to hike and we do that on vacations.

[frogribbit]

So looking forward to retirement in 3.5 years . Crossing my fingers that it actually happens that soon and that we are both healthy.

I'll spend a lot of time gardening and riding horses and of course sprinkle in DVD workouts.

I never do understand when people say they would be bored retiring. I probably still won't have enough time to do all of the things I want to do

[geojill]

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

Our area has two seasons: Hot and windy or cold and windy. So, outdoor options are limited. I do love to hike and we do that on vacations.

Sounds like you live in Wyoming

[annette]

Originally Posted by Joni O

I’ve been retired for 4 years. Hubby and I get up between 6:00 and 6:30 (later in the winter because the sun rises later). We’re in the park walking around 7:00/8:00 depending on the sunrise and we walk for an hour (about 2.75 miles because that happens to be the length of our route).

We hit Starbucks on the way home. I read the paper. Then I do a workout. Upper body strength 3x a week (bad knees/no squats, etc.) and usually a Jessica Smith (non-strength) or Ellen Barrett the other 4 days. Most weeks I do Cathe or Firm for strength; sometimes lighter Jessica or Ellen. We don’t walk in the park on Sundays, so I sometimes do a Leslie walk instead of something else. I’m done by around 10:00. Sometimes I add on longer stretches, but I don’t do a workout longer than 40-45 minutes. Usually around 30. I also do quite a bit of walking while volunteering at an animal shelter twice a week.



I’ve missed 6 workout days so far this year.

Your day sounds absolutely perfect!

[Donatella]

I retired at the end of March this year, and my experiences are very similar to what others have posted.

Yes, you will love retirement, and you won’t believe how busy you are! I have no idea how I worked all those years and juggled everything, because I have zero spare time these days. The difference of course is now I’m able to do things I used to only dream of, plus I'm geting caught up on the many things I was behind on. I promise you that you will never be bored.

I used to fit in an hour max of working out, often just 40 – 45 minutes. Now I’m doing 90 minutes and often two hours, just because it’s so much fun to mix and match and try workouts that I never had time for in the past. It does not feel like I’m over-doing it either, I feel great. I’m also enjoying gardening and cooking very much.

I don’t miss work at all. I’ve stayed in touch with a few work friends, but never think of the actual job, and I was there for 30 years. When I turned in my laptop on my last day, it truly felt as if one door shut forever, and a new door opened. It’s like a fresh start in life.

My retirement opportunity was completely unexpected. One day those of us who were over 55 and had 25 or more years there received an email with a very generous retirement package offer (including all medical benefits). I read that email three times to make sure I was not reading it wrong. It enabled me to retire five years earlier than I expected to, and I’m so grateful. It truly was a surprise; I had no clue my company was going to offer this, and never dreamed I’d be able to retire early. I hope that all of you get to have a similar opportunity.

[annette]

I am contemplating retirement because I really, really am tired of working and being time crunched. I feel like I've been rushing through my life for the last 35 years - when the kids showed up.

My job may be eliminated in the next 12 months so I should probably hang on for a severance package. I'll be 62 in Dec 2020 so could also take SS early to bridge the gap until Medicare kicks in.

I want time to work out more consistently and to try meditation. I can't slow down or calm my mind enough to try it now.

I'm enjoying reading everyone's experiences and plans!

[bee]

I'm 57 and my husband and I have been retired for a couple of years. I feel strange admitting my retirement to people -- until two weeks ago, I was still driving a kid to school (yes, I waited to have kids and yes, my younger kid waited to get his license). Most people I know are still working pretty hard, and some of them are older than I am. Does anyone else have this sort of "guilt" around retiring?

Like most (all?) who have posted, I am pretty busy. It's going to change now that I don't have to drive the kid to school, and then in another year or so we will be empty nesters so that will change the landscape again.

I usually do about an hour workout and then might also go for a walk, or maybe I sleep in a bit and do only the walk. One day a week I do a live yoga class. I live near the coast and when I'm able to take a walk near the beach on a weekday morning, I do feel retired. Oh, and about a year ago I took up piano lessons for the second time as an adult, so I have piano practicing daily. Other than being active and piano, it's still mostly about chores/errands! I honestly don't know how I'd fit in a job at this point.

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by geojill

Sounds like you live in Wyoming

Not Wyoming. We hope to move in the future, but can't settle on a good place to relocate.

Less wind would be nice!