The narrowest glimpse of what retirement may be like comes to us all in those rare three-day weekends that leave us with one of the most precious things in life: time to do what we want. Retirement, much like that three-day weekend, shouldn’t just be stumbled into without forethought. You need to plan to ensure the time you have is as fulfilling as it can be. This goes far beyond mere finances–though obviously having money on hand is still of utmost importance!
A recent Forbes Next Avenue column, based on author Dave Bernard’s book, I Want to Retire!, provides ten common sense steps to planning and living your best retirement that all too often get overlooked:
Make the best of it. The realities of aging pose their own challenges, but by adopting the mindset that you will make the most of whatever life has to offer, you leave yourself open to the joyous parts of life – and keeping a sense of humor doesn’t hurt either.
Take it easy on yourself. Give yourself permission to make mistakes, because you will. No need to feel guilty for time spent just “doing nothing”; if it’s something that makes you happy, it was time well-spent. Enjoy your good fortune of having that time!
Live your legacy. Money or material things are the least of the legacy we all want to leave our families. Be – or continue to be – the person you want to be remembered as by your children and grandchildren.
Break the mold. Approach retirement with a goal of trying something new. In other words, step out of your comfort zone. Keep learning; it’s a key to staying young.
A penny saved… Take on the challenge of living below your means. You never know when an unexpected expense may arise — be it the necessity of a trip to the doctor or the opportunity for a trip to the moon!
Just do it. Strive for a good balance between relaxation and activity – too much of either doesn’t usually work out too well.
Now is the time. Nobody knows for certain how much time remains to them; don’t let planning be the enemy of doing. Live in the now.
Take a load off your mind. Make amends, clear the air, and don’t enter your retirement years with regrets that will haunt you.
Pursue a passion. During your working years, you entertained idle dreams of a passion for which you never had the time. Retirement gives you that time, take advantage of it.
Put your family first. Retirement gives you time for more than just yourself. Science has even gone so far as to verify this common sense fact: retirees with a rich family life enjoy their retirement so much more. Spend some of that extra time you now have on fostering any neglected relationships and just being there for family and friends.
If you would like to have a talk about the non-financial aspects of retirement planning, call our office today at (612) 206-3701 or fill out our contact form to schedule a time for us to sit down and talk.
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