Well. Some days we need encouragement and positive thoughts.
For those days, here is a set of aphorisms about retirement. I like just
looking at the titles of the books they are from. I'm going to bold the ones I
really like.
“Retirement is a blank sheet of paper. It is a chance to
redesign your life into something new and different.” Patrick Foley, Winning at
Retirement
"Retirement gives you the time literally to recreate
yourself through a sport, game, or hobby that you always wanted to try or that
you haven't done in years." Steven D. Price, How to Survive Retirement
“Retirement is a new beginning, and that means closing the
book on one chapter in order to begin the next.” Sid Miramontes, Retirement:
Your New Beginning
"Retirement, a time to do what you want to do, when you
want to do it, where you want to do it, and, how you want to do it."
Catherine Pulsifer
"We work all our lives so we can retire - so we can do
what we want with our time - and the way we define or spend our time defines
who we are and what we value." Bruce Linton, Fatherhood
"Retirement is .... a time to experience a fulfilling
life derived from many enjoyable and rewarding activities." Ernie J.
Zelinski, The Joy of Not Working
"Please remember that retirement is a different way of
life, with new challenges and opportunities. You need to adapt and adjust to
this new lifestyle, and that takes time, effort, and creativity." Rick
Steiner Ph.D., Retirement: Different by Design
" . . . there is an exciting world of possibilities out
there that very few of us get the chance to explore during our working lives,
but retirement is that time!" Stella Rheingold, 101 Fun Things to do in
Retirement
“.. retiring from your primary career is not merely an act
of ending, but, more opportunistically and relevant, an act of commencement and
of the promise of a meaningful future.” Alan Spector, After the Cheering Stops
“Retirement is not a life without purpose; it is the
on-going purpose that provides meaningfullless.” Robert Rivers
“... retirement is a time for personal growth, which becomes
the path to greater personal freedom.” Mark Evan Chimsky, 65 Things To Do When
You Retire
"Retire the word 'retirement' from your vocabulary.
Look it up: it means to 'withdraw' or 'retreat.' Words can shape reality, and
it's time for this one to go. Doesn't 'renaissance' or 'graduation' or
'transition' better describe your postcareer life?” Marika Stone, Too Young to
Retire
“After all those years of seriously doing what you had to do
to make a living and raise a family, now you can be a clown, work at Disneyland
helping Mickey Mouse, build new homes for Habitat for Humanity, or just be lazy
in scenic surroundings.” Jaimie Hall Bruzenak, Retire to an RV
“I am not retired...I'm way too busy for that...I'm still
volunteering my time to wonderful programs and projects. I'm still trying to
make a difference in this world.” Hyrum W. Smith, Purposeful Retirement
"Voluntary early retirement gives you a chance to
pursue new areas of study.... It's a great opportunity to pursue your goals and
dreams while you are still young, energetic, and healthy enough to enjoy them.
In addition, retirement may be your last shot at being the person you would
like to be." Ernie Zelinski, How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free
“What does retirement mean now that there are so many
opportunities for learning, for caring, for serving? We can redefine aging."
Rachel Cowan, Wise Aging
"On the positive side, retirement can be an opportunity
to enjoy life in a new way, the right to stop work and do the 1,001 things
you've always wanted to do but never had time for, and a chance to give
yourself over to new challenges and adventures." Sara Yogev, A Couple's
Guide to Happy Retirement
“Just because you are getting older and have retired doesn't
mean that you should have less confidence in your abilities. Think about the
experience and knowledge that you have gained by all the years you have worked!
“Theodore W. Higginsworth
"Maybe the word 'retirement' makes you think of old
age, boredom and laziness, but I'd rather have you try think of it as freedom
to do what you want, freedom to be as active as you'd like, and even freedom to
work the job that you like - to be in a place where money doesn't dictate your
choices." Rex Dalen, Early Retirement
"The idea of retirement both excites and terrifies
people. After decades of working full-time, visions of throwing out the alarm
clock for good are certainly provocative." Belinda Tucker, Creative and
Cheap Retirement Lifestyle Options
"In my opinion, a successful retirement takes place
when you no longer need to work for money. Rather, the work you do is motivated
by higher-level goals and purposes, not income generation." Rand Bennett,
Retire Early
“... I firmly believe that the period of life that many
still call retirement, which may easily include working, has the potential to
be the most treasured time in your life. Julia Valentine, Joy Compass:” How to
Make Your Retirement the Treasure of Your Life
“People can't do anything about growing old because it's one
of the most natural things in the world, but one thing you can control, though,
is how you'll live your life once you're old enough to retire." Adrian
J.Williams, Retirement: The Ultimate Retirement Planning Guide!
