Finding Fountain of Youth in Retirement

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
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(...from EnergyTimes) I do feel and sleep better since I've retired, found this interesting.

Finding the Fountain of Youth
in Retirement

NOVEMBER 2009—A rough economy has forced many people to postpone retirement. But there’s a good reason to keep your eye on the prize: You may feel years younger than you do now.

That’s the conclusion reached in a survey of 15,000 French workers who were asked about their health up to seven years before and after retirement. They reported declining health as they approached the big day, but better health afterwards.

In fact, the researchers say that the improvements in well-being were so marked that most of the workers felt eight years younger. This pattern was seen in both men and women, and across a range of occupations.

The same study group, which reported their findings in The Lancet, had previously found that sleep improves after retirement.
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I have heard of people who died shortly after they retire, like one of my uncles and also, one of my grandfathers - they were both 65 years and had just retired when they passed away. My aunt is still alive at 97 years old and my Grandmother lived until she was 78 years old.

It is good to hear that many people feel younger when they retire. I do know of many spry people who are in their 80s and 90s.
 

For me the key is being active and learning new things all of the time. For example I recently bought a new camera. It can take long videos and now I am making myself crazy (happy crazy) learning how to use a video editor! It is so important I think to keep busy with new things and then retirement will be verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry long! And that is the game plan! :)
 
For some people the break in routine after retirement can prove fatal. I watched my father-in-law pass away shortly after retiring from a lifetime of work, not because of any long-term disease but (I'm convinced) a feeling that his life was over because he no longer had his work to identify with.

Yet another reason to point not to WHAT you do but WHO you are - a small but important distinction. No matter how long you've been on the job, you are NOT your work.
 
You can't wait until you retire to develop an outside interest. If you have no hobbies or interests of some kind during your working years then retirement will be like the end. You can change hobbies after retirement but if you're the type whose main interest is their job then retirement will be extremely hard.
 
I retired at 62 also, and never regretted it for a minute either.
My husband couldn't think about retiring.. was not in his nature. (He was even looking for a new management position.) So at age 68, after a long work week at the office (45-50 hrs), he came home one night in March and had a massive heart attack. He went out on his own terms I guess. I really saw it coming, but couldn't do anything about it.
 
Thanks for your thoughts TWH.
This wasn't his first heart attack either... actually it was his third. And the second time around, he had a pacemaker inserted for added support. Nothing is going to work like magic though if stress and a heavy workload continue to rule your life.

Everyone needs to step back and 'smell the roses' and rethink what's important in life. :rose:
 
Some find the time to do what they really want but too many just hang around and wait until the end. I think having a reason to get up and about every day and a resulting feeling of accomplishment at the end of each day should be everyone's plan.
 
I mostly enjoyed my working life, and as a sales person, had a lot of variety in what I did, and where I worked. When I worked for Combined Insurance, I traveled about 1000 miles every week, and spent a lot more time on the road, and staying I cheap motels, than I did at home, and with my family.
I have moved around a lot over the years, and though I don't like to admit it, I guess I am a Vagabond, of sorts. I moved from Idaho to Alabama to be closer to my daughter a few years ago, and I think this is where I will remain.

Bobby and I live out in the country, and help out with our rent by caretaking the landlords property, and spend our days working in the garden, and doing yard work; and sometimes, just in the house staying cool (or warm).
I never lack for something to do around here, and am glad to be just at home, and not out working. We love close to the Tennessee River, and there are other lakes nearby, plus a bass-stocked pond here on the property, so fishing should be in the plans this summer.
It is not the life of luxury, but we have a lot of contentment here, so probably as good as it will get.
 
I retired at age 69 from a municipality. They paid me the same in a pension as I was making when I worked. It was $ 100,0000. Thus, I lost nothing from retiring. I just did not have to report for work anymore.

Now I am 90 years old and have never encountered a serious illness. My only problem is old age, itself, which ALWAYS ends in death. There is no cure for old age.

I spend my time playing chess at Chess.com and Civilization VI at Steam.com. I also listen to Audible books discussing modern history at breakfast and dinner. I do not eat any lunch. My wife age 86 and has become my total care giver.

I invested all my money in Amazon stock back in 1998 and am now a multimillionaire. Those millions will allow my 60 year old daughter to retire when my wife and I die.
 
Retirement is like starting a new job. You learn what works and doesn't without supervision. You adapt at your own pace so the potential of life robbing stress can be minimal. Discovering that each day can offer something new to experience or just the chance to do nothing is acceptable in retirement. You are the boss that controls your moods & that IMO leads to a happiness that can extend your last years.
 
Happyflowerlady said:
I mostly enjoyed my working life, and as a sales person, had a lot of variety in what I did, and where I worked. When I worked for Combined Insurance, I traveled about 1000 miles every week, and spent a lot more time on the road, and staying I cheap motels, than I did at home, and with my family.
I have moved around a lot over the years, and though I don't like to admit it, I guess I am a Vagabond, of sorts. I moved from Idaho to Alabama to be closer to my daughter a few years ago, and I think this is where I will remain.

Bobby and I live out in the country, and help out with our rent by caretaking the landlords property, and spend our days working in the garden, and doing yard work; and sometimes, just in the house staying cool (or warm).
I never lack for something to do around here, and am glad to be just at home, and not out working. We love close to the Tennessee River, and there are other lakes nearby, plus a bass-stocked pond here on the property, so fishing should be in the plans this summer.
It is not the life of luxury, but we have a lot of contentment here, so probably as good as it will get.
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sounds bloody marvellous to me - wanna game keeper??
 
Apparently I've found the "Fountain of Youth". People who don't know (us or me) mistake me for my son's wife (or girlfriend). I was at a St. Jude luncheon this past Wednesday. As we went around the table saying what we did, I mentioned that I was retired from the health field for 27 years. The lady next to me looked me right in my face in disbelief and said "You must've retired when you were 25!". The woman across the table, named Patty couldn't believe it either and asked what was my secret for looking 30 years younger.

I told her that melanin helps protect our skin from the aging process and (for me) probably my genes. I also told her that I do not wash my face with the hard water here in Jersey. I used facial towelettes 99% of the time, which do a great job of removing dirt and makeup (which I don't wear). I'm not going to lie, though I think 30 years was a stretch, I enjoy the compliments.
 

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