RETIREMENT CLUB

Retirement; the ultimate life goal.  What does it mean and how, when, and where should you retire?  Good questions!  I just retired on July 29th.  This was not my initial goal.  My goal was to start the retirement process in October of 2023.  My friends are mostly retired and have been encouraging and questioning me on why I still bothered to work when I could retire.  One of my best friends told me, "you will know exactly when it hits you.  You will say - stick a fork in me - I'm done.  Go ahead and plan all you want."  I have a pension, a 401k, and could start collecting Social Security.  The bottom line was, I wanted to work and accumulate some additional money and pay off some debt.  So, where did my plans go awry and how did I make the decision to pull the proverbial 'trigger' eighteen months ahead of schedule?

First, I had a goal of a certain amount of money in my 401k.  Not only did I reach that goal but, I surpassed it.  I knew I could always pay off the debt one way or another so that was an aside.  I knew I could work as a consultant or assist my spouse in real estate for additional income.  Fun stuff!  It was a conference call after my morning manicure at 11:00 am on April 14th.  The conference call was more of the same stuff.  The conference call was an hour long and ran over 15 minutes.  On what I consider a production day.  Conference calls, in my opinion, should not be held on production days.  At 1:15 pm, I leaned back in my creamy white ergo chair and thought.  I looked at the laptop.  I looked at all the emails.  It was time.  I WAS done.

Second, I had started other interests years before I decided to retire.  I knew I loved orchids.  I was introduced to them in 2009 by my brother-in-law:  Sharry Baby-a vanilla/chocolate scented one.  And, the love affair grew.  That same year, I began writing a book.  And, in 2012 I started a women's networking group.  I had already been blogging and I picked up the pace to blog once a week.  I focused on my book and began attending author signings and lectures.  I am starting a webpage to turn the networking group into a business designed to enhance and assist the relationships with professional business women.

Third, I don't know exactly where I will end up living.  I have alternatives.  Although I had initially had it well planned in 2004, much has changed during the past 18 years.  This is a part of the equation without any time or  limitation for location.  

I am thoroughly mindful of the advantages of retirement-well deserved I might add.  The ability to focus on ME.  What I want.  What I want to do and in the way I feel makes logical sense.  As well as the ability to continue to help others; another passion of mine.  I am glad I joined the retirement club and be a part of its proud members!