Top 6 Reasons We All Need CHALLENGES in Early Retirement
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- čas přidán 16. 06. 2024
- Early retirement is often seen as a time to relax and enjoy life, but without new goals and challenges, it can quickly become unfulfilling. Here, I explore how facing and embracing challenges can lead to a more vibrant, satisfying, and purposeful retirement.
As part of my 2024 early retirement goals I am preparing to complete the 80 miles Dales Way multi-day trek, and during this planning it has caused me to consider just how important challenge is to our early retired lives.
In this video, I discuss:
Mental Sharpness: Keeping your mind active and engaged to prevent cognitive decline.
Sense of Purpose: Finding meaning and fulfillment through new goals and endeavors.
Personal Growth: Encouraging continuous learning and self-improvement.
Building Resilience: Developing the strength to handle life's ups and downs.
Enhanced Well-being: Boosting overall happiness and satisfaction by pursuing passions.
Personal Identity: Ensuring that we develop as individuals as well as an early retired couple.
Join us as I delve into these compelling reasons and share practical tips for integrating challenges into your retirement life. Whether it's picking up a new hobby, volunteering, or setting fitness goals, we'll show you how to make the most of your golden years.
We are Richard and Jackie and we live in the UK. We retired from teaching at the age of 51 in the summer of 2022. Our plans for early requirement include relocating to the Yorkshire Dales, developing our forever home and travelling the UK, Europe and eventually the world in our VW campervan Nelson.
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Check out our blog earlyretirementwanderlust.com
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Many thanks,
Richard & Jackie
Timeline:
00:00 The importance of Challenges in early retirement
01:36 Why do we need challenges in early retirement?
01:43 Maintain Mental Sharpness
02:15 A Sense of Purpose
03:27 Promoting Growth and Personal Development
04:28 Building Resilience
05:24 Enhancing Overall Wellbeing
06:17 Personal Identity
Thanks Richard and very timely subject for me. We retired and sold up in February. We now live in our van whilst be wardens on a very small campsite in southern Scotland. It has felt like an extended holiday.However I feel the need to utilise my time more effectively. We have worked well as a team however we now feel the need to look at how we can also pursue our own interests. I think early retirement also presents a challenge around transition from work identity. For me this also included selling up, leaving a MRT team after nearly 20 years and all the training and comradeship around that too. Working through those transitions is also important to do. Good luck with the walk and having done a few long distance challenges in the past the miles will fly by! Thanks Dave
Thanks for this comment David. We love the idea of looking after a campsite in the future- it seems a really good blend of doing what we love, meeting like minded people at the same time as paying some of the bills!!!
I think that we were quite lucky with the transition as we had the house renovation project and management to keep us occupied. This is our first year of true early retirement with a complete blank slate with no projects to keep our identity. We both recognised that although we love our time together more than anything, we also need to make sure that we have time to pursuit our own interests. It's an odd feeling, as when we were in work, we didn't have time to think about ourselves😂
Good luck with the retirement. R
That’s brilliant Richard! Looking forward to watching the vlog! 🥾🥾
Thankyou - 🤞its out on Sunday 🥾
Thanks Richard.
You are quite welcome. R
Good luck Richard…look forward to the video
Many thanks...just need to edit it all together now😂
Evening both really pleased your exposing the high price site's.
Not fair what some are charging for just a pitch
All the best love your channel John and Linda
Hi you two- since we put out the video we have had a few comments about the ever increasing prices of campsites in the UK...and we don't think that it is just us looking back at the past with rose tinted spectacles😂 We have heard that one campsite in Port Isaac is charging £87 per night for a family of 4 campervan pitch. It's pretty shocking and pretty sad. We accept people need to make a living, but it feels like there is a bit of profiteering going on.
Thankfully for us travelling out of season these days, we can avoid these costs.
Thanks for the comment. 👍
Looking forward to this 👍
Thanks Tony👍
Totally agree with all your thoughts and look forward to seeing how you get on. My wife and I do a great deal together in retirement but it's important to do things apart. This year she's doing a cycle tour and I'm climbing on Skye. We'll have loads to chat about after. Did the Dales Way in it's very early days after my A Levels way back in 1978 - expect it's changed a bit.
Not changed one bit...I was a bit younger than you in 1978😉 The Dales Way was spectacular and l absolutely loved it.
One of the best things about early retirement is the time that we now have together and the time for each other. But...it is good to do lots of other things and you are right- it gives us loads to chat about (although I think Jackie is already bored of my rabbiting on😂)
Have a good one. R
@@earlyretirementwanderlust Surely not😉
Thanks Richard. Love this. I have taken early retirement at 60 from the NHS and currently thinking of goals and challenges in my new found freedom. Great, inspirational video. Good luck , enjoy and i look forwatd to watching your feature vid when done. Safe travels !
