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The Bright Side of Life: 5 Reasons to Look Forward to Retirement

We are born and grow to adulthood with the support and love of our parents. We go to school to learn to make our way in life.

We are born and grow to adulthood with the support and love of our parents. We go to school to learn to make our way in life. Then, we are considered adults and ready to support ourselves by getting jobs and working. We fall in love, get married, or enjoy the single life and work for our whole adult life. Some people start working sooner, and others go to college to prepare for a career before going to work. Then, after decades of working hard, it is time to retire.

What Do People Do When They Retire?

What do people who are newly retired do? Do they remain in the family home, do they travel, or do they take up new hobbies? Some people move to Retirement Communities for easier living conditions that do not include home maintenance or mowing the lawn. Others live in their homes as long as they are able. They might have a contractor make the home better for aging in place.

What is Retirement?

The dictionary says that retirement means to withdraw from a person’s position or occupation or from active working life. The ideal retirement finds a person having sources of income to support them without working. This can be savings, investments, pensions, or Social Security. The goal is to be financially independent by retirement at age 65 or so.

There are many people who work longer due to financial necessity or the enjoyment of their jobs or careers. Other people are forced to retire due to health problems or mandatory retirement age at their workplace. Many people are unable to save sufficient amounts to fully retire at age 65 and either continue working as long as they are able or retire from a fulltime job and work part-time at a job they choose.

Should a Person Move When they Retire?

Retirement Communities have become more popular in recent years. These communities are planned around the needs of senior citizens. Retirement communities can take several forms. They can be communities made up of a combination of standalone homes, townhomes, apartments, and a facility for assisted living. They can consist entirely of standalone houses and townhomes or take the form of an apartment complex with different levels of independence and care levels. [Many retirees also consider local senior living options to find the best fit for their lifestyle. These options provide a range of services to meet varying needs.]

Some people would like to travel without worrying about the house. Other people may prefer to retire in Pennsylvania or a similar state to take advantage of the rich history and beautiful scenery. Retirement communities provide security and maintenance services. Others are experiencing reduced mobility, and retirement communities have many amenities to enjoy without having to be mobile.

5 Reasons to Look Forward to Retirement

Instead of dreading retirement, look forward to the advantages of being retired.

1. In retirement, people have control over their time. The responsibilities of full-time jobs and raising children are behind them.

2. Retired people have more freedom to travel.

3. Retirement allows people to devote more time to have a healthy lifestyle with more exercise and fun activities like sports. Playing golf, walking, dancing, tennis, and other enjoyable activities are possible with more free time.

4. Now is the time to pursue those hobbies or interests that had to take a back seat in life while working and raising a family.

5. Retired people can add to their social lives by meeting new people. Many seniors decide to expand their knowledge by taking classes. Others finally have time to do volunteer work or join groups with similar interests, such as bird watching, quilting, exercising, walking or hiking, painting, or traveling. All of these new activities help retired people meet more people.

In the end, it is up to each person to make the most of their retirement years by being active and taking steps to enjoy life. Healthy retired people are happier, so make sure to take care of your health.