“No person, at any age, needs to remain on an uninspiring
level of accomplishment.” Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, The Positive Principle
Today
“A thriving "New Beginning" can be and should be a
time for amazing engagement, growth, connections, contributions and increased
possibilities.” Lee M. Brower
“The joy of retirement comes in those everyday pursuits that
embrace the joy of life; to experience daily the freedom to invest one's
life-long knowledge for the betterment of others; and, to allocate time to
pursuits that only received, in years of working, a fleeting moment.” Byron
Pulsifer
“To some of us, retirement gives us time to follow our
dreams.” Shirley Mitchell, Radiant After 70
"As your life changes, it takes time to recalibrate, to
find your values again. You might also find that retirement is the time when
you stretch out and find your potential." Sid Miramontes, Retirement: Your
New Beginning
“Retire from your job but never from meaningful projects”.
Stephen R. Covey, The 8th Habit
“... retirement is not an end, but rather a new beginning,
an opportunity for growth, creativity, and the discovery of one's authentic
self.” George McHenry
“As in all successful ventures, the foundation of a good
retirement is planning”. Earl Nightingale
"Retirement is one of those consequential changes in
life, it offers us a unique opportunity to start over, to move beyond the past
and to once again live forward." Rick Steiner Ph.D., Retirement: Different
by Design
"Retiring just so you can do nothing is no way to live
life and so from now on, the word retirement will be replaced with the word,
graduation." Mike Finley, Graduation!: Retirement Can Be the Best Time in
Your Life
“... believe that your greatest contribution is always ahead
of you. You might retire from a job, but never retire from making
contributions. Indeed, life is about contribution, not accumulation.” Hyrum W.
Smith, Purposeful Retirement
“Age is only a number, a cipher for the records. A (man)
can't retire his experience. He must use it. Experience achieves more with less
energy and time.” Bernard Baruch
"The first step to a thriving unretirement is to begin
by asking yourself what it is you want to be doing." Chris Farrell,
Unretirement
"Retirement may be an ending, a closing, but it is also
a new beginning." Catherine Pulsifer
“The key to retirement is to find joy in the little things”.
Susan Miller
"With retirement, however, comes a great chunk of free time."
Steven D. Price, How to Survive Retirement
There is a whole new kind of life ahead, full of experiences
just waiting to happen. Some call it "retirement." I call it
"bliss." Betty Sullivan
"Retirement is not about 'finding' ourselves - or
losing ourselves in electronic distractions - but about creating a new life for
ourselves and those around us. Rick Steiner Ph.D., Retirement: Different by
Design
"My formula for a treasured retirement is simple: plan,
design, enjoy. "Julia Valentine, Joy Compass
“It can take as long as three years to completely adjust to
your retirement. Be patient and know that a new life is awakening within you.”
Mark Evan Chimsky, 65 Things To Do When You Retire
"There are so many other interesting ways to spend your
time. I feel like early retirement is a gift, but it's such an incredible gift.
It's a gift I need to use." Martha Felt-Bardon
"It is time I stepped aside for a less experienced and
less able man." Professor Scott Elledge
"Retirement as we know it today did not exist prior to
the industrialization of various Western democracies." Mike Drak, Victory
Lap Retirement
"If you believe that achievement ends with retirement,
you will slowly fade away. First of all, keeping the mind active is one way to
prolong your life and to enjoy life to its fullest for as long as
possible." Byron Pulsifer, End Of Achievement
“.... having a purpose in life is so important in Japanese
culture that our idea of retirement simply doesn’t exist there.” Hector García;
Francesc Miralles, Ikigai
“We have had many good times, and now as you retire you will
make new memories. Enjoy every day and don't forget us!, unfortuanately we will
be here for awhile! “Kate Summers
“Stay young at heart, kind in spirit, and enjoy retirement
living." Danielle Duckery, Words For The Occasion: Sentiments and Well
Wishes
“Retirement life is different because there is no set
routine. You are able to let the day unfold as it should. Enjoy, be happy and
live each day. “ Suzanne Steel
"As you embark on the exciting journey into retirement,
you will experience a transition that will be both thrilling and terrifying."
Olivia Greenwell, So You've Retired
"Sit back and relax and do the things you never got a
chance to do." Julie Hebert, Retirement Wishes
"Best wishes on your retirement. Enjoy a rest that's
overdue.” Take pleasure in the finer things that are awaiting you." Judith
Wibberley
"Retire from work, but not from life." M. K. Soni
"Retirement, a time to enjoy all the things you never
had time to do when you worked." Catherine Pulsifer
"Congratulations on making it over all the hurdles and
reaching that wonderful time of life where you get to do whatever you
want." Stella Rheingold, 101 Fun Things to do in Retirement
“Those long hours in the office, every extra hour after the
long shifts, every sacrifice, and all the hopes you held onto for so long should
now be reminisced in a relaxing, rejuvenating, and enjoyable retirement.”
Adrian J.Williams, Retirement
"May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer
you."
Irish Blessing
"It won't be the same around here without you. For you
brightened every day. You will be missed but we wish you lots of
happiness." Julie Hebert
Bill Buell adds:
All of the hard days are gone
It's all beer and whiskey and songs from now on
Laugh at the darkness and dance until dawn
All of the hard days are gone
- Kevin McKrell
I am soooo tempted
to write some sarcastic ones after all this positivity, but I need an upbeat
follow up on that sad chapter.