Retired: Your new job is Social Director for you.
by Dave in Campbell
Something I’m slowly finding out is that we retired folks must go out, seek and find things that will make us happier and feel more fulfilled. We can’t wait for happiness to come to us.
For most of us, when we worked every day, our daily schedules were pretty much planned for us by our employers and the projects we were working on. We HAD to get started every morning.
Even if you were self employed, you had a certain routine you did automatically on a regular basis and certain associates you dealt with. And that is what most of us are missing after we retire.
For the first several months, it’s easy to enjoy all your leisure time and sleep in, and relax. But shortly thereafter, our minds start needing the daily stimulation and social contact that we had when we worked. It’s sorta like our "mental metabolism " is still in high gear and needs constant activity. And it’s difficult to slow down and smell the roses.
But there will not be a social director who shows up at our door each day, with planned activities for us. We all have to learn to do that ourselves. But that’s easier said than done, huh? However, this website is a great place for us to try to exchange ideas and help each other make the best. Some of us will need more help than others.
Many others have often suggested the volunteering routine and some other things. I think a big effort you need to make is to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE as often as you can.
Take those walks around your neighborhood, go to a mall or a downtown street and just browse the shops, stop and get coffee, … Once a week, get in your car take a half day trip to no place in particular. Just somewhere new.
That may not sound so exciting and fulfilling to start. Eventually you are going to bump into someone who may be doing the same thing you are and maybe just set a once a week get together to talk.
We all just need to "keep on keepin’ on.
