Retirement - Are you even thinking about it yet?
Since publishing my initial introduction on Steemit, I thought it would be interesting to talk about "Retirement." Everyone thinks about it at one time or another, and before you know it, you either are on track or you have NO plan in place. You can visit my blog Retired in Samar to learn how I came to retire on the Island of Samar in the Philippines as an American Expatriot. I achieved my retirement early. Why the Philippines? Well, it might have had something to do with the fact that I'd spent a few years living in that part of the world. Being married to my Filipina sweetheart for nearly 28 years also may have had a little impact on both my thought process and my chosen direction of travel.
It wasn't until after spending over 13 years engaged in the business of marketing and selling real estate that I made the difficult decision to retire...for the second time. My first go-round of a career led to an implied semantic of a retirement but nonetheless, I still needed to continue working to survive. The new goal during this second career was to make it to a comfortable financial position so that we could enjoy our Golden Years. For those unfamiliar with the term, "Golden Years" are defined as the "Third Age," or that period considered (by previous generations) to be the “golden years” of adulthood. It was generally applied to the span of time between retirement and the beginning of age-imposed physical, emotional, and cognitive limitations, and today would roughly fall between the ages of 65 and 80+. We chose to begin our Golden Years early, totally ignoring the traditional definition!
Live to Work, or Work to Live?
The first 20 working years were easy; a secure government job, steady paycheck, benefits, and travel. Looking back, I could have done that gig for another 20 years. The 20 years that followed my first career was definitely more challenging as I worked and worried my way through the not-so-secure private sector in Tupelo, Mississippi. I will mention that between these two careers, I tested out a few gigs before settling into real estate. During my short but fulfilling second career in real estate, I learned a lot, busted my ass, and enjoyed the gains and benefits of self-employment. We also enjoyed some really good times until we, like many others, were forced to gallantly navigate through troubled waters during the Great Recession (2008-?? ). It was during this time that we learned to live more minimalist lives. We still lived, but we charted a course where we saved and prepared ourselves as part of "The Plan" we concocted for our future - for ourselves. What it all boiled down to was that we could live now, or later. Living now meant working longer. Living and enjoying life later seemed much more reasonable... and logical. So that was the scenario our plan was based upon. So, after several tumultuous years in the real estate industry, we made that cognative decision - to step down from the workforce and retire early. This time around, the goal was to move on and drop the retirement anchor far away from our previous 18+ years of anchorage in Mississippi. Life there was good, but it was about to get better. The plan was in play.
After making the decision to retire, and as I looked back on everything, I can share this; finishing up in the business of real estate as a broker/owner of my own national franchise, I admit that the real highlight during those busy years was helping people achieve their dream of home ownership. There was never anything more enjoyable in my lifetime than handing over the house keys to first-time buyers, and being able to witness first-hand, the look of excitement and accomplishment on their faces. For me, it was a complete sense of satisfaction and there would never be anythhing much more rewarding to me...aside from what lay ahead. What I also observed during those years was an inside look at what motivated people - and how materialistic and possessive society in general had become. While there was a real estate bubble, there was also a bubble that people lived in, the gotta have it now bubble. Observing it all taught me one important thing. DO NOT spend like there is no tomorrow. It taught us to save and plan... and to plan and save some more. It was the only way I/we could achieve our objective.
A New Mantra!
Much like the anxiety associated with finding and purchasing that first home, that same level of anxiety can exist when the idea of retirement finally approaches. For generations of Americans, retirement has always been considered the final installment in the Great American Dream payout. However, the aftermath of the recent "Great Recession" and our country's lethargic economic situation has forced many people's retirement plans to be left on the drawing table. The notion of enjoying a full retirement for many remains just that - a notion. And for some, aside from all its ambiguity, it has completely dropped off of their "bucket list" altogether. Many of those folks had neither a plan, nor a back-up plan.
(2016 - Recent research suggests that more people are leaving the U.S. and other western counties for more comfortable retirements in other havens - Mexico and the Philippines being the two top locations for expatriation.)
It's All About Being Optomistic and Goal Setting
I can say one thing for certain - if you think you can't afford to retire, then you will never retire! Such negative thoughts are the same type thoughts we were taught as real estate agents to combat against. Successful people have been trained to the point where negative thoughts should no longer occupy space in the mindset! But to those people who can't seem to shake that negativity about their retirement years, know this - there are viable retirement alternatives available and it just requires practicing the concept of "out-of-the-box" thinking. Have you ever thought about living overseas?
Retired in the Philippines - Overlooking our village and the Samar Sea
It Takes a Plan!
Henry Ford once said "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right." This is where I have been helping others achieve their dream. I have written many blog articles which help show and prove to you that you to can obtain your goals, if you set them realistically. From motivation to planning, I cover most of the realties. Nothing is sugar-coated. It can be an intimidating process, and with the right mindset (negatives removed), it is much easier than you think. It takes knowledge, confidence, and some proper financial planning. All combined, it goes a long way towards accomplishing your retirement objectives. Whether you decide to stay where you are or move abroad, remember, paradise is where you decide it is. I can only hope that some of my blog articles can help to motivate and guide you through the many necessary steps toward a more relaxed and stress-free lifestyle, wherever your chosen paradise may be.
I hope you will visit my blog where I continue to share my experiences and ideas about expatriation. My goals now are to get you thinking about it. But you first must commit to the idea that you too can make it happen.
I really enjoyed this article. It helped me realize I can retire now! I hope to be fully retired by this time next year. I'm setting my goals and plans in motion now.
Don't forget to check out my blog Retired in Samar for more info about planning and the motivation to escape.
Great advice from experience! Really liking what you're posting! Keep it comin'! Enjoyed.
You can still write the good posts. We may be seeing you pretty soon. You know it all depends on the Space A flights. If we do end up there, we'll probably be wanting to send a balikbayan box.
Even if you get here, you might not even know how much time you will have here.
Hey Retired! Thanks for the interesting post. Very informative and encouraging. I recently moved to Thailand, where I'm semi-retired -- or maybe unofficially retired. The great thing is that I can now finally get my writing career off the ground -- On Steemit! I never had the skills or energy to promote / sell myself as a freelance writer, but now, with Steemit, all I have to do is write well, post it, and curate other content.
It sounds like you too are comfortable in your SE Asian home. Best of luck, and keep producing worthwhile content.
I remember my visits to Thailand back in the mid 80's. Enjoyed every waking moment there (I didn't sleep much). These days though, I'm in the "Relax" mode and still ejoying SE Asia as much as ever. Follow!?