I'm Retired... Now What

  Iʼm Retired…Now What?

  Iʼm Retired…Now What?

  • • •

  99 “Adventures” To Fulfill During Retirement

  Kyle A Sadler, AIF®, CRC®

  Copyright © 2015 Kyle A Sadler

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-13: 9780692468180

  ISBN-10: 0692468188

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2015909685

  Kyle A. Sadler, Humble, TX

  Dedication

  First, to the One who dedicated His life for me.

  Next, to Denise, Kyli, and Zoe, the ones who are my daily motivation.

  And, of course, to my clients and all the retirees whom I have worked with and will assist with this book.

  Table of Contents

  Foreword

  Chapter 1 Physical Pursuits

  Chapter 2 Crafts and Hobbies

  Chapter 3 Creative Activities

  Chapter 4 Intellectual Challenges

  Chapter 5 Social and Family Events

  Chapter 6 Travel Adventures

  Chapter 7 Spiritual Journeys

  Chapter 8 Volunteer Activities

  Chapter 9 Paid Work

  Conclusion

  Foreword

  Throughout the sixteen years I’ve been a financial advisor, years, my primary client base has been retirees. Over that time period, I have found a commonality among those who are happy, long-lived, and productive throughout their retirement. That commonality boils down to staying active. Unless you are waiting to greet a slow and painful death, the key to longevity is keeping the body and mind in shape through constant activity. This is not to say that you should seek strenuous and exhausting activities, but you need to keep the momentum pushing forward to avoid an early grave.

  This book is a collection of ideas that I refer to as adventures. I call them adventures for two primary reasons. Of course the first that comes to my mind is that learning something new can appear to be an adventure in itself. New technology, a new craft, or even a reconnection with something or someone from your past can be an adventure. The second is the advice I give to all: the journey through retirement should be your adventure, not a routine.

  Some adventures are singular and meant to be pursued over the long term, while others should be incorporated together as part of multiple ideas for added adventure and entertainment. In fact, the content of these adventures may be pursued at any pace you feel is sufficient for your entertainment and in any order you may choose. Start from the back, middle, or anywhere you desire within this book; choose your own adventure.

  As any world-renowned and competent author (hey, I can dream!) would, I did some extensive research. This research included talking to a one-hundred-year-old man, remembering what my grandmother told me when I was younger, and stealing ideas from people who had already done more research than I have done to compile the ideas in this book. Therefore, if you think any of these ideas are corny or farfetched, it’s because they came from someone else. However, if you exclaim, “Wow! That’s a really cool and smart idea,” I thought of it.

  This book is intended to go beyond the bounds of planning to be a checkout person at Walmart to occupy your time during retirement.

  The main point is that I don’t want to hear that you’re bored; there’s more than enough to do! And once you do everything in this book, then think of more. Remember, life is an adventure, so enjoy it!

  —Kyle A. Sadler

  I

  Physical Pursuits

  We’ve probably all heard the saying, “A body in motion stays in motion.”

  One of the keys to longevity is maintaining and increasing mental and physical acuteness and flexibility. Of course, the obvious theme in this section is exercise. However, a retiree needs to explore alternatives to a traditional workout due to overexposure to the monotony of the workout, which can kill his or her motivation. As the old saying goes, “A rolling stone gathers no moss.”

  I recognize that every reader has his or her own physical limitations, and I would be negligent if I told you otherwise. However, don’t let your mental limitations override your physical. There will be some adventures about which your mind will say, “I can’t do that,” but your body is saying, “I can still do that.” Listen to your body (and doctor). Remember, this is more about the journey and less about overexerting yourself. People might hear me say that the recliner may seem tempting, but I call it “The Death Chair”; however, disobeying your doctor is not a wise option.

  The following examples contain some productive means for a retiree to maintain and increase his or her physical fitness.

  1

  Moving to the Country

  Ah, the fresh, quiet, and still country air! What better way to get exercise than to enjoy Mother Nature at her best. The spring-time flowers whiffed in the meadows, the strolls taken along the stream, the painted sunsets of the Texas Hill Country—life is fulfilled in the enjoyment of natural beauty. Moving to the country may be the answer.

  There is often this misconception that “life on the farm is kinda laid back.” On the contrary, living in the country involves more physical labor and upkeep than living in the city ever could. Although physical fitness can be achieved through the daily chores of working wherever you live, just remember that the more land there is, the more responsibility that you’ll assume. And if animals are added into the mix, even more time and physical activity will be required.

