How to Live a Post-Retirement Life of Purpose

Some people dream of the day they will retire only to find that a few weeks after that day has finally come, they do not really know what to do with themselves. Others resist retiring until they are pushed out. Although it is often presented as the eventual dream of every worker, retirement may leave some people feeling they lack a sense of purpose. However, there are many things people can do to regain that sense and even, in some cases, to find a stronger one than they ever had before.

Review Your Finances

First, you should make sure that you have a good grasp of your financial situation. Of course, this involves knowing how much you have in your retirement account and what you can expect from Social Security, but there may be other sources of money as well. For example, do you plan on staying in your home, or do you want to sell it and move someplace smaller? You might also have considered letting your life insurance policy lapse if you no longer need it. However, depending on the type of policy you have, you may be able to sell it through a viatical settlement. You can look over a guide that explains executing a viatical settlement and how it may benefit you.

Connect to Your Community

One way to rediscover your sense of purpose is to connect more deeply with the people in your community. There are a number of different ways to do this. If you are religiously inclined, you might get more involved with your place of worship. If you have strong political ideals, you could get involved in local, state, or national politics. Volunteering is another excellent way to forge deeper ties within your community.

Build a Business

You’ve just left work, so why would you want to go back to work? For some people, this can be their first opportunity to pursue the type of career they always wanted. You may even want to consider a business that caters specifically to older adults since you have an insight into what people need and might not be able to find at this stage of their life. One advantage of running a business after retirement is that you may not need to make as much of a profit as you would if you were depending on it for your sole income.

Go Back to School

This is an excellent time to pursue more education, whether you seek a degree or just take classes for enrichment. And it is definitely possible to remain healthy while studying, so you do not have to pick and choose your focus. Many colleges offer classes for seniors at a discount or even free. However, you don’t necessarily have to go to a college campus to keep learning. Your local community center or other facility may offer a variety of different classes. Increasingly, many classes are also available online.

Seek Adventure

Retirement can be a time of adventure for many people, especially since you may have fewer constraints on your time than ever before. You might want to travel or take up a sport. Many tours groups and other organizations cater specifically to older adults.