There might be free food!

Here’s my second mad retiree tip – enroll in every retirement lifestyle workshop and seminar offered by Ryerson.  ‘Cause rule one of impending retirement – don’t turn down anything that’s free!

You may hate the idea of sitting around a conference table, sipping bad coffee out of styrofoam cups, and “sharing”. 

Get over it!  And I mean that in the nicest, possible way! 

As difficult as is it to believe, the seminar leaders actually do have some valuable insights and advice. 

Financial workshops are important too, but if you have already determined that financially, retirement is in your future – any and all workshops examining the lifestyle and social implications of retirement are a must.  In fact, are mandatory.  Many of the meetings may be too “touchy, feely” for your taste, too much artsy farsty, pop psychology for your liking.  But go.   Keep your mouth shut, collect all of the hand outs and try to pay attention.  You need to hear what others are saying about retirement.  You need to listen to what the seminar leaders are saying about the impact retirement will have on every aspect of your future day-to-day existence – physically, psychologically, emotionally, and financially. 

And if you’re lucky, someone may want to talk about an issue or situation you haven’t considered.

But if you’re really bored, you can just sit and silently mock everyone else’s “list”!! 

 

 

Do Not Mock The List!

Here’s my third mad retiree tip – do not mock the list! 

Because as soon as possible during your five to seven year planning arc, you need to start “the list”.

At some point in one of the workshops you attend, you are going to be handed a sheet of paper and a pencil.  Or if you’re really lucky, a sheet already preprinted with lists and lists of the myriad activities you might enjoy participating in when you are retired.  All you have to do is check off activities, one by one.

Remember all that free time you’re going to have when you retire.  That 16 hours a day you are going to have to fill ….

The “list” is no longer optional.  It is now mandatory.  The ubiquitous list.  A running tally of everything and anything you want to do, to accomplish, to learn, to be, when you retire.  Start your list, and then you can secretly mock those who did not have a list, at the same time smugly admiring how long your list is becoming. 

 

..... next time .... want to know what to do with that "list"?