Retirement is a time for relaxation, reflection, and pretty much whatever you want it to be. It’s a time to pursue your passions, find out what you’re capable of, and enjoy a vivacious life as you cross from a young whipper-snapper into old age. While there are countless reasons to love retirement, here are a few of our favorites, in no particular order.
It’s your party; You Can do What you Want To
Once you’ve reached retirement, you’ve already put in your time. You did what you were supposed to and you played by the rules, so now it’s your time. It really is your party, and you can do what you want to. After 45 years of working your tail off and saving wherever you can, it’s your time to relax.
Or not. You can do what you want. Go visit the places you’ve always wanted to — whether it’s across town, the country, or the world, just go. Wear your sneakers because they’re comfy and carry a fanny pack because it’s convenient. There’s no need to impress anyone, and no reason to do anything you don’t want to. It’s your party; do what you want to.
You Can Honor Your Weirdness
If you’re like most people, you probably spent a considerable amount of time throughout your life striving to fit into what society dictated was normal. But let’s face it, you’ve always been a little odd. Congratulations, you’ve joined an age group where pretty much everyone is a little weird. Now that you’ve hit retirement, by all means, let your weird flag fly high. And by all means, own that flag.
So you’ve never had an artistic bone in your body, but you’ve always wished you did. Once you retire, you can take a sculpting class and learn how to let the inner workings of your imagination run wild as you navigate the eccentricities of your own mind.
Newsflash: It’s Hip to be Square
If it suits you to wake up at 4:00 a.m. and read the newspaper while monitoring the morning traffic speeds on your block, all from the comfort of the rocking chair on your porch, you’re in luck. If an early morning skydiving jaunt is more your style, have at it.
Maybe your working career was really hectic and there wasn’t a lot of structure in your routine. Now you can have whatever routine you want. All puns aside, it is hip to be square!
Your Worries are Behind You (Most of Them)
Sure, you’ll still have bills to pay and gentle responsibilities, but they will be the bills and responsibilities you’ve chosen for yourself. After decades of planning and saving for this time to come, carefully calculated investments and strategically planned equity-indexed annuity guarantees, you can finally live comfortably off the fruits of your labor.
So you’ll still have worry after all, but it’ll be a different kind of worry than what you’ve likely grown accustomed to during your working years. Instead of worrying about work deadlines and raising a family, now you’ll worry about more important things, like what to make for supper, how your grandkids liked their Christmas present, or whether the neighbor’s dog is in your rose bushes again.
More Time to Leave a Legacy for Grandkids
If you’re lucky enough to have children and grandchildren in your life, once you retire you’ll be able to really be a fixture in their lives. This isn’t to say you should linger and be a pest. No, rather, you’ll just be able to be around to watch them grow up. Attend their school functions, pick them up when their hearts are broken come middle school, and serve as a stand-in for times when their parents need a breather.
Grandkids are a blessing — they will keep you young, and if you do it right, they will be happy you’re there to be a part of their lives. Now who could argue with that?
After years and years of looking forward to and working relentlessly to save enough money for your retirement, you deserve to make it whatever you want it to be. It’s your life and you’ve worked hard to earn the luxury of enjoying your retirement years. Whether your ideal retirement is a quiet life at home with your family, traveling the globe to explore new places, or maybe a combination of both, make it yours. Ultimately, the best reason to love retirement is the same reason to love life itself — because it’s yours, and only you can decide what to make of it.