Okay, so I stumbled upon this “12 Commandments of Retirement” thing, and I thought, “Why not give it a shot?” I mean, I’m not retiring anytime soon, but hey, it’s never too early to, you know, think about these things, right?
So, I started by, like, actually reading the list. It wasn’t some complicated financial jargon, thankfully. It was more like… life advice. Stuff about staying active, keeping your mind sharp, finding purpose, and all that good stuff.
The Experiment Begins
I decided to try and follow these “commandments” for a week, just to see what would happen. Kind of like a mini-retirement simulation, I guess.
- Staying Active: This one was pretty easy. I already go to the gym a few times a week, but I added in some extra walks. Just, you know, strolling around the neighborhood, enjoying the sunshine. Felt good, actually.
- Keeping My Mind Sharp: Okay, this was a bit trickier. I tried doing a crossword puzzle each day. Let me tell you, those things are harder than they look! I also started reading a book instead of just scrolling through social media before bed. Big improvement, I must say.
- Finding Purpose: This one was a bit… existential. I’m not sure I “found my purpose” in a week, but I did start thinking about what I really enjoy doing. Like, what makes me feel good? What am I passionate about? Started writing, so you can say this blog is my purpose.
- Social Connection: Called an old friend I haven’t talked to in ages. We chatted for like an hour. It was awesome.
- Financial Planning: This part is not that interesting, so just some boring and tedious daily budgeting.
- Health Check: Got all check up and stuff, and that was boring.
- Letting Go of Work Stress: Tried to leave work at work, and do not keep working when get home.
- Embracing New Experiences: Tried a new recipe, and the food cooked was really delicious.
- Giving Back: Donated some old clothes to a charity.
- Simplifying Life: Cleaned out a closet, and found some old intersting stuff.
- Expressing Gratitude: Made an effort to say “thank you” more often.
- Living in the Moment: Paid more attention to the little things, like the taste of my coffee, the smell of the rain… you get the idea.
The Results (So Far)
Honestly? It was… nice. I felt more relaxed, more focused, and just generally… better. It’s like I gave myself permission to slow down and appreciate things a little more.
I’m not saying I’m going to follow these commandments religiously from now on, but it definitely made me think about how I want to live my life, both now and in the future. It’s like a little reminder that there’s more to life than just work, work, work. And that’s something we all need to remember, whether we’re retired or not.
