Life is a journey, and an emotional roller coaster ride at that. Retiring is also a process. Your journey to retirement will pass through several stages. Your phases will vary from mine, although the milestones will be quite similar.
Breaking away from your final job, and retiring from work, are major life events. So spend time thinking through who you actually are, the things you really like, and how you are going to cope with not going to work. Remember this. Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.
The Three Stages of Your Journey to Retirement
Stage One – Letting Go and Re-Engaging With Yourself
Leaving your final job is a process, where you start handing your duties over to those who remain. Don’t spend too much time thinking about what you are going to do next. Devote your time to short-listing what you really enjoy, and what you want to do going forward.
Stage Two – Re-Defining Who You Actually Are
Your working role helped define who you were, and your social worth. That identity became obsolete when you retired. Stop describing yourself in terms of your past. Rediscover your true self. Define who you really want to become. Be that person during this phase of your journey to retirement
An Evening Rainbow Over Umdoni Retirement Village on the KZN South Coast
Stage Three – Enjoy Your Golden Years of Retirement
You have shaken off the bonds of employment, and replaced the labels that once bound you. You have defined your true self, and you are living that now. Your goals may be shorter term, but there is one important difference. You are in the present moment. Relish what is happening to you right now.
Explore Your Retirement Journey Further
I’ll unpick these details further in the next few articles. Follow this link to see more posts exploring the phases of retirement, and sharing a fresh perspective on the rest of your life.
Acknowledgement
Thank you so much to Richard Farrell who wrote this article. His informative website is called Seniorsshophere please have a look and support fellow seniors. We look forward to hearing more from Richard regarding his retirement Journey.
Follow this link to the image of the Peaceful Bicycle Ride Through Umdoni Village. The photo of the rainbow is from the Umdoni Retirement Village website.
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