Everyone imagines what their life will be like when they stop working - a series of stress-free days filled with rewarding activities. A list of things to do and lots of places to go.
The chance of putting all this into practice, however, is very small. Because to do most of these things, you're going to need to change and do things you're not used to do. You will have to change your habits or start living differently. You will have to plan or get out of your comfort zone.
And almost everyone is terrified of change.
In most cases, when people stop working, they end up filling the space left by work with the other activities hthey already had while working.
Instead of taking advantage of the time freed up by work to start new projects and make new discoveries, people end up doing more of the things they were already doing and maintaining their old lifestyle.
And there's nothing wrong with that, if that's your expectation for this stage of life. If, however, you had big plans for this moment, you're will need to be prepared to change your habits, routines, and priorities if you want that to happen.
If you thought about studying Italian or doing Pilates, when will you start?
If you planned on living on the beach, are you prepared to trade your favorite doctors, service providers and shops for local options?
If your dream is to travel often, are you willing to offset this additional expense by reducing expenses in other areas of your life?
If the group of friends at work was an important part of your life, what do you intend to do to preserve the friendship and/or make new friends?
You can carry out the projects you envisioned and make retirement one of the best phases of your life, but you need to be willing to embrace change.
So, what are you going to change first?
