Southern New Jersey Overlook

Introduction - Looking at Retirement

Quote: "Retirement at 65 is ridiculous.  When I was 65 I still had pimples." - George Burns

In ancient times, there was no such concept as "retirement".  In fact, it is a fairly recent development from about the 1900's, effected in large part by our increasing life expectancies.  
 
Retirement as we understand it today, involves a major adjustment in our lives and those around us.  It requires thorough consideration and careful planning to enable a successful, satisfying transition.

People have many fears and expectations about their retirement.  Many long for their coming retirement as being one big vacation, free of their work routine with time to do the things they always wanted to do, including hobbies, traveling and visiting friends and family.  Others look at, or even avoid thinking about, retirement because of fearing change, aging and death.  They may see retirement as the next phase or step before death or a time for sitting around waiting to die.
 
In reality, retirement is a mix somewhere in between those two extremes, being neither the ideal you dream it will be nor as bad as you fear it could be. 

To have a successful retirement, most authorities and people who are experiencing retirement are in agreement that you need to know yourself, prepare for retiring long before you reach retirement age, and have a proper attitude.  

Following are some of the important Retirement Issues you should be dealing with now, especially if you are have not yet retired:
 
Adjusting - Understanding the Problem - the stages of the retirement process, the losses, factors and proper attitudes.
 
Physical and Mental - including health, finances, housing, location and transportation.
 
Occupation - how you will use the time, energy and skills you have previously devoted to your vocation.
 
Marriage, Family and Friends - various retirement combinations/variations, marital adjustments, intimacy, grandchildren, old and new friends.
 
Spiritual - taking advantage of your time to deepen your spiritual understanding and life, opportunities for volunteering to serve and preparing for eternity.
 
We will look at each of these issues in more detail in subsequent articles in this series on Getting Ready for Retirement.
 

NOTE: These outline notes were gleaned from a seminar, "Getting Ready for Retirement (You Can't Begin Too Soon)", that was recently presented at a local Business Leaders Club seminar by Dr. Dennis Borg and is used by permission.  Dr. Borg is the Director of Integrity Ministries, a Marriage and Family Counselor, part-time professor and a Life Coach.



For "Seniors Advantage" real estate resources, help and support services in acquiring or selling properties in New Jersey from an SRES Realtor, Visit my web site: LawrenceYerkes.com
  
and visit Besthomes-NJ.com to shop for the latest New Jersey Real Estate property listings (Residential, Commercial, Multi-Family, Farm, Land).   
 
Copyright 2007 by Lawrence Yerkes. All Rights Reserved.