  An additional warning, don’t overlook the limitations that come with age. The average retiree is age sixtyish. At this age, physical activity is still maintainable, but the reality is that as your age increases, physical limitations will likely occur. Therefore, make the decision to move to the country with caution, because although the peace and tranquility may seem alluring, there may be some physical limits that come to you in the future.

  2

  Moving to the City

  On the other hand, moving to the city can be a different kind of adventure. For retirees who have lived in the country or small communities, city life can add a new dynamic. In a larger town (population: fifty thousand plus), there are more activities available for retirees. There are also more places to explore. It’s funny to see how many people travel the world to explore new destinations but fail to explore the reason why visitors come to their town.

  3

  Remodeling Your House

  There is an old saying: “If you want to test your marriage, build a house.” Well, to remodel a house is not far off. However, if you go into the remodeling project with the anticipation of it being fun, and not a chore or job, then the perspective will change, and it might make the venture something that can be enjoyed. Also, remodeling a house can be a money-making experience for those who are interested in real-estate rental or “flipping” a house. However, if this is to become a money-making experience, you’ll need to surround yourself with honest and knowledgeable individuals to provide guidance. Remember, those who speak the most about how honest and knowledgeable they are often are the ones who know the least and may not have your best interests at heart.

  4

  Moving to a Different City Once a Year

  It’s a given that moving is a strenuous exercise. Packing boxes, moving them, loading furniture—I start sweating just thinking about the moving process. People always say, “I’ll never move again,” based on the sheer exhaustion from their move; however, here is a new twist to the idea: Retirees often talk about downsizing when it comes to their house since they are now “empty nesters.” (Sometimes “empty nesters” want to make sure they remain that way by not having spare bedrooms.)

  Moving to a different city once a year is a different twist on taking summer trips in an RV
or, on the flip side, settling down in a retirement community where the retiree plans to live out the rest of his or her days. To make this feasibly possible, the retiree would simply downsize their belongings (you can’t take them with you anyway) and rent an apartment or a house for one year each year. This way, the retiree can explore the area around where they live, yet not have any ties to a mortgage or “stuff.” If done correctly, this method is less expensive than traveling/vacationing to various locations.

  5

  Conquering a Fear

  They say that the best way to conquer a fear is to face it. How adventurous would it be to face your biggest fear by placing it right in front of yourself? What is your phobia? Snakes? Then visit a snake farm (and keep going until you lose that fear). Afraid of heights? Go skydiving! President George H. W. Bush did it on his eighty-fifth birthday, so don’t make the excuse that you are too old! Have multiple fears? Well, face them all. People spend a lifetime avoiding their fears, but you’re retired now and you have already faced the biggest challenges in life through your adulthood. Think of the often-cited words, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

  6

  Setting a World Record

  This next idea could have been classified under multiple headings; however, it ended up in the “Physical Pursuits” chapter. What’s a better way for a retiree to stay busy than to plan and execute setting a world record? World records are not all physical activities; in fact, the majority of the records in the Guinness Book of World Records require no physical activity at all. Take, for example, the record for “Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Dogs,” which is 264. My challenge to you could be to round up at least 265 people and beat it. What about joining the “Largest Gathering of Elvis Impersonators” in Las Vegas next time they challenge the world record?

  Do you want something not as ridiculous and a little more challenging? How about “Most Spoons Balanced on the Face”? Retirees have the one commodity that most people don’t, and that is time! Be creative, but most of all, have fun. The world’s largest ball of twine didn’t happen overnight. So remember, every world record starts with the phrase “I can do that!”

  A little afterthought and a goal to strive for—the oldest gymnast is eighty-six years old. There’s a goal: surpass her age as a gymnast.

  7

  Mining for Gems

  I actually thought of this idea right after my family and I came back from vacation. Part of our vacation this year was to stop at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. A great retirement trip is to travel to a place where you can mine for gems. There are areas open all over the world in which the general public can mine legally. This isn’t to get rich; it’s all about discovery. My whole goal in Arkansas was to find a diamond. It didn’t matter how big or small. Unfortunately, I didn’t find one, but the funny part is that a twelve-year-old kid found an over-five-carat diamond in the same spot the next day. I think I was more excited that he found it than I would’ve been if I had. How fun is finding a buried treasure!

  I just would like to throw out a few words of caution with regards to digging for gems. There are only a select few state and national parks in the United States that allow for individuals to dig and remove these items. Please check with the ranger station at the park if you are unsure of the rules.

