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How Retirees Shaped My Attitude About Retirement

The last pharmacy I worked at was the best job I ever had because I was older than many retired customers and what I learned from them forever changed how I felt about retirement.

They told me everything about themselves and the world they lived in. I listened carefully, asked questions, and watched. It was an invaluable education. I soaked it up like a sponge.

I heard many comments and ideas that I did not agree with.but I didn’t say anything. After all, he knew he was getting an education about a world and a lifestyle that he knew nothing about, but wanted to learn.

One of the many things that surprised me was this comment. From an older woman: “I’ve done it for others all my life, and now is the time for others to do it for me.”

For me, that was a surprise. Of course, do it for others who need help, but if you’re not doing it out of the goodness of your heart, then don’t do it. When you do something nice, don’t expect anything in return. Family members and others may or may not want to be caregivers, and they shouldn’t be if you can take care of yourself. When you can help yourself, you will stay physically strong longer and your brain will be sharper longer, which is a blessing.

Apart from the loss of cognition and physical health, possibly the worst thing older people should fear is dependency. When you become dependent, either by choice or by necessity, you lose a part of yourself.

Another thing I learned about withdrawn It is that many did not have sufficient income, which opens the door to dependency. More than a few only had Social Security income to survive the rest of their lives. It is common for many to retire thinking that they will no longer need as much money, but they soon discover that inflation makes that idea a huge miscalculation. You find yourself thinking that you worked hard your entire adult life before enjoying a carefree retirement, and when the time comes, it’s a rude awakening that what you did to prepare (or even if you prepared at all) was not enough.

But here’s good news for those who are willing to grapple with reality. I am a strong advocate for work. I remember hearing Pastor Rick Warren, author of the bestselling book, A life with purpose, discussing political issues with John McCain, who ran for president against Barak Obama. I remember Pastor Warren saying emphatically, “We are made to work.” Not everyone agrees with that sentiment, but it made perfect sense to me. It gave legitimacy to the phrase “use it or lose it.” If you don’t constantly challenge your brain and body, it deteriorates.

I bring up the subject of work because I saw a lot of cash poor retirees able to have a job of one kind or another, but did not want to work. I remember a customer, a retired engineer, clipping food stamps from the newspaper while he waited for his prescription to be filled. He was always complaining about the cost of his medications, not determined by the pharmacy but by his insurance plan. But alas, he never seemed or wanted to understand that.

One day, in what I thought was a casual and pleasant conversation With him about his work experience, I asked him if he had ever considered getting a part-time job that would allow him to use and share his considerable skills. You would have thought he had insulted his mother. He got angry and reminded me that he had earned his retirement and that there was no way he was going to go back to work. Always. For me, it was a lesson learned: be careful what or how you ask a question.

At other times, women told me that they would like to have a job. But they didn’t think they were qualified to do anything because they had been out of the job market (or never had been) for a long time. They could have found a job suitable for their talents, but to tell the truth, they really didn’t want to work. They were settled into their comfortable leisure-oriented lifestyle and were unwilling to alter or give up on it. That is easy to understand.

But then there was Margie. She had an attitude That said I could chew you up and spit on you In particular, she said she was tired of the daily 4 p.m. meetings at the local hamburger joint with the residents of her retirement complex. All they did, he said, was complain about aches and pains and say how much they loved (or hated) their doctor, reminisce about the past, and tell and retell degrading jokes about older people. “I’m tired,” she complained.

One day Margie started putting on makeup and coloring her hair. “orange of old age” and began to wear what was considered business clothes. She had gotten a job as a clerk at a local auto body shop. Did it look like a million dollars? Absolutely. Soon after, she was showing off a beautiful engagement ring. At 78, she had become engaged to the 67-year-old owner of the auto body shop. It was a miracle? Most likely, Margie took the bull by the horns and took over his life.

I understand why people are eager to start retiring. After 40 years of work, you are tired. Retirement provides the opportunity to take a deep breath and finally call life your own. Even with difficulties, the lifestyle becomes a warm and loving friend.

But this is the question. After a year or two of enjoying the freedom of retirement, that initial “honeymoon” phase starts to get boring, or the need for more money appears. That is your chance to be decisive about what you want to do with the rest of your life. Before you get too tired and your brain and body get too “soft” to do anything of value, take control of your future. It belongs to you.

The service life has increased enormously. More people take better care of themselves and it is not uncommon for some to reach 100 or more. So if you retire at 65 (or earlier), you can live another 30 years.

Don’t let awareness of your chronological age rule or ruin your life! In fact, age is “just a number”. We agree that it is true, but we often act like we don’t believe it when making decisions in life. What you should be concerned about is your biological age – the health and vitality of your cells. As I mentioned before, I’m 92 years old, and frankly, I don’t give a damn what my date of birth is. I recently had an extensive test to determine my biological age, and it is 74. Trust me; change your perspective on life. It gives you the freedom to dare to act on all the possibilities that are open to you.

You can have a fulfilling, purpose-driven second life after retirement. You can and should experience the magic of achievement in your old age. Remember Harlan Sanders, founder of the KFC chicken franchise? He was not a child when he decided to start his business. Do you remember Grandma Moisés? If you don’t know who she was, Google her for inspiration. Or maybe you’re familiar with Gert Boyle, CEO of Columbia Sportswear. He went to the office every day until he passed away at 94. Old age is not a death sentence. Have confidence; what others have done, you CAN do too, and perhaps much more!

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