Thanks for these kind words Allison. I only hope that you love early retirement as much as we do. We absolutely loved our jobs and what we did on a day to day basis- but we love even more the freedom that our early retirement brings.
Have a good one. 👍 R
Richard. Good luck on your Dales Way trek. It passes near where I live and many of my friends have walked it. I have only done a few short sections as part of other walks. I will look forward with interest to your report. Phil
Thanks for this Phil. We are both really lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world. Even so, I feel really blessed to have found some areas I didn't even know existed right on my doorstep! R
Richard I am all ears and eyes for all you are sharing about personal challenges at this time of life. My husband is ahead of me on this as he dipped his toe into cycling 4 years ago and now it is a core part of his daily life and giving him so much happiness. I love walking but I’ve never done anything major. Later this year my daughter and I will be doing the Dales Way! Very excited for your next video!
Oh Sharon- you will absolutely love it (the walk...not necessarily the video😂).
My only advice would be to split the days up and make sure you don't have any mega 20mile+ days that pretty much broke me. I think that 6 days rather than 4.5 would have made it a much more pain free experience. I also struggled with the weight of full camping gear and food in the pack- with hindsight I would have done more heavy pack work in the lead up.
Have a fantastic time with your daughter- what an experience to share❤️
Have a good one. R
I do enjoy your pep talks Richard. I'm further along the retirement path and a bit of boredom has set in along with sore knees. We have a boat and a camper and they need to go/be replaced and we are partly looking after an elder with the start of dementia. Thanks for the reminder that it is still important to carve out some space/energy to do something interesting and challenging whatever stage we are in.
Hi Denise- thanks for your really positive comment. I'm pretty sure that the aches and pains in joints is heading my way!
It's never easy adapting to our ever changing roles in life, but we always some how manage to get by...I guess that is the benefit of life experience? Good luck with the care-giver role...but remember to look after yourself as carers are often overlooked.
Take care🙏 R
Hi Richard loving yours and Jackie’s videos. Think it would be good if you could do one about how you take the video shots and edit them to get to the final piece. Some of us would love to improve how we collect and collate our memories.
Hi Karen, a good idea, but not something we would ever profess to having nailed down as yet...not sure it is something that you ever truly feel happy with. There is always something new to learn and that is why it is such a great hobby! My top advice would be just to keep producing and checking our CZcams for tutorials on filming, cinematography, editing, etc
We will add the idea to our production list for the future.
Good luck with your filming. R
Totally agree with the points you have made here, a few more years into my early retirement from teaching but regularly set myself personal challenges - last year’s Summer challenge after returning from our Euro Spring trip was to walk OFFA’s Dyke in 10 days with my dog (hubby did van support) - just hope you enjoy your hike as much as I did mine (and that you have slightly better weather…..).
I met a lovely lady on the Dales Way who extolled the virtues of Offa's Dyke- it sounds beautiful...but also a long way. Not sure my experience would prepare me for a 10 day hike...perhaps in a few years time. I did however love my first experience of a multi-day hike and I will definitely back for more next year👍
Thanks for the comment. R
I love this challenge. I agree with you that even after retirement you need to keep challenging yourself, not only physical but also mental challenges to keep your self fit in both ways. That is why I keep reading ‘tough’ books but also study programming to challenge my creativity. Two years I joined a Byzantine Choir that has challenged me in studying Russian again and the orthodox liturgy music and stimulates my creativity in that respect.
Wow Nico- great effort with the choral and the language work- two things that would absolutely terrify me. It's just that little bit of stretch and stress that we all need...and the great thing is...it only applies to us as an individual.
So true that we have to look after the physical and mental side of things.
Take care, R.
We walked the Camino de Santiago as a challenge…. it’s pretty tough as we carried our own packs!
Wow...thats a heck of a challenge. After only 5 days I have newfound respect (and a bit of jealousy) for people who have undertaken such classic treks. Great effort! R
@@earlyretirementwanderlustit was in 2016 we were younger aged 57, we wouldn’t consider doing it now aged 65. It’s about matching ‘challenges’ to physical well being…. without overdoing it. Psychological challenge/resilience is great but physical challenges as we get older aren’t such a good idea- just steady maintenance of fitness/stamina. A lot of the research you cite though isn’t always based on an aged demographic…. and it’s a correlation not proven gold standard cause and effect research.
I followed your challenge on Instagram. Superb.
Thanks Alan...it was a heck of a ride😂 R
As I spent a lot of my working life’s, down time, doing different challenges I’ve gone for a different approach in semi retirement. Rather than take on new goals I joined the Sealed Knot. Although many aspects of this, on paper, are the same as things I’ve done before. It feels refreshingly different and I look forward to our demonstrations and battles around the country.
Good luck with your hike I hope you make lots of memories.
Two tips on keeping the brain function up in later life.
. Walking outside as this activates a lot of senses
. Lifting weights as each muscle fibre requires a separate message from the brain to move this means heavy weights require more brain activity as you use more fibres.
