Everyone has told you to have a financial retirement plan. I know that is important, but I believe there are other retirement plans just as important or more important. These are the mental, physical, and spiritual retirement plans.
You can have a million dollars stashed away, but without a plan, you will wonder what to do with yourself. The brain doesn’t stop after working for 50 years. You had a schedule to follow, and whether you enjoyed your work or not, you had a purpose. We all looked forward to the weekend or our days off. You were truly blessed if you liked your job, and it gave you a sense of accomplishment. Then retirement is harder for you.
Some love to travel, but that takes more money, and you need someone to travel with you to enjoy the trip. Often by this age, your partner has passed away, and you are alone. If you are blessed, you may be with a family that needs you, even if it is to give a ride to school or sports events. You could get involved in church ministries or community services, but you feel out of place because all those years you just worked and provided for your family.
Now your children are grown and off to work everyday and wishing they were retired.
Everyone tells you to find something you enjoy doing. You may enjoy gardening, but there is just so much digging in the dirt that a retired body can take. Searching the internet for work-from-home part-time jobs only results in numerous emails, phone calls, and text messages that promise the world. It can result in scams and even charges that were made online.
So, what do you do to enjoy retirement?
Start a blog and write about your experiences.
Write a book and pour your heart and soul into the book.
What about photography? Download your pictures to the computer and add them to your blog, make cards, or send them to family by email.
What about cooking? Bake a cake for the neighbor or the Senior Citizen Home down the street.
Volunteer for activities in the Senior Citizen Home.
Talk on the phone. Call family and friends, especially those who need encouragement.
Bird watching can be fun. Learn to identify the birds and see which one gets the worm first.
Find something to laugh about.
Sing or listen to good music.
That brings us to another important plan of retirement, and that is keeping healthy and physically fit.
Get a membership at the neighborhood gym. That will help to keep you motivated and on schedule.
Walking is a great exercise. Find a smooth-level place to walk and, of course, someone to enjoy the walk with you.
Don’t forget your daily vitamins.
Make a list so you don’t forget important events and groceries needed.
When you go out, check the stove to make sure it is off, lock your door and put your keys in your pocket.
If you have a cell phone take it with you.
Research online and start making healthy meals.
Stay off processed foods as much as possible. Making sourdough bread is a good place to start. It is a lot of work, stretching and pulling, but remember you are retired, and what else do you have to do?
Switch processed sugar to raw honey or other healthy substitutes. Purchase honey from your neighbor who has bee hives.
Purchase organic, unprocessed wheat. Grind daily what you need for your bread so it does not lose its nutrients.
Watch your step, move slower and hold on to handrails.
We have covered the emotional and physical retirement plan but the most important plan is your relationship with the Lord. All those years of working didn’t offer a lot of time to read and pray. There are many good books to read, and of course, the best of all is the Bible. There are reading plans that you can follow on your phone while using a version that is easy to understand. If you prefer to listen instead of read, audio is also available. If your phone doesn’t give you these options, just get an easy version to read and have it handy. Write down God’s promises you find that speak to you. Make a prayer list of what you want to remember in prayer. You don’t always have to pray out loud; pray in your mind. The Bible says Pray without ceasing.