Since New Year’s Day is a time of reflection on the past, I decided to list what I’ve learned since retiring six months ago. These “lessons” have surprised me.

1. You can be just about as busy as you want to be…maybe busier.
2. Getting together with the colleagues you left behind in the workplace doesn’t make you want to go back. Even when they describe their fun Holiday party. Especially then.
3. Time moves even more rapidly than when you had a daily work schedule to follow. The day simply melts away. Function of age? Function of unstructured time?
4. Holiday time is just as much work but lots more fun because you can spread out the preparation and recovery in a more relaxed and non-frenetic manner.
5. Though I don’t need them, I still stare longingly at dress coats, shoes, slacks and other accoutrement of the workplace in catalogues, online and in the store. I also do a fair amount of ordering on line and keep more than I return. When will this stop? Stay tuned.
6. Even six months into retirement, I still haven’t figured out where I want to focus my energies; the world resembles a candystore of possibilities and I’m a chocoholic.
7. I couldn’t get into games when I was a kid, when I was a young mom, or even as a grandma so, not surprisingly, I can’t seem to commit to playing games in retirement, even though I bought myself a Mahjong set and took a few lessons. We’ll see where that goes; it’s early days yet.
8. Figuring out what day of the week it is has become quite the challenge!
9. Reading the obituaries, even those of the rich and famous, is not a good way for me to start my day.
10. There’s no-one but me telling me what to do.
11. After some thought, the best answer to a working friend’s snarky inquiry What do you do all day?” is a big smile and the words: “Whatever I want.”

Maybe I’ll have some new insights about retirement when I re-evaluate on my one year retirement anniversary:).

Categories: wisdom