Live Like You’re Already Retired

[{"selector":"#anim-9d465d74-dc6d-426c-aaf8-d4dddca7ce25","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-456d976a-e6fa-46b9-bb4e-a8cdf6642b1f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.72475%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3cccda50-58f7-4974-908c-b49ef0441f4c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c8375f2-cc47-4252-b76f-60fc3af129bf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Read More

If you were currently retired, how would your life be different? What do you look forward to the most?

[{"selector":"#anim-d73fa018-9482-4bb3-a969-a34d5fa17d55","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15b5a260-2a3a-40b2-9068-3529f0624fe8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-131.62056%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Read More

While you may not have all the freedoms now that you will have then, there’s a good chance you can start to implement some of those changes right now. Why wait for a “someday” that’s not guaranteed to start leading the life you want to live?

Below, you’ll find a number of tips that can not only help you craft a more ideal life before you’ve fully realized financial independence, but will also make the transition to retirement a more seamless one as you won’t be making numerous drastic changes all at once if you get the ball rolling now.

[{"selector":"#anim-c7fd314a-307f-4d0c-b283-622336782fee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-599212a0-af4c-4401-8ba1-eec72d9891ef","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -98.35032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2400,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Read More

The late poet Mary Oliver never worked an interesting job in her life, just as she wanted it. Her fear was that it would take away valuable time and energy from her true passion — writing poetry. As she explained in an interview:

I was very careful never to take an interesting job. I took lots of jobs. But if you have an interesting job you get interested in it… Believe me, if anybody has a job and starts at 9, there’s no reason why they can’t get up at 4:30 or five and write for a couple of hours, and give their employers their second-best effort of the day – which is what I did. -Mary Oliver

I am not a full proponent of her idea. If you spend eight or more hours a day at a job, it helps to have at least some interest in what you do. Still, Oliver makes a good point: There is no reason not to allocate more effort to the things that give us joy and less to the things that don’t. It may sound trite. But honestly think about how well you do this?

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

Of the 239 older adult volunteers surveyed by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis: 79% said they feel better about themselves by volunteering; 95% said they have improved their lives; and 96% said they have been involved in meaningful activities.

SWIPE UP NOW TO READ MORE

[{"selector":"#anim-5c595026-ac6e-49f5-9be5-e9b9c39f4c39","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c23956ce-921c-462d-ba52-97e2d9901276","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.55555%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Read More