Retirement: Now what?

Some of us are new to retirement and the questions quickly become: Now what? What do I do with my days? Do I continue to set the alarm for the same time in the mornings?

If you planned in detail for your retirement and have a long list of things you intend to do, you know where to begin.

But the questions about what to do with our retired days can be poignant for those who perhaps didn’t have a choice about retirement. Maybe there were health considerations.

Maybe there were expectations of retirement upon reaching a certain age in a certain career. But for whatever reason, here’s retirement, ready or not. Now what?

Start with a piece of paper and a pen. Make a list, the longer the better, of every interest you have. Ideally, somewhere on that list are the makings of worthwhile activities that are physical, social and mental.

Here are some random possibilities: explore photography, teach swimming at the YMCA, write a novel, knit or crochet hats and mittens for the local Santa fund next winter, create a family scrapbook with genealogy information and photos for the next generation, play pickleball at the rec center, become a citizen scientist at CitizenScience.gov, join a walking group, take a pottery class with a grandchild.

Then there are the all-important brain-stretcher activities: learn to play piano or guitar or brush up on old skills, take a college course, play chess online, take a computer class to upgrade your skills, learn a language online at Duolingo.com, read a book a week or start a book club.

My personal list includes dogs at the animal shelter. There are lots of dogs that need to be taken on adventure walking afternoons to pick up their spirits. I can do that a few times a week.

Have you started your list?