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Originally posted at: Best of August

Originally posted at: Emily Simpson’s Burgundy Puff Sleeve Sweater Dress

Retirement marks a significant milestone in our lives – the transition from a long-standing career (whether it be at home or in the office) to an entirely new era filled with possibility.

It’s a time to reflect on accomplishments and experiences, but it can also be a time to explore new passions and refresh one’s sense of purpose.

In recent years, it has become more common for people to phase out of their careers as opposed to making a clean break at a random age that society dictates.

Today, with advanced technology and increased flexibility in our ability to make an impact remotely, options for activities and fulfillment in retirement are virtually infinite!

1. What Prompts Us to Consider Retirement

For many of us, a few significant events tend to prompt us to begin to consider what our future life in retirement may look like.

We begin to sense the possibilities, and a new-found sense of freedom as major milestones begin to fall into place:

• The children have left the nest and are (hopefully!) financially independent.
• Major expenses, like education for the kids, are in the rear-view mirror.
• Perhaps our homes are paid for, or close to paid off.
• We’ve amassed enough savings to feel that retirement is in reach for us, financially.
• Our peers and friends are beginning to do it – and we are beginning to feel tempted to follow suit.
• Suddenly, we start to feel a sense of our own mortality. Perhaps we’ve lost coworkers or friends suddenly. Or we’ve had a health scare of our own that’s provided a “wake-up call” of sorts.
• We begin to feel the draw of a warmer climate or a place with milder winters. Or we start to daydream about how a waterfront retreat may be good for our soul.

Whatever the drivers – we can all probably relate to the feelings that are beginning to wash over us more and more frequently.

Soon, we feel these sentiments begin to consolidate into one overarching message: we want to follow our passions, enjoy our days, while we continue to make an impact during the years we have left.

2. The Decision to Retire Requires Self-Reflection

Retirement is a decision that often evokes a mix of emotions.

Some eagerly anticipate the freedom it brings, while others may feel apprehensive about leaving the familiar routine of work and the relative security of a steady paycheck.

Many of us feel a little of both!

There is no right answer as to when it is appropriate to leave the work force or shift gears in some other way. As with many life choices, it’s all about what is right for each of us as individuals.

Unfortunately, many of us have not spent much time in self-reflection in the past.

Through our child-bearing years, it was easy to be completely preoccupied meeting other’s needs at home and on the job or in the community. So, self-reflection may be a new thing for many of us to engage in.

But now’s the time for a solid dose of it.

We must ask ourselves, are we ready to explore new interests, spend more time with loved ones, or simply take a break from the daily grind?

Understanding our motivations will help us to get comfortable with the right timing for this transition and to approach it with clarity and purpose.

3. We Must Create a Vision for Retirement

Before we can make an informed decision to embark on this new chapter in life, we need to envision more specifically what our goals are for this next phase. Fortunately for us, the options are more extensive than ever.

In the past, retirement was largely a time when people left the work force entirely and focused on activities or hobbies. Golf has been and continues to be a popular pastime for many retirees. Bridge games and book clubs are big. Perhaps an exercise class for seniors, or a travel or outing club can provide activities and adventures for us to eagerly anticipate. And of course, there are the grandchildren!

These types of activities are still 100% available to us.

And a retirement that revolves around these wonderful interests can be just right for some – and totally fulfilling, too.

Beyond these traditional options, we have a wider range of choices that are more varied than ever before:

• We can choose to phase out of work gradually.
• Also, we can explore opportunities outside of our immediate area – so we can continue working and still relocate to our ultimate retirement destination.
• This flexibility also allows us to continue to work and still travel to our heart’s content.
• The added options for remote engagement expand beyond the workplace. We may also find opportunities for remote learning that were previously unavailable to us.

In short, the personal, professional and developmental opportunities in the communities we care about are more diverse and flexible than ever!

It’s a great time to be anticipating retirement.

Do you have unfulfilled dreams or aspirations that you could consider pursuing now?

By defining your vision, you can establish a sense of direction and purpose for your post-retirement life.

4. Retirement Is an Opportunity to Find Your Vocation

Retirement doesn’t necessarily signify the end of work, though if that’s what you are ready for, then go for it! If you’re not ready for a clean break to relaxation and fun, retirement is an excellent opportunity to embrace a new vocation that aligns with your interests and values.

Your vocation could involve starting a small business, engaging in volunteer work, pursuing a passion project, or even transforming a hobby into a source of income.

This new endeavor will help to not only keep you mentally and physically active but also provide a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

5. Retirement Is Sweeter with a Supportive Network

Transitioning from the structured environment of work to the open landscape of retirement can be challenging. To navigate this phase successfully, it is essential to build a supportive network.

Surround yourself with like-minded women who share your interests and can provide guidance and encouragement. Explore local clubs, community organizations, or online forums to connect with other women who are embarking on similar journeys!

Their experiences and insights can be invaluable as you forge ahead.

6. Retirement Is a Time to Enjoy Self-Care and Wellness

Retirement also offers an excellent opportunity to prioritize your well-being.

With the new-found flexibility of retirement, it can become easier to establish healthy routines that encompass physical exercise, nourishing meals, and regular self-care practices.

Choose activities to fill your time that promote mental and emotional well-being, such as meditation, journaling, or pursuing creative outlets.

By taking care of yourself, you are much more likely to fully enjoy the fruits of your labor and lead a fulfilling retirement for many years to come!

