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I've been retired now for 4 weeks. Not 4 weeks officially but effectively. The difference is that I submitted notice of resignation with a proposed final work day of Friday, March 6. The company then dismissed me on on Monday, Feb. 23. So, effectively, I haven't been working for 4 weeks. Anyway, enough about official vs. effective; the thing I want to write about here is what I've done and how I've felt in the past 4 weeks.
"What have I done in 4 weeks?" is an easy question to answer. The answer is Not much. 😓 I've long planned that in retirement I'd travel a lot more. Well, in the past 4 weeks I've only taken one trip, and it was a short, weekend-sized trip. Though we took that trip during the week, avoiding the weekend-sized crowds, so there's that. We also did a short scenic drive followed by a hike in the mountains last Thursday. Again, it was the sort of trip we could have done on a Saturday or Sunday— except by doing it on Thursday we avoided weekend crowds.
The fact that my retired life is off to a slow start is disappointing, but I remind myself it's just that— a slow start. It reminds me of summer vacations as a kid.... Knowing there were only 10 weeks of freedom until the next school year started, feeling like I ought to maximize every one of those precious few days, and often just sleeping in and lazing around most of the day until the summer was half over. And you know what? While I felt guilty about that, it was also satisfying. Now, like then, decades ago, it's both satisfying and guilt-making. And I'm confident I'll shift into higher gear eventually.
"What have I done in 4 weeks?" is an easy question to answer. The answer is Not much. 😓 I've long planned that in retirement I'd travel a lot more. Well, in the past 4 weeks I've only taken one trip, and it was a short, weekend-sized trip. Though we took that trip during the week, avoiding the weekend-sized crowds, so there's that. We also did a short scenic drive followed by a hike in the mountains last Thursday. Again, it was the sort of trip we could have done on a Saturday or Sunday— except by doing it on Thursday we avoided weekend crowds.
The fact that my retired life is off to a slow start is disappointing, but I remind myself it's just that— a slow start. It reminds me of summer vacations as a kid.... Knowing there were only 10 weeks of freedom until the next school year started, feeling like I ought to maximize every one of those precious few days, and often just sleeping in and lazing around most of the day until the summer was half over. And you know what? While I felt guilty about that, it was also satisfying. Now, like then, decades ago, it's both satisfying and guilt-making. And I'm confident I'll shift into higher gear eventually.
