Is Retirement All It's Cracked Up To Be?

I was in the travel industry for 35 years. I have 2 million miles on American Airlines. When I reached 1 million, I had just watched Up In the Air and just felt like a tired Road Warrior, not proud. I always hated leaving home and the hassle of getting somewhere. But it was paid my salary.

I do feel very fortunate to have visited so many countries/cities over the years because I think it adds to one's perspective on other cultures but I'm happy not to have to do it anymore.
 

After retiring at age 69 in 2017 am now 3+ years in. Because I have aged slowly, am fit, and actively feed my mind, am greatly enjoying retirement. Living frugally on government SS benefits, the result of 35 years of highest salaries, that are near the top of the Bell Curve, actually have not yet had to dig into my modest bank account. Because I often took off between hi tech jobs for months to years without government unemployment support, I already sort of knew what it was like to live freely as well as how to do so frugally.

But not in the wealth grade for world travel that many seniors occupy their lives with. California due to its world class natural environments is an ideal region to do so inexpensively by automobile. Besides skiing an average of 2 to 3 days each winter midweek, have also averaged over decades about 4 backpacking trips each summer, and many landscape photography road trips. Retirement allows much more time for science and technology reading and Internet roamings on days I am at home. The above noted all is not yet ideal living as a senior alone within a dense urbanized area as I would prefer to share my life and experiences with the right woman.
 
I'm not quite one month into full retirement. To say I love it is an understatement but I am constantly fighting the feeling that I should be doing something, the result of decades of deadlines, meetings, calls, answering emails and working weekends when I should have been relaxing. I started working at 14 and am now 66. That's fifty-two years of habits that I'll never fully break but I hope to eventually let fade away.
 
Leann said:
I'm not quite one month into full retirement. To say I love it is an understatement but I am constantly fighting the feeling that I should be doing something, the result of decades of deadlines, meetings, calls, answering emails and working weekends when I should have been relaxing. I started working at 14 and am now 66. That's fifty-two years of habits that I'll never fully break but I hope to eventually let fade away.
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It may take awhile. I have dreams about work still, after 1.5 years. Of course, then I wake up and am relieved, Ha!!
 
H.ll, it does not stop improving, it took 2 years for me to adjust to having all the freedom to do what I want, when I want and how I want. OR not to do it at all. Turn the programming off, it will take a while and it is difficult but worth it.
Give yourself a gift of life, lived your way for you and those you want involved.
Would I lie to you?? :D :D :D :devilish::devilish:
 
I have been retired since 2007 and my husband retired the same year. We enjoyed the retirement life and traveled and just relaxed and enjoyed life together like retirement is supposed to be. In 2018 my husband passed away and I do miss my time with him tremendously. I get to feeling alone sometimes, but I do have my granddaughter and great granddaughter living close and they keep me company. I have enjoyed my retirement.
 
funsearcher! said:
It may take awhile. I have dreams about work still, after 1.5 years. Of course, then I wake up and am relieved, Ha!!
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I still have dreams about work (or former coworkers too) and I've been retired for 24 years. @Leann as @Lakeland living replied, it will take time to adjust. I had separation anxiety even though I couldn't wait to and was elated when I retired. My we were like a family in our office so I missed some of my co-worker/friends as well as the work. I visited the office a few times over the course of maybe 6 months. I did have an excuse though...I sold aromatherapy candles and personal care products and some of my customers were in the building.
 
One year out and I hate being not self employed anymore. I’ve turned into a lazy bum that can barely get out of bed in the morning in time to go to lunch.

Machine shop is in backyard and I’m doing a favor for my neighbor right now.

I have maybe one day left on it, and I can’t wait til Monday morning so I can get back to it and feel normal again for a while.

Retiring from a job you maybe hate and closing your own business are two different things.
 
