A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I’ve done a lot of ruminating in the last 9 months. I’ve come to a few conclusions. I’d like to share those with you now.
The weird thing about retirement is suddenly you have a lot of open space in your calendar. Your days are not blocked out for you. The first few months I was traveling a lot, and it was sort of like being on vacation all the time. Not that I’m complaining! However, during the “vacation time” and now that we’re settled down a bit, I’ve observed that I’m not near so disciplined as I used to be. I think when I was working outside the home it was imperative that I be more organized about every aspect of my life. Christmas shopping? Done on Labor Day weekend. Vacation planning? Used my credit card miles, and those miles were attained strategically. This year? A different story all together. Last Christmas I was the most disorganized and the latest I’ve been in years when it came to shopping and planning. Now, everything got done, and I can’t remember a Christmas I’ve enjoyed more, in that I was relaxed. If things didn’t go perfectly, I didn’t get upset. It was what it was, and we had a great time. What a gift! Thank you, retirement!
However, there is not the same rhythm to my days as when I was working. A certain amount of routine is welcome, I think. For instance, I’ve gained back half of the weight I had lost prior to retiring. I really worked hard at losing that weight. But, if you’re home much more than you used to be, and you’re incredibly happy and relaxed, you’re easily distracted by the fridge since you walk by it many more times a day! I’ve realized that I don’t really have a plan for my days now. And, if I get a little bored… Sure, I usually take the dog for a walk. I sometimes have lunch with a friend. I certainly unload and load the dishwasher. The laundry is done. But, I’ve enjoyed my freedom so much that I’ve let some things go.
So, deep breath. I’m going to try to have a little more structure to my days. And to start, I’m going to come up with a plan of eating again. I’m going to tackle this part of my planning regime first, because I want to undo the damage I’ve done to my previous plan. It’s depressing that I have gained back some of the weight, no matter how happy I was when I was doing it! My new plan is to get back to meal planning and having a more specific list when I go the grocer. And, tracking my meals. Yep… that definitely needs to happen!
Have any of you been through this? You know exactly how to do what you NEED to do, but you get distracted and suddenly, you’re not doing it! I’ll keep you posted. I appreciate any and all suggestions from you, my friends. Maybe we can help each other achieve whatever we are working on? I’m in! Share with us any pearls of wisdom you may have. I’d love to glean wisdom from you all!
Until next time, start planning whatever it is that floats your boat! Just thinking about it gets me excited for the future!!!
Honey, Let Me Tell You 