Reply to What is life like when you retire at 50 or 55?

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[quote=Anonymous]You either enjoy the heck out of it and live it UP, or you are bored and lonely and depressed and get old before your time. It really is dependent on the type of person you are, and how you handle it.

Full disclosure, I am speaking not from experience but from watching many of my parents' friends go through this. There are a few where both people in the couple retired early (around 52), and they are living it UP. Traveling together, going to matinees, playing golf/tennis, taking day drives to VA wine country or the MD shore, going to museums, going to long leisurely dinners and strolling hand in hand...seriously, they're acting/living like newlyweds. They do things like rent an apartment right on the beach for 2 months and go "live" there temporarily, etc. Sky (and financial situation) is the limit, really.

It's obviously different if just one person retires. My mom did, at 55. My dad kept working, he really likes his job and is also the kind of person who always has to be DOING something - he's not great at downtime or living in the moment. He would be the first person to tell you that - he would drive himself and everyone else around him crazy if he retired right now. Luckily he knows that, so he kept working and likely will as long as he's able (although will obviously plan to progressively scale back). My mom had a tough time initially, then adjusted her outlook and gave herself permission to get out there - she's very happy now. She visits my siblings and I, who don't live in the area, and is able to stay and hang out / see her grandkids. She completely redid their house, which has served as a fun creative outlet. After feeling lonely for 6 months or so, she found a great group of women through walking / fitness / tennis clubs. She seriously has a more active social life than I do these days. She's taking cooking classes and is writing for fun. She is doing all the things she enjoys, and is enjoying the heck out of the time she's looked forward to for awhile now.

But like I said...some people base their entire identity on what they do/did for a living. That kind of person is liable to feel directionless, purposeless, and deeply depressed if they sudddnlt don't feel like they're "needed". If you are the type that needs a lot of structure in your life, make sure you create some for yourself when you retire. And if you retire before your spouse, give yourself permission to do / explore things on your own (or, that is, without them)[/quote]

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