Retirement: The Who, What, Where, When, and How Of It All
Retirement. The act of leaving your job and ceasing to work. It’s been upheld as the pinnacle of American human existence. Living just enough, just enough to retire comfortably. Of course this doesn’t apply to those who will never have a job that pays enough to save enough to one day stop working. But just for a moment we’ll focus on those who will be able to retire one day.
We all know that you need money to retire. I have an in-depth article about steps you can take even after 50 to improve your retirement plans. For now, let’s just focus on what retirement can look like, and work out the perfect retirement scenario.
Who
When I retire, it will be important for me to be around lively, happy people. I have put out enough fires, sat in enough meetings, and compromised with too many bureaucratic kiss ups to drag that mess into my retirement. Give me your seasoned, your wiser, non-befuddled masses of energetic 50–60 year olds with zest for life! I want to be around folks who love life and appreciate our hard earned opportunities to enjoy it! I’ll take a part-time boo too, to share in all the fun!
What
My morning routine will be waking when my body feels rested, having an excellent cup of coffee, a nice brisk walk, and doing a bit of writing. Quietly, I’ve already started easing into my daily retirement routine except for my pesky alarm clock. Everyday won’t be party central or a day trip to the Monterey Jazz Fest, though I will sprinkle those in. For my daily routine though, it is highly likely that I will throw out all alarm clocks and cell phone alerts with their spiteful shrills. (Can’t wait!)
When
Yeah, so if possible, I would love to retire at age 60. I think that’s a good ripe age and gives me the better part of a decade to hit my target. If my bank account and the college costs for my kids don’t agree, then 64 it will be. Unless…. HuffPost, Essence, the New York Times, and AARP pick me up as a featured writer! I can just picture it now. Me writing remotely and being well paid by the top magazines in the world and never needing to actually retire because I love writing! Ahhh. A girl can dream, can’t I?
Where
I want ease, comfort, and beauty around me. I will need to be near a body of water where ocean waves and balmy currents can soothe my soul and spur my creativity. The ocean is always calling me. A nice bungalow overlooking clear turquoise waters would just be Heavenly. I’m thinking 6 months expat every year in an island locale, and the other 6 months in a village retreat, surrounded by mountains, a beautiful lake, writing groups, and an international airport within 2 hours driving distance. UHH! Calgon, take me away!
How
Well… we know the how is gonna take money and planning. After looking at my retirement bundle and how far it will stretch, I am tossing around the idea of selling a kidney and a part of my liver for a small fortune to live the retirement of my dreams. I don’t drink or smoke by choice and I’m relatively healthy aside from the muffin top spare tire around my mid section. I really think it’s a solid back up plan, don’t you?
Keep Hope Alive!
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