Rewirement!

I’ve been retired for almost 9 months now. I had gotten some sound advice not to commit to anything right away. I had about four job offers right out of the gate, but I was careful not to commit until I had really figured out what I wanted to do when I grew up (ha!). I had a lot of plans for the first 7 months that kept me very busy and now things have slowed down a bit. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time off but I’m starting to get the itch to do something. I’m not sure what that is yet, but I have a few ideas I’m tossing around.

So many people I have talked to are looking forward to retirement, but they are a little afraid. They love the structure in their life and think without a job that structure is out the window and they’re left to figure out what to do next. It’s frightening for them. I say, enjoy no structure! At least, for a while. You’ve worked your whole life for this.

Just this week, Peter was talking to his nephew, Bobby. He’s in his early 50s and has been retired for quite a few years. While he’s had various projects from time-to-time, his wife told him it was time to fly. Time to do something, time to go out and get a job. You should know that Bobby is a self-made man. He worked very hard, was wildly successful and financially he doesn’t need to work. But as I listened to him talk, he mentioned that he thought he needed the structure. He’s done with being the boss and just really wanted something that was fun for him. And so, a few weeks ago, he went back to work full-time, enjoying the hell out of making customers happy in retail. He goes to work, gets to interact with people and goes home with no responsibility at all. He loves it. Yes, being ambitious as he is, he does have a plan for what he’d really like to do in the company, and he plans to share that with his bosses when he learns from the ground up. But for now, he’s enjoying!

Bobby did what most people who worked hard all their lives have done after retiring. He went out to find a job that he could enjoy. No stress, no responsibility.

Last night I had dinner with some girlfriends, and they were discussing this very point. They want to do something, they just don’t want to be the boss anymore or most importantly, they don’t want the stress of working at that level. And they are dreaming of working at a boutique, or retail outlet, or somewhere that aligns with their interests. They want flexibility and fun.

So, as I try to figure out what is next for me, I’m looking for a whole lot of fun. Stay tuned!

Quote: “I found out retirement means playing golf, or I don’t know what the hell it means. But to me, retirement means doing what you have fun doing.” – Dick Van Dyke