How to Deal with Feeling Lonely after Retirement
Many people look forward to retirement. The good news is that retirement would mean a lot of free time on your hands. The downside is, for those whose past careers entailed very frenetic and long hours, the sudden change could be a rude awakening. The pressures of work and the daily routine would no longer apply. A lot of seniors would feel “useless” without a job that gives substance to their existence. Also, it is so easy to be cut off from friends, particularly those one has met in the course of his or her job or career.
Fighting off loneliness
There are a lot of emotions that could build up during retirement, but one of the primary is loneliness. This especially holds true for those whose spouses are no longer present in their lives — either dead or they have divorced. This also is emphatically true for those whose children are all adults and have moved on with their own lives. Here are some solid tips that should help ward off loneliness.
# Do volunteer work, get active in charities.
# Think of all the hobbies you’ve always wanted to pursue but could not during the time you were still working. You can now take the time off to go fishing. You can now catch up on your reading and probably join a book club.
# Travel, if you could afford it. Even if you are divorced, it should be fun. Cruise ship travel is an ideal venue to meet new people.
# Try moving in new circles, not necessarily those populated by your fellow seniors. Interacting with younger people could give you a pleasant surprise.
# Visit the grandchildren, or have them visit you. You can also offer to babysit for your grandchildren if they quite near to your residence.
# If you think you are suffering from depression, visit your doctor to find out how to deal with it. Your doctor would tell you if you need to take medication to combat your bouts of depression.
# Think of Norman Vincent Peale’s credo: positive thinking. The truth is, you could still do many activities you have been doing in the younger years. You just need to learn to be patient.
# Getting sick would also lead to depression and loneliness, thus maintain your medication. That includes proper diet, and, as much as possible, refrain from the vices (smoking or too much drinking).
# If you are always active, you would not have time to feel sorry for yourself. Get into swimming, golf, and other sports and activities.
Loneliness often comes to a retired individual, particularly if he/she has not prepared for it. It’s a good thing that so many things could alleviate this negative feeling: volunteer work, travelling, meeting new friends, pursuing new hobbies, etc. If you feel that loneliness is getting hold of you, keep yourself busy. Remember, you have paid your dues to the labor force, let the younger generation carry on the burdens.
Photo Credit : Scubabix
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