  Here is a small list of places where you can mine for gems (and gold):

  • Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, AR (diamonds)

  craterofdiamondsstatepark.com

  • Gem Mountain in Phillipsburg, MT (sapphires)

  gemmountainmt.com

  • Herkimer Diamond Mines in Herkimer, NY (double-terminated quartz crystals)

  herkimerdiamond.com

  • Royal Peacock Mine in Virgin Valley, NV (black fire opals)

  royalpeacock.com

  • Cherokee Ruby Mine in Franklin, NC (rubies, sapphires, garnets, and moonstones)

  cherokeerubymine.com

  • Emerald Hollow Mine in Hiddenite, NC (emeralds)

  hiddenitegems.com

  • Rockhand State Park in Deming, NM (geodes)

  emnrd.state.nm.us

  • Roaring Camp Mining in Pine Grove, CA (gold)

  roaringcampgold.com

  8

  Fossil and Artifact Hunting

  The Earth is filled with many mysterious and really cool things. Me personally, I think fossils and artifacts are really cool. So cool that since finding my first ammonite fossil at my deer lease in West Texas, I frequent there to hunt for fossils more than I do to hunt for deer.

  To expand more on hunting for fossils, while out hunting one day, I stumbled across a “cave” in the side of a hill. As I investigated it more, I discovered that it was an old Indian campsite. I uncovered some spearheads and some utensils.

  Fossil and artifact hunting is another adventurous idea that you can enjoy during your retirement. While traveling, locate areas that allow for fossil and/or artifact digging.

  As with mining for gems, please make sure that permission has been granted from the landowner when digging or hunting on private property. Landowners can be very funny about their property. In the beginning it may seem like they are not interested, however, once a discovery is made, they become very interested and possessive.

  Also, although there are a few state and national parks that allow you to dig for and keep gems, I am not aware of any that allow you to keep fossils or other artifacts.

  9

  Exercising Daily

  Now it’s time for the most obvious under the “physical” category: exercise. There is probably not a doctor out there who would argue that daily exercise is not important to a long and healthy life. As a retiree, physical limitation may inhibit your level of exercise. However, there are many low-impact exercise programs available. Local YMCAs and other gyms have programs specially designed for less exertion. Water aerobics is very popular. Having a gym membership is not always required; there are also many libraries—yes, libraries—out there that have exercise programs available.

  Additionally, tai chi is a low-impact martial art. I have possessed interest and participated in martial arts for a long period of time. As of this writing, I still participate in kung fu. I can’t stress enough to retirees (and nonretirees) how beneficial tai chi really is, not just for the exercise benefits but for the total mind, body, and spirit improvement. Although tai chi may be a form of self-defense, the greatest aspect is the fact that it is a low-impact and slow-paced exercise. For senior adults, the most important elements in tai chi are the breathing, movement, and awareness exercises, as well as meditation, which I will go on to discuss.

  While on a mission trip in China, I noticed that a large majority of senior adults would congregate in parks and practice tai chi together. At my own kung fu studio, probably 30 percent of the total enrolled students are senior adults, and let me tell you, they all love it!

  The purpose of partaking in various exercise programs is to relieve daily stresses, increase general health, develop a structured daily regimen, and provide an active lifestyle long into retirement. Exercise is often overlooked because of “aches and pains.” However, physicians who care for the elderly will always prescribe a daily dose of exercise.

  10

  Hiking Nature Trails

  Cities, counties, improvement districts, and so forth spend millions of dollars developing hiking/walking trails. A good adventure would be to hike every nature trail within a two-hour radius. First, because it will be great exercise and keep you active; second, it’s always nice to see the developments in public and private parks. Fresh air, new scenery, healthy exercise, low cost, what’s not to like? And while discovering a great new park can be fun, why not share your discovery? We will discuss writing a blog later. There are thousands of trails out there and millions of things to see. Hike them, walk them, and then write about them. I bet there are other retirees just waiting to find out more.

  My action plan to incorpo
rate this in my daily life is:

  II

  Crafts and Hobbies

  I enjoy the fact that by writing a book, I get to immortalize someone when I quote them. My grandmother once told me, “Find something you love to do, and do it for the rest of your life.” This was during a conversation about finding a job; however, it relates to this section. When it comes to crafts and hobbies, we don’t choose them and continue to expend our time, energy, and sometimes an overindulgence of focus on one of these activities just to pass time. No, we do it for the passion and enjoyment a craft or hobby brings to our life.

  Happy retirees pursue activities that interest them. However, unhappy retirees pursue activities out of obligation or a preconceived notion that they must do it. Phil Robertson is absolutely correct when giving advice to retirees: you must find things that make you “happy, happy, happy” if you want to reach or exceed life expectancy. What is your passion? What makes you happy? OK, now do a lot more of it!