As you’ve gone through life, retirement may have always seemed like your reward. You imagined a life in which you didn’t have to get up early in the morning and work all day to come home and possibly work some more to care for your family. Retirement just seemed like that break you yearned for many days when you were just so tired.
Now that retirement has hit, it may not seem as great as you had anticipated. The challenges of retirement may have thrown you for a loop, and now you’re trying to overcome them. The following are the challenges of retirement and how you can deal with them.
Money Problems
You aren’t working and while your pension brings you in some money, it’s not enough to help you make ends meet. You struggle to pay your bills and then have enough money to really enjoy your retirement.
This is a common problem for retirees, especially those who haven’t saved a lot of money for this phase of life. There’s nothing you can do to turn back the hands of time though, so the only thing you can do is deal with what you have in front of you. Some of the things you can do to help you with your money problems is:
- Budget your money by tallying how much money you have coming in each month, and then figuring out how much you must pay out. The remaining amount will be what you have to use for food and other essentials.
- Cut down on some of the cost of your essentials by using coupons for food and always looking out for sales.
- Ask local charities if you qualify for help. Don’t let your pride stand in the way of helping you through this financial situation. Charities can help you pay bills and give you food to help out with your budget.
- Consider working a part time job. As much as you wanted this time of your life to be work-free, the reality is that many retirees have had to return to work because of not having enough money. It’s an option if you’re able to, and it would help you make the most out of this time in your life.
Medical Problems
You’ve worked so hard your entire life, and now you visit the doctor’s office almost as much as you had to go to work. This does happen to some people, and it’s one of those age-related consequences.
What you can do to reduce the number of doctors’ visits you need to make and decrease the symptoms of your medical problems for doing the following:
- Take your medication as prescribed.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Sleep at least 7 or 8 hours a night.
- Exercise as much as you physically can without hurting yourself.
Depression
Retirement can be difficult to deal with because it includes a drastic change in your life. While you may not have loved work, it was a big part of your life that you’re letting go of – it’s like mourning a lost loved one.
Depression because of a change in life is common after retirement. Take some time to reflect on your life and all that you’ve done for yourself and others. This will help you see that retirement is not the end of that, but a new beginning to the rest of your life. You’ve worked hard, and you deserve this time to enjoy doing things for yourself.
Loss of Loved Ones
Retirement can hit you in a way that you never thought of before – people around you are dying. Since the life phase of retirement happens around 60 years of age, it’s common that people start to suffer age-related illnesses and diseases, and some lose their life to them.
It’s always saddening to lose someone you love at any stage of your life, but the reality of life and death really hits you hard when you enter retirement. You may start to realize how delicate life can be, and how each day is a gift.
Allow yourself to mourn the loved one who has passed. Remember the good times, and hold in your heart that the person has not left you completely. That person’s impression will be with you forever.
Need More Help with the Challenges of Retirement?
If you need more help dealing with the challenges of retirement, contact Kendall Van Blarcom today. As a personal consultant, I can help you deal with these challenges, so you can enjoy retirement.
This is a time for you to appreciate your life and everything you’ve done. Let me help you do that.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
