Retirement is near, how do you feel about it? Many people look forward to retirement through most of their working years but, when it’s near, their excitement sometimes changes to feelings of uncertainty and worry. Rather than worrying about the upcoming change, embrace it. Here are some mental health benefits that often come with retirement and how to make the most of them.
Embrace Gratitude
According to Be Thankful for as you Near Retirement – It improves Health and Happiness, most people are more able to fully experience gratitude as they age. Being grateful for the things you have and for the experiences you’ve enjoyed is something that often comes with age. Think of your approaching retirement as a time to show gratitude to what you’ve achieved, to the people who are important to you and more. Embracing gratitude can help you to fully enjoy retirement and can promote mental well-being.
Enjoy Less Stress
Retirement can bring many benefits, but one of the best is a reduced level of stress. Keeping up with work tasks, caring for family and other duties of daily life quickly add up through the working years and often bring immense pressure. Set a retirement goal of drastically reducing any stress you may have felt before you retired.
Focus on You
The retirement years are a time to focus on you. Most people spend the majority of their adult lives caring for others, whether those others are coworkers, kids, spouses or extended family. As you prepare to enter retirement, frame it as a time to do the things you’ve always wanted to do. For example, perhaps you’ve always wanted to start a particular hobby but other priorities always seemed to get in the way. Retirement is the time to make those hobbies and other desires your top priorities.
Process the Change
The change from working full time to retirement can be drastic. Your daily habits will suddenly be upheaved and you may not know how you’ll handle the change. Give yourself time to process the shift. Doing so will ensure you’re able to healthfully adapt your habits rather than being left not knowing where to turn when you can no longer turn to work. Becoming accustomed to a less frantic schedule can take time, but you’ll likely soon find peace in the slower pace of retirement.
Socialize
Not having to worry about a job every day means you’ll soon have more time to socialize with friends and family. Socializing is an important aspect of healthy living and being around others can promote mental well-being. As you enter retirement, make time each week to visit friends, to make new acquaintances and to spend time with family. Whether you go out for coffee or start a new hobby with old friends, you’ll soon discover how great it can feel to socialize regularly.
Feel happy as retirement nears. This life change can bring a wealth of mental health benefits including an increased ability to feel gratitude, reduced stress and more. Take this time in your life to focus on you and ensure you fully process the change so that you can make the most of the golden years.