Being a guest at a retirement party feels a lot different when you’ve been retired for almost a year. There’s the nostalgia of a wonderful celebration with colleagues, the speeches and the singing tribute. For me, there was the huge high of finishing something I was proud of, and the relief of finally letting go of all the stress. But now, there’s the knowledge of what probably lies ahead for the newly retired. It’s not unlike being a parent at someones’ baby shower: you know that after the birth celebration comes all the hard work.
First The Fun
Reality didn’t hit me in the Fall. Teachers are used to being off work during the summer and although I didn’t have to spend August preparing for my new class, it felt like any other summer. September always feels like the beginning of a new year to me and I started my first retirement year with lots of fun stuff. I enjoyed coffee dates and dinners with friends, going apple picking, and spending time with family. I got the courage to get a long-planned mother/daughter tattoo. The fall was a time of fun. The holidays were a lot less stressful and enjoyable than they’d ever been without the pressures of work. And then came January.
Then Reality Bites
January was my down-turn. Suddenly, it really was a new year and I didn’t know what I was doing. I’d promised myself that I would spend at least the first year of retirement healing from all the stress of teaching during a pandemic, but I didn’t know what that healing would actually look like. On a whim, I started this blog and I’m so glad that I did.
Benefits Of Blogging Through the Tough Stuff
Blogging has given me a routine, a reason to explore new ideas and an opportunity to share them. It’s been a tool to document my journey and a record of that journey. This blog has allowed me to reach others who share similar interests and concerns; creating a small community. It’s also built my ability to express myself. All that from a whim.
Trying To Re-Invent Myself
I feel like I’m in the reinvention stage of retirement now. I’m trying to figure out who and what I’m going to be next. I think my next step will involve employment of one kind or another, and I’m working with a career coach to figure out what that will look like. According to research, we could live one third of our lives in retirement!* That’s a lot of life and time to do things. It’s exciting and daunting and not to be wasted.
Retired, And Now What? 