Not that you can’t have this amazing picture-perfect retirement lifestyle… you absolutely can.
It just takes a bit of work. As in, challenge, growth, and, of course, first finding clarity on your ideal life after retirement.
Rather than showing you inauthentic images of sad and stressed seniors, I want you to picture your own reality.
The most vulnerable times in your life are the first 12 months after retirement.
One in seven boomers is treated for depression, which is a higher rate among other
Divorce among Boomers is increasing. The number of divorces among that age demo has doubled since 2000.
Why is no one talking about this?
Having a great life after retirement is not just about having enough money saved up.
Like most anything worthwhile in life, it takes hard work, clarity, and dedication to make your life after retirement look like what you imagined… beyond the money issue.
There are critical lifestyle planning steps that you can take in order to achieve your ideal life after retirement during your next chapters.
I don’t see these topics as being readily available when someone is researching “retirement advice,” for you to start implementing today.
Disclaimer: The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information purposes / educational purposes only, and to ensure discussion or debate.
Thank you ….Improve Your Daily Routine
A common habit among the most successful people is their daily routine, more specifically, their morning routine.
Don’t sleep next to your phone. Let your mind wander while you brush your teeth and ask yourself what 2 things you can do that day to make progress.
Write those things down on a post-it and be sure to accomplish it during the day. Give yourself 30 minutes before 7:30am to focus on activities for you and only you.
Start with a breathing exercise. Express gratitude. Visualize connection in your body and then success. Exercise.
Meditate for 20 minutes. Drink strong tea. Journal for 10 minutes. Eat a small breakfast and then exercise.
Be sure to get enough sleep, as in eight hours. Drink water. Meditate. Practice and visualize gratitude. Eat a healthy breakfast and exercise.
Are you in your 60s and single? Whether you find yourself solo by choice or by chance, embrace your independence! You’re certainly not alone.
Do you want to add a word or two?….
Being Single Over 60 Is Trendy
There were over millions of adults ages 65 and older in 2023, that percentage is expected to increase to 20 percent in 2030, when the entire Baby Boomer generation will be 65 or older. Population the world over is getting older, much older – and it is also becoming more single.
The more specific your roadmap the better. If you can keep up with a weekly plan and write in specific micro-goals that align with your bigger picture progress and values, you’ll likely carry out your days with intention and purpose.
This process is so crucial. Most retirees won’t have an immediate play-by-play action plan to carry out, and instead are more likely to experience a serious identity crisis.
Disenchantment stage – you feel worn out and try to fill your free time aimlessly with activities, recommendations from friends and family, but aren’t really fulfilled deep down.
Reorientation stage – you drop the activities you thought you were going to like but didn’t actually enjoy. You realize need to re-evaluate your life and figure out what’s best. This is where most people are just realizing finding clarity might be a good thing.
Stability stage – you fully accept your retirement identity and fall into a routine.
Your comments ….
It’s important that by the time you reach the stability stage, you accept an identity that truly aligns with your core values.
Otherwise, you’re more susceptible to depression and isolation, and likely to miss out on your real purpose, goals, and dreams in your life after retirement.
What if you were to find clarity before these typical retirement stages?
You’d likely beat out the classic retirement cycle above and avoid living out a retired life of mediocrity.
It’s paramount that you spend some time self-reflecting to have a clear vision of the life you want… This is no easy feat, much easier said than done, and will take real dedication to actively listening from within to find that clarity.
Overcome Your Financial Insecurities
Overall, single men and women are generally less satisfied with their financial circumstances than married.
And financial anxiety runs high among singles. More than four in 10 (45%) of single men and half (50%) of single women say they feel either a moderate or a lot of anxiety about their personal financial security — a substantially higher percentage than married individuals (35% married men and 41% married women).
Overcome these insecurities by starting your plan right now. It is not as daunting as you might think.
Experts suggest that a major contributor to aging after retirement is the lack of the schedule that a job provides. Work gives you a reason to get up every day and some degree of accountability.
When you retire — especially if you live alone — having a place to go every day can be an important aspect of staying vital.
Whether you are married now or not, it is important that you try to educate yourself about personal finance. Retirement planning can be complicated.
Creating your own written retirement plan is a good way to get started and get your hands around the universe of retirement planning and personal finance topics.
The benefits of owning a dog is overwhelming and is probably particularly true if you are single. Beyond emotional benefits like their unconditional love of us, one study found that dog owners need fewer doctor visits.
Important to know that pet owners had lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and a lower heart attack risk than people without pets.
Other research has suggested that caring for a dog, in particular, is healthful in that it keeps us vital and generally ensures that we get a walk every day.
Cultivate a Support Network
Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, maintaining friendships is actually critical to your health and well-being.
You need people you can rely on emotionally and for life help. And, believe it or not, science says that you are way better off when you have people who rely on you.
Create a buddy system with a group of friends for rides home from the doctor or hospital appointments or other times when you need a helping hand.
Besides the practical support, a lot of research has shown the benefits of being social as we age. The links between healthy social relationships and better health are well established.
Avoid Emotional Loneliness
Being alone is great. Feeling lonely can have a detrimental impact on your health.
In fact, older people who experience the highest levels of “emotional loneliness” are at a greater risk of premature mortality — 18.6% increased risk of all-cause mortality.
Think Carefully about Where You want to Live
Housing is generally your biggest retirement expense. Whether married or not, all retirees need to think carefully about their housing choices.
As someone single, you have more flexibility about where you live — consider the pros and cons of some of these options:
Live Abroad: If you don’t have adult children or grandchildren, there might be few drawbacks to living abroad. It can be such a wonderful (and cost-efficient) opportunity.
A walkable community might be better for you in case you can no longer drive.
Find Roommates: Remember living together with other single friends can cut your costs and provide the built-in support you might want or need.
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