Retirement Life Coach Nancy Stampahar provides advice to you in her guest post. Thanks for your insightful information, Nancy!

During their careers, most people plan for retirement by ensuring their savings will carry them through their golden years. While that’s important, many don’t invest enough time anticipating the non-financial aspects of retirement.

Retirement is one of life’s greatest transitions; it brings excitement, fun, and freedom. But it can also bring disorientation and disenchantment, identity struggles, relationship issues, and lack of purpose. Some people feel unsettled, anxious or even bored, but eventually they realize that relationships, wellness and purpose really matter.

Through the typical five stages of retirement, you will experience changes physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. Along with ensuring their financial security, soon-to-retire or early retirees need to ask themselves questions like: Who will I be now? What will I do? With whom? Where will I live?”

To help you with the transition, consider the five common stages of retirement most people experience in their retirement journey.

First Stage:  Pre-Retirement

In this stage, you imagine your new life and plan for it. This stage can last five to 15 or more years before your actual retirement date. Consider your income needs, where you will live, and what will make you happy and fulfilled. By doing so, you can have a much smoother experience.

Second Stage: Full Retirement

The honeymoon phase of retirement occurs once you retire and usually lasts a year or two. This stage includes feelings of relief and freedom from the stress and responsibilities of your job. In this phase, people usually reconnect with their spouses and family as well as friends. They often spend time on hobbies and travel; some start a new business,

Third Stage: Disenchantment

Once the emotional high of retiring has worn off, many feel a sense of disappointment and disillusionment. After spending so much time looking forward to retirement, it can fall short of expectations. Depression can set in if a retiree slips into boredom, loneliness, or feeling useless.

Fourth Stage: Reorientation

After retirees accomplish their initial goals, they often feel marooned, with no purpose in life. At this point, a reorientation—often considered the most challenging stage—is in order. This involves creating a new identity. This should be something that gives you meaning and purpose—perhaps a passion for something specific like gardening or history, or volunteering, or simply adding new activities that bring fun into your daily life. These decisions give people a sense of closure from their working days and allow them to enjoy whatever kind of retirement they’ve created for themselves.

Fifth Stage: Reconciliation & Stability

The final stage, which may start up to 15 years after the official start of retirement, is the time when retirees are content in their transition and experience less depression and anxiety. They’ve settled into a fun and rewarding retirement lifestyle, doing things that make them feel fulfilled. They prioritize simplifying their lives and living relaxing lifestyles. Health issues may be more common or significant during this stage, so retirees focus on maintaining their health and independence, sometimes by moving to retirement communities where they can age in a place with access to healthcare, amenities, activities, and friends nearby.

Whatever stage you are in, you may find these six retirement lifestyle categories helpful in your journey.

Traditionalist: stops working and engages in a variety of nonpaid, mostly leisure activities.

Altruist: stops working and instead volunteers, as a board member or in other roles.

Lifelong Learner: stops working and pursues a nonpaid activity that requires significant practice and continued learning.

Stair Stepper: continues to work in the same career, while gradually cutting back.

Boomeranger: takes a break and then returns to work.

The Reinventor: continues to work in a new career or another role.

To create a fulfilling and happy retirement life, strive to live with purpose, meaning, and a healthy lifestyle.

 

 

For additional great advice from Nancy, see her website:

https://www.retirementlifecoachnancy.com/