Author Topic: goal setting in retirement  (Read 2711 times)

Runrooster

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goal setting in retirement
« on: February 16, 2017, 01:17:15 PM »
Hi all,

I'm in a funk lately and questioning early retirement as potentially depressing.  Part of that is that I have been a goal oriented person, taking advanced degrees and then professional credentials.  Work in the last seven years has been mostly a way of putting food on the table and Ive used down time to exercise and try hobbies.  In short, I'm bored.  I have never had the kids I once expected and I wasn't very good at sports or musical instruments.  The cold dark winter doesn't help much either. The idea of 7 days a week of Internet and games is not appealing.

Any advice?

Melisande

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Re: goal setting in retirement
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2017, 01:52:13 PM »
I don't know how social you are, but have you considered joining some kind of lively, real-life community? If you lean to the political left, you might try your local Unitarian church. If not that, then some other community group.

I used to be very goal directed, and have always been something of an introvert, but in early retirement I've learned that social connections make all the difference. People I've met in retirement introduced me to an entirely new hobby -- one I had never even considered before, but now I love.

mozar

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Re: goal setting in retirement
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2017, 01:54:54 PM »
When you say you're not good at something what are you actually saying? You're not expected to be good at something before you start. You get good by practice. I take dance classes. I am laughably bad at it, but after a year I at least am less terrible. I'm never going to be a performer or choreographer. When I retire I would like to volunteer in echange for dance classes. And just like that I have something to get involved with.

Runrooster

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Re: goal setting in retirement
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2017, 02:17:15 PM »
 I was okay at dance, stuck at intermediate but that was fun.  Last kid picked for the team at sports, even after years.  Like I asked the oncologist if there was a medical condition.  Fortunately not, I know people with bum knees or hips or plantar fascitis.  I can exercise and I do, I'm just slow as anything.  The musical instrument is more whininess I guess.  I practiced regularly for about two years then had a busy time at work and haven't found the motivation to start over.  It felt like I would be back at square zero or one, and - meh.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2017, 02:19:55 PM by Runrooster »

begood

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Re: goal setting in retirement
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2017, 02:23:08 PM »
My advice is to find someone or something who needs you. I volunteer with a cat rescue a couple of times a month, and those kitties make me feel so good! They need me! I help socialize them, clean the litter, give them fresh food and water, and let them out to have supervised play. For three hours, I don't have to worry about being "good enough" - trust me, I'm plenty good enough for those cats. I'm a goddamn goddess to those little critters.

calimom

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Re: goal setting in retirement
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2017, 02:49:48 PM »
My advice is to find someone or something who needs you. I volunteer with a cat rescue a couple of times a month, and those kitties make me feel so good! They need me! I help socialize them, clean the litter, give them fresh food and water, and let them out to have supervised play. For three hours, I don't have to worry about being "good enough" - trust me, I'm plenty good enough for those cats. I'm a goddamn goddess to those little critters.

This is the best thing I've read on here today!

CestMoi

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Re: goal setting in retirement
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2017, 03:54:17 PM »
My advice is to find someone or something who needs you. I volunteer with a cat rescue a couple of times a month, and those kitties make me feel so good! They need me! I help socialize them, clean the litter, give them fresh food and water, and let them out to have supervised play. For three hours, I don't have to worry about being "good enough" - trust me, I'm plenty good enough for those cats. I'm a goddamn goddess to those little critters.

This is the best thing I've read on here today!


I second this!

Fi(re) on the Farm

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Re: goal setting in retirement
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2017, 04:01:43 PM »
Is there anything you ever wanted to learn and didn't have the time for? Cooking, woodworking, 3D printing? When I retire I'm going to learn to draw - I still make stick figures that are barely recognizable as representations of humans so that's what I want to try. I have a list of what I want to learn. My husband, on the other hand, sounds like you and I will have to drag him kicking and screaming to try something new. At least by me irritating he won't have time to be bored!

 

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