7. Retirement Allows Us to Rediscover the Joy of Learning

Retirement is an ideal time to indulge in lifelong yearning to resume formal learning. Explore new subjects, enroll in courses, or attend workshops that pique your curiosity.

Rekindle the joy of acquiring knowledge and expand your horizons.

By staying intellectually stimulated, you can continue to grow and evolve whether or not you are still actively engaged in the workforce or community activities.

A New Kind of Retirement

As you settle into your retirement, take the opportunity to reflect on your achievements and express gratitude for the journey you have undertaken.

Cherish the memories, the relationships built, and the impact you have made in your career.

This includes recognizing the incredible accomplishments you have achieved in raising a healthy, happy family and in nurturing life-long partnerships with those you love.

Celebrate this milestone fully! You’ve earned it.

And then enjoy the anticipation of all the new opportunities that lie ahead.

Retirement is more than just bidding farewell to the workforce or your commitment to raising a family; it is a chance to embark on a new adventure filled with purpose and fulfillment.

Explore all the possibilities that retirement presents and embark on this journey with enthusiasm and optimism.

Because the best is yet to come!

Let’s Start a Conversation:

Are you retired? How did you know it was time to make that transition? What do you enjoy most about retirement? What advice to you have for women who are considering taking the leap towards retirement now? Has retirement impacted your family relationships or your marriage? Tell us all about it!

It’s a well-known fact that I’m a big proponent of “seconds.” All sorts of seconds, from second helpings (that’s where the “big” comes from) to second chances.

So preparing for a second honeymoon with my second husband should have been – what else? – second nature to me. Or so I thought when he made the surprise announcement on our wedding anniversary.

I swooned like a schoolgirl as he detailed how we’d spend two glorious weeks together in France and Italy where they practically invented romance.

So what if we were well into the second half of our lives (unless, of course, we live to be 140). We were still young at heart, right? Right. But along with that lovely sentiment, allow me to offer a few tidbits I learned the hard way on our second half second honeymoon that may come in handy when planning yours.

Stay Young at Heart, But Pack (Both) Your Arch Supports

My feet began morphing into my mother’s about 15 years ago. Bunions, fallen arches, plantar fasciitis. Finding comfortable, somewhat fashionable shoes that accommodate my various orthotic devices has been my life’s mission ever since.

I felt like Cinderella the day I found a cute pair of black flats that were roomy enough to hold both my arch supports and my feet in reasonable comfort. I snapped them up and took them with me to Paris.

Fast forward to the Champs Elysees, where the pain in my left foot completely sidelined me after a very short stroll. Leaning against, appropriately enough, the Arc de Triomphe, I removed my shoes and saw the problem.

Apparently I’d gotten distracted when packing and had only put an arch support in the right shoe! So my first glamorous purchase in the fashion and style capital of the world was a pair of Dr. Scholl’s gel insoles at a pharmacy.

After a Certain Age, Jet Lag Is More Like Jet Sag

It had been a few years since my last transatlantic flight, but I was fully prepared to have my circadian rhythm thrown off for a few days. I was not, however, prepared to have my jet lag express itself so conspicuously as upper eyelid sag.

At my age, the only place I want to see puppy dog eyes is on a puppy dog. Definitely not sagging back at me in the mirror. I swear that whole first week, it would have taken a system of pulleys and levers to hoist my upper lids to an “awake” position. I took to hiding behind my sunglasses even when it wasn’t sunny. Like, inside, at night, in the shower.

There’s Something Rotten in Venice, But It’s Not the Canals

You know that god-awful smell that wet clothes take on when left sitting in the washer for two days? Well, that’s the smell that accompanied us across Europe for two solid weeks during the hottest months of the year.

The night before we left for our trip, I threw my default shoes, the white sneakers that allow me to walk pain-free for miles, into the washing machine and set them out to dry. The next morning they were a wee bit damp, so I wrapped them in a plastic bag and packed them. Never do this!

Unwrapping them when we hit Paris was like opening the Pandora’s box of odors! Gagging on the noxious fumes, my husband and I raced each other to the nearest air vent. Since laundering the shoes was not an option in our hotel room, we tried to neutralize them with everything from perfume to shoe deodorant to medium-hold hair spray.

The only thing that contained the stench was keeping my feet in the shoes, so I wore them A LOT. When I took them off, I had to wrap them in plastic and shove them in the farthest corner of the room so we could breathe freely. After one particularly sweaty day of walking in Venice, I had to hang them outside the bathroom window all night!

Fling Caution to the Wind, but Not Your Nightie

Now let’s face it, soaking up all the culture and history is fine and dandy, but this is a second honeymoon, dammit, so let’s get down to the romance. Believe it or not, it is possible to still feel romantic despite the unpleasant interference of stinky shoes, fallen arches and sagging eyelids.

I’ll leave to your imagination the maneuvers involved to accommodate one partner’s bad knees and tennis elbow and the other partner’s positional vertigo and carpal tunnel syndrome.

What I want to warn you about is getting so caught up in the moment that your sexy new negligee gets flung across the bed and you completely forget about it until the next night when it’s nowhere to be found. This is because it got wrapped up in the bed sheets and carted off to the bowels of the hotel laundry facility from which it will ne’er return. And you paid full price for it and everything!

So, there you have it, my friends. Learn from my mistakes and make your trip a smashing success. Of course, don’t forget to take your sense of humor along with you, too. Trust me, you’ll need it.

Happy (Second) Honeymooning!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What about you? Have you taken or do you plan to take a second honeymoon? I’d love to hear your tips, tales and anecdotes, so join the conversation!