In general, when I speak with clients about what they want in retirement, often I hear, “I want to be happy”.

To have a happy retirement you need to have a good handle on what makes you happy and what you need to do to make happy happen. This may mean filling your retirement with as many adventures as possible. Now is the time to dream about all the roads untravelled, the untapped potential within you, all the life you still must live.

As part of your retirement visioning, establish some value-goals that will stretch you beyond your current limits. It can be something challenging such as learning to sail, starting a new business, going back to school, or as simple as saving money each month so you can go on that special trip to Greece that you’ve spent years dreaming about.

Foster your sense of curiosity about the world around you. For your intended trip to Greece, spend the next year or two preparing for it – learning about the people, the history, culture, local food, and basic language skills. Also focus on getting in shape especially if there is a lot of walking involved.

At the end of the day retirement happiness includes a wide variety of experiences and memories. It’s activity with purpose, to avoid getting bored, to constantly learn and to try new things. Learn new technology. Learn how to play a musical instrument or learn a language. Learn to play tennis – and while you’re at it, why not learn pickleball?

Couples should complete this exercise separately. It’s quite common to have more negative images and thoughts than positive ones, so don’t worry if this is the case for you. Understanding the situation makes it easier to change things for the better down the road. I recommend you write down your thoughts – whether positive or negative, whether cohesive or not – and keep your notes for future reference.

Excerpt: Chapter 3: What is Your Current Picture?  pages 28-29. Retirement: The Ultimate Life Journey. A Navigational Guide for Life After Work
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