Living your best life and making every day count

At last, there is light at the end of the tunnel. A year after the first lockdown, we are all now feeling more optimistic about the future and about our plans for the year ahead. Life is different to what it was like in March 2020, but it has been a year to reflect on what is important as well as how to live our best life in retirement.

Did you know there are five stages of retirement? Here’s a guide to surviving all five stages.

Stage 1 – Before retirement

For many, this is the most important stage. Experts have concluded that the people who do more planning before retirement cope better with the transition to retired life. Whether it’s looking at the figures and setting up a retirement budget that will allow you to live comfortably, or deciding what your first holiday destination is going to be, taking the time to do some planning can make things a bit easier.

Stage 2 – The honeymoon period

This stage is the most fun – it feels like you are on holiday and you are enjoying not having to sit at a desk all day (or work outdoors in the unpredictable Scottish weather). Life is a ball. You are probably doing a lot of celebrating and seeing friends and family. This stage can be deceptive – retirement isn’t all parties and champagne! So enjoy the honeymoon period, but keep in mind that even the best parties end sometime.

Stage 3 – Back to reality

The excitement of retiring and the holiday feeling has worn off and, for many people, stage three is where they start to think “what now?”, which is completely natural. Depending how much planning you did in stage one, this bump might be small or large. You are dealing with a lack of structure and, for some, a loss of identity. But this is also the stage where life’s potential becomes clear – you can finally do what you want, unencumbered by limited hours and work obligations. Which leads to…

Stage 4 – Rebuilding

This is where you get to experiment and do some seeking. What do you want to do with your retirement? There’s a world of possibilities out there. Many people take up new hobbies or start volunteering with local worthy causes, others find a DIY project in their home or garden to get stuck into. When you are building your post-work life, remember to factor in socialising, staying fit and healthy and fun.

Stage 5 – Life goes on

Once you’ve reached this stage, you will have a pretty good handle on life as a retiree. You’ll have some kind of structure built, you’ll be spending time with loved ones doing things you enjoy, including learning new skills. Or perhaps you’ll be travelling the world, seeing all the things on your bucket list. So, how do you cope with stage five? Live it, and live it well! And, for some guidance and inspiration, take a look inside this supplement, which encourages you to live your best life!