Chapter One

My last post was a year ago, which means I've been retired for a whole year now. It's been a year of changes, ups and downs and lots of adjustments. What I've learned so far is that retirement is lots harder than it looks.
The first few months are great. For the first time in years I was really able to enjoy the summer--lazy days at the pool, long walks with the dog, and a glass of wine at the end of the perfect day. I decided that I was going to do all the things I'd been putting off. I took a writing class, a knitting class, an art class and a pilates class. I volunteered at the animal shelter, the historical society and the arboretum. I was able to take a fantastic trip to Ecuador and Peru.

Yet, as the days grew shorter, I found myself growing restless. The unstructured hours dragged. I wasn't used to so much togetherness with my husband and daughters. On the other hand, I missed the socialization I had at work. At times I felt very isolated. I also felt that I lost my purpose. 

There is a lot written about the financial aspects of retirement (which is very important), but not much about the social and psychological adjustments. The articles briefly mention finding your passion, think about your purpose, start a new career, make new friends.......

How do you do all this? I'm not sure, but I think it is worth exploring in year two of my retirement.