Tuesday SOL - 1/13/15 - Trying "To Do" Retired
I can't say that it felt any different. We just got back from being out of town for 10 days, so it was catch up time. Picking up Max, unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning up the dead lady bugs that had accumulated on the floor, grocery shopping, mail... The list seemed endless - retired????
Then a voice mail saying my aunt was in the hospital in Florida. Many calls trying to figure out what was happening. Many more calls checking up on her on a daily basis. Thinks are improving.
Now this week, things are slowing down, but how do I wrap my head around being retired? How do I stop my brain from making my mental "to do list" of things that HAVE to be accomplished? How do I decide what I REALLY want to do as opposed to what NEEDS to be done and when? How do I answer people when they ask "what are you going to do now that you're retired?"
This is going to take some time. Slowly, I will wind down (maybe/hopefully). The one side of my brain says "You NEED to do this today", while the other side says, "It can wait until tomorrow or the next day". Maybe I'll read a book, do some scrapbooking of Guatemala, crochet, play a game or two of Scrabble or Candy Crush, take a nap. Hmmm. So many choices. Retired means doing things that don't NEED to be done when I want and enjoying them all.
Time, it is now on your side! Enjoy the freedom to decide or not to decide. Reading a book is always a good choice.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of getting to choose your own priorities for your time--enjoy it all!
ReplyDeleteBased on my experience with this different life, it takes a full year to really begin to create a new life and routine. Don't make yourself crazy!
ReplyDeleteAlthough it did take me some time to adjust to retirement, I now wonder how I worked and still got things done. Retirement is an exciting chapter in one's life . The thing I like most is going out for the day if the weather is nice and the urge strikes me. Enjoy this new chapter in your life.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine this will be a tricky transition for you, but it sounds like you're already on the path to happiness... realizing you don't HAVE to do anything and you should take some time to do what you WANT. Happy Retirement to you.... I know it's going to be wonderful!
ReplyDelete"Retired means doing things that don't NEED to be done when I want and enjoying them all." Sounds like a sweet deal!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I can find plenty to keep you busy!?! :) Perhaps you start a "Monthly To-Do List" where it just needs to be done sometime this month! Enjoy YOUR time now doing what you want when you want to -- you have earned it!
ReplyDeleteI have faith that you will develop your own rhythm for this new found freedom in your life. It is a pleasure to be able to do what you want on your own timetable. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteJudy,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on reaching this point in your life-hope you are enjoying every minute of the time-I look forward to it some day...
Congratulations on your retirement! I'm getting within a few years of this and my big question is, "But what would I DO all day long?" Kind of scary to me…
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