The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Aloha Family...I got honest with myself yesterday and addressed emotions I have been feeling off and on and off and on for the past 6 - 8 months or so about full retirement. I've been working for 60 years or so at various trades successfully owning my own business and such and I've been married 3 times with more sick relationships in between and been a major "fixer" in between. I'm tired and I am done. Having prayed with my HP about it I made the decision that this year is "the final year" HP has been leading me/us up to the cross over point and helping me to relax my death grip on the bar. Rather than hedge any longer I notified my clients and others that I am done and put my trade name up for grabs. We have been getting unsolicited interest for our stuff so actually it is gone while we are still here. Know what I mean.
I was speaking with HP last month about selling our house and getting into something smaller and farther out of town and while we were speaking a woman from our neighborhood walked up my driveway, approaching me with..."I want to buy your house". That is how it works for us where we find out that HP is agreeing with our plans, wants and needs. The last time this happened I was up in your country and coming home from work heard HP tell me "You have to go home". I asked HP "why do you say that"? and my reply was, "Cause your spirit was born there". So I am back home and still letting go of stuff...Its all stuf
This retirement is what? bailing out? cruising? gambling? running for it? what??? For now I consider it just Letting go. My wife is up in your country and I told her yesterday...she is elated and I am??? maybe what I am is just not interested anymore and just tired. Anyone relate to that emotion?
Give me your feed back please....I trust and rely on the MIP wisdom and strength daily. Loving you all ...Aloha No. (((((hugs)))))
Jerry - I walked away from Corporate Life @ 39. At the time, I truly thought it was a 'break' and I would return. I was shell-shocked for 2 weeks that I would no longer get, get around, get out, etc. At the end of 2 weeks, I was rather lost.
I volunteered for a long while doing Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts awards. That was fun in the beginning but as I do, I got bored. Not ever with the smile on the face of a boy who has worked hard to earn a badge, rank or other but of the politicing of the parents. It reminded me why I volunteered for a retirement package at 39 from the Corporate world.
I then self-learned how to build web-sites and that was new, challenging and OMT - On My Time. I enjoyed the learning and doing quite a bit, so did that for a while. I built free web sites for the scouting groups/troops around here and built a few for $$ too. I then opened an online store and now have 3 of them. So - I can work when I want, as hard as I want or not if I don't want to...
It's for me the best of all worlds - I can shut my stores down in under 10 minutes and have a 'go bag' in case there is a parental emergency - they're in another state. So - I followed my heart and my interests and got by and still enjoy this for the most part!
My sponsor who is a counselor also retired last year around the time of my husband. She is my rock and a lovely soul yet she got real grumpy right after she wrapped up. She did not know what to do with herself; she's been structured so long and now, in her 70s - was a bit lost. So - it's been about 10 months, and she goes to the gym 3-4 times a week, golfs 3-4 times per week, meetings 2-3 times per week, watching grandchildren, etc. She's found ways to spend her time that fulfill her and she's happy, joyous and free again.
So - lining up with God and doing the next right thing - best I can share. Retirement for me doesn't mean we do nothing - it means we now get to do what we're passionate about. Lead a meditation meeting, climb a mountain, have 'guns' on our arms, etc. I am busier now than I was before, because I want to be. I do schedule naps when I want and come/go as I want. It's a joyous life - my hope is you trust your heart, HP and soul and love it all!
(((Hugs)))
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
I had an enjoyable and challenging career working with very creative but demanding people and I kind of wore myself out, although I didn't know it at the time. I pinned a greeting card on the wall by my desk that said 'what would you do today if you knew that you couldn't fail?' And every time I looked at that card I imagined myself living in the countryside. I then had a huge contract come along, very demanding but prestigious. I cleared my diary for it. And guess what, the contract cancelled at the last minute and I had no foreseeable income. We rented out our flat in town and moved to the countryside!!
When we got here and it took me some time to get used to my silent phone and not having to firefight on work projects but as I settled into my new, less demanding, life I started to explore my own skills and creativity - painting, working with textiles, writing and then studying courses on-line. I've loved the luxury and freedom of exploring and making/creating in my own right. Now I am about to go to University for the first time in my life and I will be sixty by the time my studies finish - just in time for me to start a completely different career path so I can top up my pension and meet new people!!
I've always believed in going with the flow and in the past the flow was amazing. Then things got a bit sticky and I was even trying to head up-river whilst gripping onto I know not what with all my might as well. Like that was going to work!!
I've worried, fretted and thought I was washed up, but I've also relaxed, explored, and been open to new ideas and now I feel as if the flow in my life is more positive, plus I've got my own rudder! I've probably been running for it all my life, but, for me, it's the direction that I'm running in that counts!
((Jerry)) Great responses I have been retired from corporate life for 13 years and do not regret taking that action.
Trust HP and know that your talents and hard won wisdom and courage will always be available for HP to call on.
When I retired, my entire way of life sort of blew up.(WTC and son's fatal relapse ) By using program tools and people I had the courage to kept showing up , placing principles above personalities and trusting HP.
Today , I have settled into a non working mode and am happy joyful and free. You will be too
