It is often said that the retirement years are the best years of your life. While I don’t dispute that, there is a caveat. 

In our employment years, we were guided by others. We had a job to do, usually set out by the company or the boss. We simply did it. In other words, our weekdays were mapped out for us. We followed the path as determined by others. 

But times have changed. We are now older and most likely not in full-time employment. We may have a part-time job, or we may look after the grandkids, but each day can present the same challenge – “What am I going to do today?” 

So, how do we stay relevant? How do we keep busy? How do we avoid the dreaded retirement boredom? It can be a serious challenge for many of us. 

The solution is what I call “The three Principles of Activity”: 

1. Stay physically active 

2. Stay mentally active 

3. Stay psychologically active 

STAY PHYSICALLY ACTIVE 

Without doubt, as we age “up” our body starts to break down. We have medical ailments that persist. We may need medication more. The body slows down and sometimes the knees don’t get started until way past ten o’clock in the morning. Yet the solution is relatively straightforward – keep active. 

Brian O’Hara, former Chairman and CEO of the XL Group can certainly relate to this. He says, 

“(My wife) Nancy and I love to play golf and tennis and would do one or the other every day but for another issue that comes with age, the body begins to break down on some of us. For me, my knee required replacement and unfortunately it acquired a staph infection from the surgery which required three additional surgeries over the year. This year my hip required replacement which fortunately is recovering very well. Now I’m finally getting back to the golf and tennis plus using the gym equipment to rebuild strength and endurance.” 

STAY MENTALLY ACTIVE 

The brain is a wonderful organ. It has kept you going for decades, now it’s time you gave it a helping hand. It doesn’t like to be idle. In fact, your brain downright hates to be “asleep”. It needs to be intentionally stimulated because if you help your brain, your brain will help you to maintain purpose and relevance in life. 

Brian agrees. “While I read a lot of business articles online to keep up with the latest trends and developments, especially in my industry, I also took on the project of writing a memoir which kept me busy daily during the entire 2019 year. Brian’s book is called “It’s not the Score, It’s the Trip” and is available on Amazon. 

STAY PSYCHOLOGICALLY ACTIVE 

Perhaps the most important “activity” as we age is being at peace with ourselves, our life, and our approach to life. 

We may have to accept that our mind and body are in slower motion these days, but the trick is to essentially ignore this fact and get on with life. Losing interest in life is the fastest way to accelerate deterioration. We need stimulation or what I call “Psycho-Motivation”. 

THE PLAN 

As we approach retirement, we are often convinced that we need a plan. We need a list of things to do, or things we have always wanted to do, such as that Caribbean cruise. 

The problem, though, is sticking to the plan. It’s like New Year resolutions – we say we will lose weight this year and by January 15th we’ve forgotten all about it. 

The concern is that the resolution only lasted for a few days, but this retirement gig is for the rest of your life. Not a few days but many years – perhaps up to another third of your life. 

Brian said, “When I retired in 2010, Nancy asked me to not accept business activities for one year which I did and found to be a great choice. It allowed me to unwind from the intense stress I experienced from the Financial Crisis of 2008 – 2010. 

In 2011 I began to be open to accepting Insurance and Reinsurance business activities but only if they involved new and/or original products, or game changing activities which I have been doing with great satisfaction. I also ruled out being on any Public Corporate Boards – Private only.” 

But don’t be fooled into thinking that once you have developed your plan that your life is sorted. It isn’t. 

Things change day by day. What you thought a great idea when you retired didn’t work out, but instead of finding a substitute, you dropped it completely. Not good. 

Your plan must be realistic and achievable. It must be flexible, and you must adapt it to changing circumstances or new ideas or simply mood swings. You can’t beat yourself up for not accomplishing that grand plan from a few years back. 

The critical thing is to be aware that things will change, and you must adapt to changes – and seek new things to do, new ideas, new people to meet, new hobbies etc. These changes may be internal – where you decide to do something different – or the change may be external – where actions from other people or events cause you to re-think and re-structure. 

Regardless, staying relevant in your later years is essential to your well-being – physically, mentally, and psychologically. Purpose in life provides peace, comfort, and hopefully, lots of joy. 

The post Staying Relevant as You Age appeared first on RG Magazines.

So, what do you do if you decide that you need to escape your normal existence, or discover who you truly are? You could go backpacking around Europe, or travel around the United States, but where’s the challenge in that?

If you’re going to do something different then why not do something really different.

• Explore the Senegalese music scene by joining the Music & Culture project in this West African country. Volunteers work alongside a local band and learn to play traditional instruments, as well as learning about the culture and what inspires the musicians.
  Different aspects of the Senegalese culture are explored in daily lectures and classes are given in the local language, Wolof. There are evening performances in local cafes which you can attend and perhaps even take part in.

• The Escuela de Equinoterapia Cochabamba in Bolivia is home to Projects Abroad’s Equine Therapy project. The aim of the project is to help disabled children (mentally, physically and emotionally) through interaction with horses.
  A trained horse can aid the recovery of children with disabilities, as it enables the child to focus on movement, spatial orientation, posture, language and muscle control. Volunteers are involved with looking after the horses and taking care of the children who visit the centre. Check out projects-abroad.co.uk for more information.

If you want a change, but need to earn some money at the same time, then why not take a working break. There are loads of options for earning money while traveling. For example, you could teach English, be an Au Pair, or do a working holiday visa scheme. Most working holiday participants go to Australia, Canada, or New Zealand. Depending on your nationality, there are several options available for working holiday visas.

Teaching English in South Korea has become a popular option for recent college grads as well. This is a great option if you want to pay off student loans while traveling since the benefits are pretty good.

You don’t have to be a student to take a gap year, although when you’re working they’re usual called a leave of absence or a sabbatical. Still, they make sense for several reasons, including avoiding burn out, which can equally apply if you’ve just finished nine years of school and the thought of more learning makes you feel nauseous.

If volunteering isn’t your thing, and it’s fun and adventure you want, then the world is your oyster. From spending a year travelling around Europe, Australia, or the Far East, there are plenty of options for going solo or as part of a group.

The post Gap Years appeared first on RG Magazines.