Are you recently retired or contemplating retirement?
Are you retired and restless?
Are you trying to avoid retirement?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, there is a good chance that you are experiencing some angst. Welcome to being normal. Our brains are wired to experience concern when facing uncertainty.
Feeling a sense of angst for an extended period of time, however, can be harmful to your brain and your body. The antidote for angst is knowledge – the kind of knowledge that can give you clarity about how to approach the next chapter of your life.
How can you gain clarity? Try these three tips.
- See your journey into uncertainty as an adventure. It presents you with an opportunity to envision a future that is not an extension of your past. It can be a time for re-invention, exploration, curiosity.
- Spend some time reflecting on your passions that you have put aside for one reason or another because life got in the way. Create a journal to capture your thoughts in writing. Nothing elaborate is required. Simple bullet points are fine. For example, your list might say:
- I’ve always loved it. Never took time to pursue it.
- I love dogs, have since I was a kid. I’ve thought about breeding and showing dogs – never had the time.
- I’ve always been an avid reader. Ten years ago I stopped. Don’t know why. Seemed like I didn’t have time. Too much other stuff going on in my life.
- Envision making them part of your future, either as full-time endeavors, or part-time activities. Relax and allow your imagination to run wild. Don’t edit your thoughts, judge your thoughts, or worry about what others might think. This exercise is for you alone. Go to your journal. Write down your ideas and thoughts. You need not share them with anyone – until you’re ready. Here is one example:
- I’ve always liked to photograph animals – in the wild and people’s pets. I could invest in some high-quality cameras, lenses, etc., start photographing, create a blog site and start showing my work to people. Maybe advertise as a pet photographer and earn a few bucks to start. I could see where that goes, then maybe do some reading and research, find the breed of dog that I would want to breed and show and see where that takes me. Yeah. I have the time now.
Start today. Create a journal and write down your thoughts and ideas. Doing that will accomplish these things:
- It will help you remember them as you move forward.
- It will replace your angst with focused clarity.
- It will help you develop your plan for a rewarding next chapter.
Which passion will you pursue first?