But What Now?

This is it, you wake up in the morning and you don’t have to go to work. This is not just another day off, this is the real thing. You’ve turned in all of your equipment, including that pesky Blackberry and pager. There is nothing and no one you need to respond to. You are free.

Do you know what you’ll do? Ok, it is the very first day. It might feel completely exhilarating or maybe a little scary. If you’re asking the question, “what’s there to do?” you may be feeling apprehensive about how you’re going to spend the day without someone telling you what to do or without that repetitive task you’ve been performing for the last several months or years.

Are you alone today or is your life partner also no longer going to a job? Have you thought about what you wanted to do after you retired? Do you have any friends or relatives you can call and invite out to lunch or to take a walk with you?

But, wait, you say, “I want to spend the day blissfully alone and start to get to know myself.” Bravo for you, what a sweet way to begin the rest of your life.

Here you are, after having worked so many years, faithfully saving your money as best you could and dreaming about the day you no longer have to show up at the office. Now it’s time for you.

Imagining that today is the first day of my own retirement, I’ve put together a list of goals for the day.

1. Sleep in. When I get up, take a nice long bath and then luxuriate over a pot of tea and a light breakfast.

2. Go work out at the gym at 10 AM rather than my usual 5 AM. What joy!

3. If it’s a nice day, treat myself to a long walk in my favorite part of the city. Maybe I’ll go to Discovery Park or Broadway or the Sculpture Park. I have so many choices, it’s a good thing I have tomorrow, too!

4. If it’s cold and rainy, start a fire in the fireplace and curl up on my favorite chair with my darling cat and a book I’ve been wanting to read.

5. Make a date with my sweetie for lunch somewhere we’ve never been before.

6. Most importantly, accept and love myself, even if I don’t do any of these things on my list. Treat myself and others with kindness all day.

There is always tomorrow.