Retiring very soon-and already depressed

I'll be retiring from my job of thirty years in about a month and I'm feeling a lot of anxiety already.

You see, my wife retired from her job after thirty-three years and was anxious for me to join her in retirement. Then she died of cancer - that was three years ago.

So now I have no one 'waiting' for me- I will retire alone.

I'm 55 years old and have the rest of my life
ahead of me now and I'm scared to death. I do have
a number of interests - including involvement in
community theatre (where my wife and I met), and
I'm thinking about returning to college next year
to pursue a bachelor's degree.

I feel like I might be running away from my job
because of a couple of bad situations that happened recently - a relationship with a female co-worker that didn't work out, and a couple of other co-workers I just plain don't get along with. So there is some real sadness, a sense of incompletion, as I prepare to leave.

Can anyone relate to this? I need some encouragement!

  • Wendy: Can Anyone NOT relate to this? I think 99.9% of folks have some anxiety over retirement.. it's normal. The Director of Senior Citizen Services used to say, at Pre-Retirement Planning Classes - Allow yourself to grieve. Just like with any huge change in life, you need to give yourself time.

    You might be anxious -- but I'm sensing from your story that you are also "ready". I was SOOO ready and surprised I finally got there. It also sounds like you have thought about what you are going to do (so many don't even consider what they'll do later).. so WHY NOT RETIRE?

    Why deal with coworkers that you don't have to deal with any more..

    Have fun instead! Whatever fun is to you...

    At 55, like me, you have a whole world waiting for whatever you choose to do or be!

  • Retiring: I thought I would be...

    by: Anonymous

    I just put my papers in, leaving a Federal job known for treating it's employees like crap. It was a physical job and I planned to stay a few more months.

    As luck would have it, this has been one brutal winter here in the NE and somehow I hurt my back and had to leave now. Winter depresses me anyway but sitting home with a bad back by myself in the dead of winter is really making me anxious as well.

    My mind unoccupied is going negative and wondering If I'll ever be productive again. I'm in a bad funk. It's almost like a trauma. I hope and pray things get better in the spring. This sucks.

  • Wendy: Winter retirements, I think are the worst... but spring is coming, so bear with it another few months and hopefully you find retirement contentment soon!

    Retiring: I thought I would be...
    by: Anonymous

    I just put my papers in, leaving a Federal job known for treating it's employees like crap. It was a physical job and I planned to stay a few more months.

    As luck would have it, this has been one brutal winter here in the NE and somehow I hurt my back and had to leave now. Winter depresses me anyway but sitting home with a bad back by myself in the dead of winter is really making me anxious as well.

    My mind unoccupied is going negative and wondering If I'll ever be productive again. I'm in a bad funk. It's almost like a trauma. I hope and pray things get better in the spring. This sucks.

    Wendy: Winter retirements, I think are the worst... but spring is coming, so bear with it another few months and hopefully you find retirement contentment soon!

    Want to try writing on a blog? Read "retiree blogs" on the navigation bar to the right.. if interested, contact me!
    Retirement - Go For It...
    by: Anonymous

    I say go for it? forget the bad from the work place and look forward?.

    the theater is a good thing? community activity is a must? stay active?.. i have been retired for almost a year and loving every minute of?

    some days for a nano second I do miss the job.. but soon I am over that?

    I read a lot have been in three stage projects since I retired and looking forward to more?.

  • Retirement - Go For It...

    by: Anonymous

    I say go for it -forget the bad from the work place and look forward.

    The theater is a good thing. community activity is a must? stay active... i have been retired for almost a year and loving every minute of it!

    some days, for a nano second, I do miss the job.. but soon I am over that!

    I read a lot have been in three stage projects since I retired and looking forward to more.

    sorry for the loss... but now it's time to look forward and move that way!

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