Since my retirement became imminent, I’ve discovered that there are three aspects to retirement. Not all of them were anticipated.
Aspect #1 - Financial
I did anticipate this aspect and, basically, I expect to find it simple to deal with.
I’ve always been a chronic keeper of a budget. You probably know someone who is “my kind” of person: one who records cheques when they’re written, and balances her chequebook at least once a month. My week seldom goes by without at least one on-line visit to my account to see what monies have gone in, and gone out. I also regularly monitor the ups and down of the mutual funds in my self-directed RRSP account and keep track of the results.
I accept that not everyone is like me. I spent more than 20 years married to a man who saw no reason why he shouldn’t write cheques until they started to bounce. However, in my world, you either have the money… or you don’t. Before it was imminent, I summarized my financial plan for retirement as, “When my investments do well, I’ll travel and buy new books; when they do poorly, I’ll stay home and re-read the old ones.” My plans to go to China and teach grew out of a wish to make my desire to travel pay for itself.
For me, dealing with the financial aspects of retirement is a comfort zone… even “fun.”
Aspect #2 - Professional/Business/Activity
One of the “needs” of retirement that’s been fairly well documented is the need for organized, planned, appealing activities to keep your mind and body moving. When you’re a chronic couch potato like myself, the “appealing” element is particularly important. I am NOT one of these people who enjoys going to the gym or taking a daily walk.
My China plans grew out of a recognition that I needed planned activity that would entice me out of my house to “do” rather than enable me to sit back and “observe” others. I love to work with language; I’m proud of how I’ve learned to do it well; I’ve discovered great satisfaction in sharing what I’ve learned with others. Teaching in China offers an opportunity to share my love of language while at the same time experiencing a part of the world that has always fascinated me.
It will also require that I “get off my duff.”
Aspect #3 - Emotional
This aspect snuck up on me a few months ago when a woman I work with asked, “How do you FEEL about retiring?” I realized that I didn’t have an answer to her question. I’d been so busy doing my financial calculations, and planning what I was going to DO to keep my brain and body challenged, that I hadn’t considered that there were “feelings” involved as well.
As of end of day, July 4th… for the first time in my adult life… I will not need to work for my living. I’ll have a steady, reliable, long-term income without any effort or commitment required on my part.
I’m still trying to determine how I “feel” about that…