Thanks Rod- sound advice that is much appreciated. I love that you have joined the Sealed Knot- they used to gather at my old school for the battle of Nantwich weekend every year. They were such good people. Be careful in the battles- they look fearsome!
As a crossfit athletes in our previous life, we love a bit of heavy lifting😉👍
Have a good one. R
I circumnavigated the Isle of Wight this last summer with my hammock and pack. After six days of speaking to very few people and sleeping in the woods, I enter a very interesting mental state where I am just observing life and my mind has been completely quieted. I hope you find a similar space of calm and peace on your upcoming walk. It is something that sets a foundation for calmness when you return to the real world and real people.
Now that is a trek- but I absolutely get what you say. I have brought much more back from the walk than I took. I loved the solitude and I have definitely brought many positives back into my normal life.
Summing it up as a "quieter" mind is spot on.
Have a good one. 👍R
I can't wait to see how you got on! This is something I would love to do, but watching this has made me realise I subconsciously thought I can't do it on my own. Maybe I can? I'm hoping your vlog of the experience will show all those small practical things that have to be taken into account (toilets?! 😂) Maybe it will inspire the confidence I need to just do it! 🙂
This is exactly like I felt and I just kept falling down the CZcams rabbit holes that encouraged me to get on and do it.
I actually loved the solitude of the whole experience and it really helped to "quieten my mind". I think that I have come back a better person as a consequence.
Don't worry about the loos- they were pretty much in all villages. The main issue was resupplying food. Not many of the villages have places to eat or to get food and it was really hit and miss. I was glad I took all my food with me, although it made my pack a bit too heavy.
Keep thinking about it and the confidence will grow...although I was really anxious in the last few days leading up to departure...which just added to the experience. R
Thank you for this advice and thanks for sharing how anxious you were before you set off, I love the honesty! I will keep thinking about it 😁
I couldn't agree more with what you say in this video Richard. I'm currently in the middle of a challenge I have set for myself that I have called 30 in 30 under 30 - which means that I'm doing a 30 5k runs in 30 days and they must be under 30 minutes. I've also signed up for my first ever race, the 10k Settle Saunter on the 9th June - pop down and say hello if you are about, it would be good to see you both. Looking forward to the Dales Way video, it's also on my list of things to do.
Love this Andrew! That's a heck of a challenge! Not sure I could hit it with such consistency🤔 Good luck with the 10K- unfortunately we are away then...but more of that later.
Thanks as always for your kind support and words. 👍 R
This was our first LDW after 2 years of me being treated for cancer. It is a lovely walk, although I prefer the Dales highway. Look forward to seeing our back garden in your adventure 🥾🥾
Thanks for the comment and great effort on the walk and the recovery. We hope you are well? A lot of people talked about the high way on the walk, and it is defiantly something that I am tempted with...but not this year😂
Have a good one. 👍 R
Love the way you combine lifelong learning, personal development, challenge with having fun as part of your channel content.
Good luck with the hike, look forward to seeing the video!
Thanks for this lovely comment. We appreciate it's an eclectic mix of topics, but it is what we are interested in. We just need to keep finding people who care about the same things!
Have a good one. 👍 R
A very timely topic for me, 3 months into retirement!
Thanks Deborah- hope that you are enjoying your retirement? It can be a challenge, but for us it has been pretty fantastic too.
Have a good one. R
That is a very inspiring video. I am not yet retired but I am planning to retire on my 64th birthday (May 2025). I had a full hip replacement five weeks ago so I need to be realistic about what I can do when. I have decided to do the ‘walk 100km in June’. Good luck with the Dales Way 👍
I don't think that it matters what the challenge is...only that it is applicable and motivating to you. For me the Dales Way is defiantly a physical challenge, but also a bit of "coming home" and as Jackie kindly points out "finding myself" time. Having now done the challenge, I definitely value the non-physical aspects of what it entailed...even thought the physical was brilliant too.
Like your idea...100k is a long way, but broken down into manageable chunks is a bit easier. Hats off to you, not sure I could hack anything like that after major surgery. Good luck getting after it. 👍R
You should put a thank you button on your video so we can support your trek! Best of luck!!
Thanks Susan- it's just great to know that people are interested. There is no better accountably than letting people know what you intend to do.
Have a good one. R
You lost me when you mentioned Huberman. His early work on neuro science may have some validity but he's done nothing worthwhile for a long time. His most recent topic on back pain taken from Stuart McGills work is so inaccurate and clearly and obviously shows he has no idea what he's talking about is almost criminal. His anatomical knowledge is practically zero. And his personal life is nothing to shout about, he lacks morality and virtue.
I guess you are not a fan then😂
I will take your guidance on the inaccuracy of some of his views (which I was unaware of), but I do think that we need people like him to promote and push us to look into concepts such as mental health in a greater detail, and then make our own decisions.
Thanks for your input. 👍 R