Old Dummy said:
One year out and I hate being not self employed anymore. I’ve turned into a lazy bum that can barely get out of bed in the morning in time to go to lunch.
Retiring from a job you maybe hate and closing your own business are two different things.
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That more or less describes my retirement. My brother and I sold our distribution business and called it a day. He spent his time reducing his handicap on the golf course whilst I just became lazy. I was 64 and quite frankly, bored. Retirement lasted 18 months, a phone call from a former client changed everything, I'm now back working long hours and can't see it ending anytime soon and at 76 it does raise the occasional eyebrow or two. Ask me about retiring when I'm 86!
 
horseless carriage said:
That more or less describes my retirement. My brother and I sold our distribution business and called it a day. He spent his time reducing his handicap on the golf course whilst I just became lazy. I was 64 and quite frankly, bored. Retirement lasted 18 months, a phone call from a former client changed everything, I'm now back working long hours and can't see it ending anytime soon and at 76 it does raise the occasional eyebrow or two. Ask me about retiring when I'm 86!
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:cool: I was forced to retire a year ago because of sudden acute arthritic pain in my wrists and hands (I'll be 72 in August). As a toolmaker I've been lifting heavy steel blocks all my life, but the pain was so bad I could hardly brush my teeth. So working was out.

The pain started to stabilize around July and by the end of August I was feeling much better. I am probably about 90% good now but no more lifting 50-100 lb. blocks.

I was in my glory these past few days (all CNC mill work). I did a job for myself today that I've been wanting to do for years, but I am done with everything now. :(

I've been trying to sell everything since last fall but there's not much interest in my old machines. Now I'm thinking of calling a guy I used to do work for and getting back into it -- lighter stuff of course.

So, who knows.
 
Old Dummy...have you considered teaching young to learn your craft? As you probably know, we have a shortage of craftsman (persons) today. If the outgoing skilled don't pass it on, then it will be lost forever. I worked at a Boys Club teaching boys how to Wrestle and build wooden airplanes. I did it as a volunteer, it was very rewarding. I think many communities have programs to teach young craftsman, they are always looking for trainers and they do pay! Something to consider, I think...
 
Timewise 60+ said:
Old Dummy...have you considered teaching young to learn your craft? As you probably know, we have a shortage of craftsman (persons) today. If the outgoing skilled don't pass it on, then it will be lost forever. I worked at a Boys Club teaching boys how to Wrestle and build wooden airplanes. I did it as a volunteer, it was very rewarding. I think many communities have programs to teach young craftsman, they are always looking for trainers and they do pay! Something to consider, I think...
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Somebody mentioned that to me a few years ago. There's a lot to it, but the hand skills I had to learn are no longer needed; computer-driven machines do it now -- but all that is a big learning curve too. The old hand skills did come in handy sometimes even in modern times though.

But you are right, there certainly are a shortage of skilled tradesmen. Toolmakers have been in short supply all my life. I was listening to a podcast a couple days ago (don't remember who) and they were saying that the high school kids where they lived were learning welding in shop class, and they were already offered jobs when they get out of school starting at $60-80k. And no student debt!

I've been working in my backyard shop since 1985 and had all kinds of freedoms, despite having to work long hours at times. If I had to do it over I wouldn't change a thing. So the idea of driving somewhere and teaching doesn't really appeal to me. Theoretically it might be fun, but the reality of it wouldn't be. But thanks for your comments. :cool:
 
I find myself even more busy in my retirement than when I was working. Maybe this is because I am quite the busy body and always want to be into something. Whether it be tinkering with some sort of project within the home or doing something outside in the yard or even planning a future vacation with my wife. I try to keep myself busy with things. In the evening however, that is the time where I will sit back and listen to some music or play a card game with my wife just for some relaxation.
 
Been retired for 9 months now. I wish I had more money, but enough is probably better than too much. I inherited my fathers work ethic, but not his workaholic life style. I worked because I had no other choice. He worked because it was his whole life. In his eyes I was lazy because I did not want to own my own business. And I wanted to retire as soon as possible. I do not travel, I don't own anything fancy or expensive, but I can pay my bills and work on my hobbies and do not have to be a slave to a job. That is a great retirement as far as I'm concerned.
 
chrislind2 said:
Been retired for 9 months now. I wish I had more money, but enough is probably better than too much. I inherited my fathers work ethic, but not his workaholic life style. I worked because I had no other choice. He worked because it was his whole life. In his eyes I was lazy because I did not want to own my own business. And I wanted to retire as soon as possible. I do not travel, I don't own anything fancy or expensive, but I can pay my bills and work on my hobbies and do not have to be a slave to a job. That is a great retirement as far as I'm concerned.
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That last sentence says it all....."That is a great retirement as far as I'm concerned."
YOU made a decision for what YOU wanted.:):):):devilish:
 
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