We get so busy living a life, planning the future; the present moment loses its vital importance. It is important to secure your future, it is equally necessary to carve and plan a lifestyle – your future self will thank you for. Much of life between the vivacious twenties and responsible fifties are spent in society-patterned life. You graduate with a well earning degree, find a job that mints money, get married, have kids, start building a nest egg as well as secure your children’s future. 

We plan well to secure financial well-being, medical emergencies and needs of retirement. What about planning for a retirement lifestyle beyond the numbers? Have you considered what it is you wish to do when you retire? The thought constantly lurks at the back of our mind. We constantly tell ourselves, we will cross that bridge when time comes to it. At present, something else is always a priority. Why should you not plan for the most coveted time right now? 

Three reasons why you should consider, sketching a plan of action for life post retirement. 

1. Distorting The Illusion

A lot of people, frustrated from their daily grind, build an imaginary castle for their retirement life. After all, it does start becoming a reality check as soon as responsibilities mount up, when the quarter life crisis hits you. Retirement is rosy, only if you have planned well, not just financially. In the fascination of a happy life, people often become destination addicts with the concept of retirement. But before you start eyeing that milestone, passing off time on the journey in anticipation, ensure you answer the question for yourself – What does retirement mean to you? How do you plan to spend your retirement days?

2.  Sense Of Purpose

Ikigai is not an unknown concept anymore. If you don’t know what Ikigai means – it’s the belief, Japanese have long relied on to live a long and happier life. One of the rules of Ikigai is to stay active and not retire. Does that mean you need to work even in your golden years? It means to ‘find your purpose’. Going beyond what and how you wish to spend your retirement years, driving an inside-out decision as to why you want to retire. Once you’ve answered that, you’ll be in a better headspace to map out your purpose to live actively in your retirement days. A slow yet sustainable life, one that is not a photocopy of each day, drowned in monotony. Retirement life could be spent on meaningful pursuits that stimulate mental, physical and social intelligence and lifestyle. These could be as simple as volunteer work, becoming part of like-minded community activities, honing a new skill or mentoring new age entrepreneurs.

3.  Milestones Make The Journey Rewarding

If you have an action plan, a bucket list you want to tick off, you will want to wake up each day and strive towards it. When you have your reason, a retirement plan of action in place, you know what you want to achieve and you’re unstoppable. You’re active physically, mentally and socially. Milestones boost self-esteem, eventually making you happy and cheerful and the journey rewarding. So what are the milestones you wish to mark off in your retirement days?