My definition of retirement planning can be broken down into two parts: pre-retirement planning and post-retirement planning. This is the stage of my life after retiring. How can I spend my time, what hobbies can I do, how can I connect with people, what exercises are safe, and do these activities require extra money? If so, I need to include these extra costs in my pre-retirement planning, as well as in my budget and retirement fund. Currently I am in the pre-retirement planning stage where I still have an active income. As my countdown begins, it is becoming crucial to plan for my retirement and post-retirement journey.
In this article and related post to it, I be addressing crucial aspects about my post-retirement journey and what I need to build a proper retirement plan. The questions I have are: how do I want to live my life after retirement? Will it require extra funds, and if so, where will they come from? I had practical concerns about staying fit and healthy, choosing the right foods, and doing exercises to keep my mind sharp. The most important thing was the need to connect with other people even though I am an introvert.
Future Income
I define financial freedom as the freedom to choose whether to work for active income or not. My post-retirement journey should include staying active – either through active work, contributing to charities (physically), working in my own private farm, or any other activities that is good for my mental health.
No one can predict the future, and we can only do our best to prepare for it. What IF I still need active income? It can be due to super high inflation (causing my retirement fund to have lesser spending power than I predicted) or sudden surge in living costs or any other factors. What can I do to continue having an active income? Below are some ideas I have (catered towards my skill set and my current knowledge – note that it may differ from everyone else):
- Freelance for partners that look to outsource their technical tasks
- Sell fruits and vegetables from our private farm (local fruits, durian, herbs, etc.)
- Active trading in US market
- Generate recurring revenue through affiliate marketing, AdSense, and other channels.
Staying Fit and Healthy
To ensure a happy and fulfilling post-retirement journey, it’s crucial to prioritize our physical health. As we age, our bodies undergo natural changes that can affect our overall well-being. With some effort and dedication, we can keep our health and fitness, so we can enjoy this new chapter of life to the fullest.
Continue practicing optimal health through Gut Health, Hormonal Health, and Inflammation management, as well as Exercise and Physical Activity.
Gut Health, Hormonal Health, and Inflammation Management
As part of my post-retirement journey, I am deepening my health knowledge. I am kickstarting (and accelerating) this effort by buying an online short course “The Three Pillars of Health by Natalie Loo”. I will need to learn more about it as part of my journey to better health. I don’t wish to burden anyone when age catch up. Here’s what covered in the course:
- Gut Health: To understand what gut health is all about, the concerns that arise due to poor gut health.
- Hormonal Health: To understand what hormones and the concerns that arise from poor hormonal health.
- Inflammation: To understand more on inflammation and immunity, to prevent chronic inflammation.
- Whole Foods: How using whole foods to improve overall health.
Exercise and Physical Activity
On top of a healthy diet, regular exercise is crucial for maintaining physical function and mobility. Some people have added activities such as brisk walking, swimming, tai-chi and yoga to their daily routine. These activities have helped them improve flexibility, balance, and strength. What suited me? I can’t swim even though it is a good form of exercise for the whole body.
The key is to find exercises that I enjoy and can stick to in the long term. It’s not about pushing myself too hard or trying to achieve unrealistic fitness goals. Rather, it’s about making physical activity a sustainable and enjoyable part of my daily routine.
Type of physical activity:
- Farming: includes cleaning the farm, grass-cutting, weeding, pruning the trees, fertilizing, adding small enhancements, etc.
- Brisk Walking: taking a walk in the park/farm in the morning and getting some vitamin E from the morning sun
Connecting with People
Unlike the structured days of our working lives, retirement can sometimes feel isolating and lonely. Plus my introversion personality, I have been wondering will I be alright without much human interaction. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Introverts also have close friends. At this stage of life and as long as we have sufficient retirement fund, we will have plenty of time to connect with friends and families.
Building and Maintaining Relationships
On the surface, building relationships may seem like a no-brainer, but it requires effort and intention. I’ve learned that scheduling regular teh tarik meet ups or walks with friends and family helps keep connections strong. It is also important to make new connections, whether through hobbies, volunteering, or classes, to expand my social circle.
