Live Like You’re Already Retired

retirement

As Oliver encourages: give yourself permission to put forth your best effort toward the things that provide happiness and meaning while half-assing the less important stuff in life.

It is something I certainly need to get better at, which is why I have begun to reframe life as if I were retired. That is, putting more intention behind the things I do, with less consideration of what other people and society thinks.

One of the top activities workers say they want to do in retirement is volunteer. For good reason. By helping others, you help yourself.

Do the one thing known to make everyone happier: help others.

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Keep learning.

Many psychological studies suggest the challenge of learning a new skill can enhance memory, strengthen the connections between parts of the brain and lower the risk of dementia.

If your job isn’t your passion, make your hobbies your identity.

That is why retirement is often thought of as an opportunity to do all those interesting things we wish we had more time to do while working.

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Move around — a lot.

The simple act of walking increases the supply of blood and oxygen to your muscles and organs, which helps you think and come up with new ideas.

Experience new places.

Traveling somewhere new has been shown to boost emotional IQ, empathy and creativity in travelers. It doesn’t require a passport.

Schedule consistent time with friends and relatives.

When you consider how essential socializing is in life, there is an incentive to find creative solutions for spending more time with friends and relatives.

Accept life’s hardships.

If you can go through the hard times with grace, then you can live a full life no matter how much time your money can buy.

As journalist John Leland writes in his book, Happiness Is a Choice You Make: “Older people are more content, less anxious or fearful, less afraid of death, more likely to see the good side of things and accept the bad, than young adults.”

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