I'm new to this blog thing, and it's going to take me some time to get the hang of things. Fortunately, there are some good people on here who helped me write my first proper post. We all learn with time!
This is a short reflection post on retirement, seeing as the days of employment are running out for me!
I took a few weeks off from work to relax and recharge my mind. Since we are lucky enough to have a property in Mossel Bay, we decided to make a trip to the seaside.
I'm closing in on 65, and retirement is staring me straight in the face. For the past few years, I've been dreading it, but recently I've made peace with it. I'm a busy person and enjoy my work, but all things must come to an end. Retirement will give me the opportunity to do the things I enjoy, such as painting and gardening. I don't get much time to do these things.
There is more to life than working long hours and stressing about next week. Here next to the ocean I'm able to unwind and let go of the stress of the weeks to come.
My time away from work has made me realise that life is more than just running around. We need time to relax and enjoy the beauty around us. The ocean has a calming effect on people. It reminds us to take a breath, to slow down, and to live. While I enjoyed my 40+ years of employment, I'm ready for the next chapter. I'm excited about watching the waves splash against the rocks and all the birds searching for little bugs in the sand.
I mean, look at this view! We all deserve to retire and breathe the fresh air of freedom.
I think a lot of times people don't want to retire because they are so used to their everyday lives and they wonder what they are going to do with themselves once they do not work anymore. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who stress about what's going to happen when I don't have to go to work anymore. I'm afraid that I might get bored and that I won't have enough things to do during the day. But in reality, I should see it as an opportunity to do the things I've always loved to do but never had time for. I can put time aside to start a vegetable garden to paint finely detailed paintings or even to read the books that have been stacked up on the bookcase for the past 10 years.
And along with that, I get to do all the things I enjoy next to the crashing waves of the ocean.
I won't say that I'm 100% sold on retiring at the end of the year but I do believe that it will be better for my health as well as my inner being. So I'll keep contemplating about the future, about my retirement and life after 40+ years of work while watching the waves splash against the rocks, the white fluffy clouds passing by and the little birds running around on the sand searching for bugs.
Let's stay positive about the future!
