Age 70 Is Your New Age 50: Embrace The Opportunities

Does 70 not seem so far away anymore? Are you nearing retirement and the thought of stopping paid work is becoming a daunting prospect? Or are you looking forward to it?

Does 70 not seem so far away anymore? Are you nearing retirement and the thought of stopping paid work is becoming a daunting prospect? Or are you looking forward to it?

Well, for many people retiring from work is a mixed bag of emotions. You may be anticipating spending more time at the beach, hanging out with the grand kids as well as traveling or pursuing your hobbies and interests. But for other people stopping work means a loss of identity and purpose. With life expectancy continuing to increase, most of us are experiencing long retirements and so it's worthwhile thinking now about preparing yourself for retirement and how you're going to cope. Too often we focus on money issues and sustaining our lifestyles; however, we also need to prepare ourselves mentally and physically. And so let's look at how you can embrace the opportunities the new era of retirement offers.

Our post-work identities

When you first meet somebody, the standard conversation opener is, 'What do you do for a living?' How will you answer this question post-work? You can only talk about what you used to do for so long. And so it's time to think about how you're going to define yourself in this new era. It's a fresh start and so why not learn Italian like you have always wanted to? And why not take those guitar lessons that you never got round to before, develop new skills or even start a new career. The opportunities are almost endless, the only thing holding you back is yourself.

Health and fitness

To get the most out of retirement, you will want to be as healthy and fit as possible. Taking steps now to improve your health and fitness could see you enjoying retirement more and for longer. Getting involved in sports and activities now will not only improve your fitness and mental well-being, they will also give you interests and pursuits to give you purpose on retirement. What's more, you'll be extending your social network. So golf, bowls, tennis as well as walking or tramping clubs are all worth exploring.

Good nutrition is also a key part of preparing yourself for retirement. We all know what a difference having a balanced diet can make to safeguarding against illness and disease and ensuring we stay healthy for longer.

And while you're at it, why not have a general check-up with your GP? It's best to get a head start on any potential health problems so be sure to also review any family issues with your doctor.

Keeping our minds active

Another challenge people often face in retirement is maintaining the mental stimulation you get from tackling problems and tasks at work. Keeping our minds active also helps to prevent the onset of dementia and other diseases. The truth is there are plenty of inspiring stories of people who've achieved much in their retirements. Did you know that the famous author Richard Adams was well into his 50s when Watership Down was published? Or that Roget invented the Thesaurus at age 73? And Colonel Sanders was 65 when he launched KFC. Be inspired by their example and embrace the opportunities.

As well as finding new ways to utilize their wisdom and knowledge, many people find fulfillment in giving to others. It could be volunteering, imparting your knowledge and expertise to others, mentoring young people or helping those less fortunate – there are plenty of options open to you.

Retirement for many people today can be an exciting and energizing new chapter – 70 really is the new 50 when it comes to health and ability. So if you want to get the most out of the new retirement era then it is important to prepare now by making sure the money is there to live how you want to. We are here to help with that; figuring out what is needed and how to have it there for a great retirement is what we do. Just get in touch or call us on 09 302 7310.