Dear LPG,

I would like to share some advice for anyone who is about to retire and has mixed feelings on the subject. 

If you feel worried about retirement, you are not alone. Actually, it is a very common feeling.  You may have to struggle with your self-worth, perceived value to society and fears of boredom and you might experience the loss of usefulness, sense of purpose, social relationships around work and even identity. Ending your career and its associated income stream can seem frightening too, as retirement is often associated with reduced income.

But being pessimistic will not help. Retirement does not have to be all doom and gloom and you can certainly think of many reasons why retirement can be something to look forward to. Think about all those activities that you did not have the time to do because you were too busy working. Retirement can be an excellent opportunity to take up piano lessons, to start attending choir rehearsals again, or read all those books on the shelf.

You should also consider that once you’re retired, you can probably increase your physical activity too. Go to the swimming pool, start practising yoga or just have a walk. Spending some of that free time that you now have, but did not have before, fighting sedentarism and keeping a healthy lifestyle would be a great decision. And think about going to bed and not having to worry about that assignment at work that you could not finish. It sounds great, doesn’t it?

So, retirement is a unique opportunity to interrupt previous behaviours and establish new routines. It is time to enjoy freedom and to find new hobbies that make you feel happy. Retirement is time to enjoy wisdom.

PM, St Johns