The Never Ending Story

Before retiring I used to hear all sorts of nightmares about people who go crazy due to boredom after retirement. I suppose nobody really knows what their reaction will be to having every minute of every day free. To me, it has been a wonderful blessing.

I think one of the secrets to a successful retirement is have hobbies before you retire. The reason I say that is you'll already be used to setting aside time for your interests. If it's a thriving hobby, like my photography, you'll look forward to all four seasons of the year, looking for local events you never quite had time for when you were still working.

I'm a strong believer that once retired there's no excuse for continuing your education. Your mind need exercise as much as your body does. I never stop learning about my hobbies. I belong to half a dozen photographic forums, Kelby Online Training in photography and Graphic Software as well as numerous publications and websites that offer free tutorials on just about any subject.

If you like to teach there are many who would benefit from your expertise. In my case I tutor seniors on photography, software used in photography, and even how to use a computer, the web and set up their own wi-fi network. You should see our seniors coffee group at McDonald's each morning. There are two iPads, a laptop & a netbook present on any given day. We're quite well connected.

I brought back an old hobby into my life after giving up my work life, reading. I own a Kindle, iPad and two desktop computers, one iMac and one PC. I'm never without something to read. I've collected over 30 books in Kindle format and can read any of them with any device. I happen to love science fiction novels but I also have autobiographies, reference books of computer software and photography and a wide selection of bibles. I have over 2,000 songs in my music collection that I store online for easy access from any device.

It truly is a never ending story. Retirement is not the end of life but just the beginning.

Re: The Never Ending Story

You obviously put a lot of thought and planning into retirement, and it's paying off now in a happy and productive one. I never thought of it as the end of life, rather as a release from having to go to work every day and being answerable to someone else.

I put a lot of thought into financial planning so while I am far from rich, I'm comfortable. Reading, gardening, cooking and the computer all important to me; travel not at all. But then, we're all different. I'm doing what I want when I want and am happy and in reasonable health ... can't ask for more than that.

Re: The Never Ending Story

apart from spending too much time on here, have to limit things like the garden walking hurts after a while, and prefer the talking books to reading, reading makes my neck ache because of not being able to hold a book comfortably, makes my arms and wrist ache, but love my wild babies that come into the garden, my two shifts at the charity shops are good too

Re: The Never Ending Story

How can anyone be bored when you have the world at your finger tips.

We planned our retirement and now we have trouble keeping up with what we want to do.

Some people just dont know how to entertain themselves as the young generation of today, if they have their electronic toys removed they would be bored out of their minds. I suppose we are the lucky ones, not having much after the war and having to provide our own amusment it gave our minds a new insight into iagination and what you could achieve.

Retirment is the best thing that can happen to a person ,IF, they plan it properly.

It is obvious that you planned well Bob and are now harvesting those fruits, long may it last.