There are certainly some things that we can learn from those who have made the transition into the kind of retirement lifestyle that they always wanted. Some say they are happily retired, while others would not want to even admit that they are retired.
You will be the author of this phase and you alone will decide what you would like to do. It might include work, it might be travel, or it might be learning and doing new things!
There are certain key points to consider as you create a nice picture of your retirement life. Call it a healthy retirement mindset: it can give you the structure and foundation you need to execute your plans.
5 tips for a healthy retirement mindset
#1 Have a positive attitude
Your ability to successfully transition your working life to your retired life will depend on how you approach your future, especially since you can expect certain life changes to occur in retirement. These changes, which have been identified by sociologists as affecting most people, can be both positive and challenging.
You may find the biggest transition is how you observe yourself changing every time you look in the mirror!
#2 Keep a clear vision
What vision comes to mind when you think of retirement? Is it a personal project, or a financial investment plan?
Many retirees make the mistake of thinking that having a financial plan in place is equivalent to having a retirement plan, because they assume that part of their life will just take care of itself. Not true! The retirement stage of your life needs a holistic approach and a carefully thought-out plan.
What do you want your life to look like?
What changes are you anticipating for your future?
How do you plan to get the most out of each and every day?
You need to ask these questions as you contemplate your future and develop a healthy retirement mindset.
#3 Adopt a healthy approach to aging
Developing a healthy retirement mindset means being positive about the future. If you share this belief, then healthy aging should be an integral part of your retirement plans, as well as your everyday lifestyle.
While aging is a normal process and affects each one of us in diverse ways, there are certain things that we can all do to look after our health and fitness—both physical and mental. Because while some think that being physically healthy is all it takes to achieve healthy aging, the mental aspect is just as important. That’s why you want to understand the basic principles of both.
Are you doing something each and every day to add nourishment to your body and brain? You need to expand your mind and do whatever you can to maintain both your physical and mental health.
#4 Nurture relationships
Close personal relationships define us and give us a sense of belonging that helps as we each create life goals. Most of us have the basic need to share our life’s experiences and journeys with those who are closest to us, giving us the same kind of validation we received at the workplace.
Research has found that people in satisfying relationships have fewer illnesses and much higher levels of overall good health. Having people close by to share your life and be there for you adds to your overall enjoyment.
#5 Maintain an active social network
With retirement comes ample leisure, as well as the probability of loneliness. By having an active social support network, you can add fulfillment to your routine and life structure.
As part of your retirement plan, you need to think about the quality of your social network and how you can expand it. The aging process provides a very important life lesson – how our social circles shrink if we do not make any new connections. You must make efforts to get out of the house and seek out new opportunities to socialize.
Having a healthy retirement mindset is key
The need to be self-anchored during retirement gives people a chance to find meaning in ways that step outside the circle of their previous working lives. The retirement planning phase is an excellent time to develop new relationships and engage in learning new ways to balance needs for purpose, efficacy, values expression and self-worth.
It’s time to update your beliefs about what retirement can be so you can curate a retirement lifestyle that’s customized just for you, in all your vitality and uniqueness. Ready to get started? Retirement Lifestyle coaching is here to help make your retirement dreams your new reality.
Bob Foley is your Certified Professional Retirement Coach and you can reach him by email at bob@retirementlifestylecoach.com or simply by scheduling time on his calendar here.