When I retire, all my siblings are also in the same age range – so I should make more effort to visit or arrange for social meet ups over lunch or dinner. I should also do the same for my closer network of friends. This is something I have to constantly work on as I am very passive at times, always preferring to have “ME TIME”. Part of my post-retirement journey goal is to have scheduled meet-ups or socializing sessions with my closer family members and friends on a regular basis.
Giving Back to the Community
For many retirees, giving back to the community becomes a vital part of their post-work life. It not only provides a sense of purpose but also helps combat feelings of loneliness and disconnection. Could this be one of the reasons that I see many elderly volunteering at charity organizations like Tzu Chi, etc.? My late mum used to volunteer herself at Tzu Chi. To her, it is a good thing to do.
In fact, I feel that volunteering at local organizations or participating in neighborhood initiatives helps us stay engaged and connected with others who share similar passions. It is also a great way to meet like-minded individuals and build meaningful relationships. According to a study, retirees who volunteer regularly experience higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. I will be putting effort on this in my post-retirement journey.
Pursuing Hobbies and Interests
Once again, I find myself with the luxury of time to focus on the things that bring me joy. Retirement is the perfect opportunity to revisit old passions, explore new ones, and cultivate a sense of purpose. Hopefully at that time, my hand is strong enough to hold the mirrorless camera. I have been thinking to get a lighter Sony Camera but at the same time does not want to waste money at this point of time. I already have a good Sony A7 series camera. The Sony A7C definitely looks intriguing, haha!
I guess I need to find a list of hobbies/interests that do not need much of the investment? Camera and lens are not cheap. Here are other things that I am interested in:
- Reading non-fiction books
- Listening to music
- Watching movies
- Photography – just need to resist myself from buying new gear.
Learning and Personal Growth
For many of us, retirement is a chance to explore new areas of interest and expand our knowledge. According to Tony Robbins, growth is one of the areas that can make us feel happy. And I always like personal growth. So far, I have participated in Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within live event in Singapore, Adam Khoo’s Patterns of Excellence in Singapore, and Ulysses Wang’s NLP program in Malaysia. All these were life-altering and definitely an eye-opener for me. Given a chance, I would be on the lookout for more of similar (or maybe rejoin) some of these personal growth events in my retirement years.
Maybe that will be the time for me to learn how to take good photos and some basic photo editing skills. Why not explore the world of videography? Could it be too late? In my post-retirement journey, I may have more time to deep dive into each of these, learn and apply these new skills with my (new?) photography/videography gears.
In my post-retirement journey, I would also like to finally read my LARGE collection of non-fiction books which I have purchased throughout the years. They are all waiting for me on the bookshelves. LOL. Oh yes, I also have a Kindle – so these are also what I’ll be exploring during my retirement.
Travel and Exploration
When I was a kid, I cannot recall any memory that my parents brought me to travel around the world. In primary school, my mum occasionally took me to Singapore by train, and I think we also went to Cameron Highlands or Fraser Hills once. When I was in my twenties to thirties, I did not have much money to travel. The majority of travel is for professional purposes. In the forties, finally I got a bit more money to travel but then lack of freedom due to a reason. Hopefully when I retire, I finally got the time, money and fit enough to see the world and also other parts of Malaysia.
My post-retirement journey would include trips to these countries:
- China
- Japan
- Switzerland
Additional Things to Budget For
Here are a few things I need to spend a bit more on, so I have to check on my retirement fund and cater for those additional costs.
- Travel Internationally
- Travel Domestically
- (More!) Books
- Outing with family/friends
- Farming accessories: soil, fertilizer, tools
- New car to replace the 10-year-old car
- Home loans that are up to 70 years old
Post-Retirement Journey: Adjusting to Your Ideal Retirement Life
Retirement marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter, yet it also brings significant changes that can be challenging to navigate. Adjusting to your ideal retirement life requires thoughtful planning (plans to make sure that you have sufficient financials to see you through your retirement) and a flexible mindset. Many retirees find themselves re-evaluating their daily routines, rediscovering passions, and seeking purpose beyond their professional lives. It is essential to establish a sense of structure by setting personal goals, whether through travel, hobbies, or volunteering. Social engagement, staying physically active, and maintaining mental well-being also play critical roles in ensuring a fulfilling post-retirement journey. The key to thriving in retirement lies in balancing relaxation with meaningful activities that enrich both body and mind, allowing you to enjoy this new phase to the fullest.
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