Road Trip Planner - Do it now! Article by Carol White

Retirement – Five reasons to do it now!

Each day in the US 10,000 baby boomers turn 50 and more than ever, these boomers are finding that life starts at 50 and beyond.

This isn’t your mother’s retirement, in fact more and more retirees are bucking tradition and reinventing themselves and often their careers, after many are called “past their prime.”

“Traditional retirement is for sissies!” says Carol White, co-author of Live Your Road Trip Dream, “Employers are finding ways to send their senior troops packing prior to traditional retirement timeframes. Many of us are leaving the structure of the full-time, all encompassing work life and finding lives for ourselves that are more productive, more creative and executed on our own terms and time tables. But it does take initiative and the ability to see opportunities and seize the moment.”

Carol continues, “When Phil and I first retired, we decided to live our long held dream of just taking off and seeing our great country. In so doing, we’ve traveled over 50,000 miles, started our own publishing company, written an award winning book and now fill our days doing the radio and TV circuit and talking to others who desire the freedom of the open road – or some other travel journey. Retirement hasn’t slowed us down, in fact it’s invigorated us. I can’t wait to see what’s next!”

Matt Hutcheson, America’s Retirement Coach and moderator of “The Retirement Hour” radio show, emphasizes that “there is more to retirement than just gathering your financial resources. You have to figure out what that next phase of your life will mean. And for many, that is more challenging and scary than all the financial preparedness.”

So why may NOW be the best time to venture forth into the exciting “second life” of retirement?

If your employer offers you an incentive, there probably is a reason. “I have personally watched co-workers pass up great ‘golden parachute’ packages, only to find out they should have gone.” confides White. Staying is often harder on those left behind.
Good health and vigor aren’t guaranteed. Even though boomers are living longer than their parents, both men and women have risk factors not experienced by their parents. Obesity, lack of physical activity and job stress are but a few examples. Give yourself the opportunity to find fulfillment on your o wn terms, whether in community activities, volunteer service, travel, a second career, or something you’ve always dreamed of doing.
The future is uncertain, seize today. Many people wait for that “perfect time” to try something new. The truth is like most things, there is no perfect time. We never know when we will be called upon to assist a family member, lose our health, or have some other unforeseen circumstance prevent our visi on from becoming reality.
The joy of exploration and creativity are waiting. “Phil and I had no conception of what the simple act of living our travel dream would bring to our lives – but we had our minds open to new ideas and experiences, and were ready to try something to help others,” Carol enthuses. “Don’t wait to see what the second half of life holds for you.”
There is no perfect time. Retirement is scary. It is a little like stepping off a cliff into the unknown. Leaving that eight to five routine that we’ve known for so many years, for something that is indeterminate leaves us uneasy, but the truth of the matter is that will be true regardless of when you make the leap, so why not leap now while you have enthusiasm and energy to find a new life of your choosing and satisfaction.

Whether you decide to just golf and play with the grandkids, or embark on a whole new “second life” of your choosing, the choice is exciting and the choice is yours to make. Why not “invest” in your future life sooner rather than later?