Retirement
Uhcoogsfan
Apprentice
in General
This month will be my last month as a working man. I will be retiring on the 26th. To those who have retired did you have trouble adjusting? Are you enjoying it? Any helpful hints?
Comments
Anyway, I start going crazy if I don't have something to do. I've taught myself different things to keep busy. I've carved 5 briar pipes. I've made 4 functional cigar box guitars. I blog, mostly about pipes and tobacco and now I am trying my hand at leather crafting. And I read a lot.
The advice is to find something to keep you busy. Sitting around and doing nothing isn't good for you and can cause stress.
@Uhcoogsfan I found an old post on retirement and thought I'd copy and paste my comments to that discussion which you might find helpful.
Congrats on your retirement.
I worked for 35 years in the Steel Mill and always assumed I was going to get killed in the place and never be able to enjoy my retirement. But here it is 15 years later, and I'm enjoying every day.
Whenever I bump into an old colleague from my days as a steelworker at U.S. Steel it never fails that the first question out of their mouth is some variation of "what are you doing now that you've retired?". And my reply is always the same ... "Whatever I want - whenever I want." They are shocked to discovered I didn't get another job after leaving the Mill.
Since we all spend the bulk of our adult lives working, the notion of being physically "retired" seems so foreign to most hard-working Americans, that it can be a difficult concept to grasp once it happens. The time honored notion of "you are what you do" completely knocks us off kilter when that career comes to an end. So many people retire from good paying jobs where they accumulated decades of seniority, respect from their peers, and a pension plan that enticed them to accept the position in the first place ... then turn around after a few months of freedom and re-enter the workforce out of sheer boredom at an entry level position for low pay or minimum wage, and no real benefits other than a paltry paycheck. (Note: I understand some people have financial burdens and are forced back into the workforce ... this is not meant for you).
The simple notion of restructuring their lifestyle to compensate for living on a fixed income, making budget conscious entertainment and vacation choices, and reconnecting as a married couple is a frightening proposition many haven't mentally prepared for. So they get antsy and re-enter the workforce, seemingly as an escape from themselves, missing out on what quality time is available to them before years and the natural aging process limits our choices in life. So once I've expressed my definition of retirement I'm often met with skepticism and a blank stare. And you wouldn't believe how many times I've heard comments like; '"My wife and I would kill each other if we were trapped in the same house for 24 hours.", or "I'd be bored to death." Pretty sad.
I guess until a person can get comfortable in their own skin time will never be theirs to do as they please. Even if all you have planned in the next hour is smoking a bowl of your favorite blend and staring at the stars.
(Someone Asks If Pipe Smoking Is Different Or Better When Retired)
To which I reply:
The change was radically different for me.
Your thought process changes once you've retired so your mind is uncluttered with the pressure associated with work. Back when I was still gainfully employed even those hours when I was away from the job - in what should have been that moment of solitude between me and my pipe I was often intruded upon by rehashing problems at work or contemplating what new Hell lay in wait for me the following day. My pre-retirement pipe smoking should have been a therapeutic head cleansing session but was instead an unpaid extension of the 8 hour work day as I took mental notes for tomorrow's activities as if my brain were a Franklin Daily Planner. Now when I sit in meditation puffing my pipe, my mind is free to wander to the past, present or speculate on the future. I vividly recall events from the past and long forgotten childhood memories become crystal clear. Faces from decades past come into focus in High Definition. For the retiree, the quiet contemplation of pipe smoking continues to exercise and stimulate the brain without over-taxing it with calculations or problem solving. And once the initial apprehension we all have after making the transition to retirement subsides, and you accept things will be different, the pace slower, and lifestyle choices a bit more frugal - well that first retirement bowl will be oh so sweet.
@ghostsofpompeii that was excellent reading and thought to live by.
@PappyJoe I have thought about making pipes. My son in law’s brother has made a few using a dremmel.