Retirement

Speaker: David Seah from Fei Yue Family Service Centre

Things to achieve before retirement

Financially Independent
1) Work as long as you can – No wonder the government asks us to work till the age of 82
2) Buy only what you need
3) Don’t become your children’s ATM
4) Cut bad habits
5) Don’t sell the house if it has been fully paid

Physically Healthy
1) Brisk walk – On the way to work, I saw this banner stating “A walk a day keep the fats away”
2) Tai-chi – and one should start young. My boss always advised me that haha.
3) Exercise regularly
4) Hobby to exercise the brain and body (Most importantly) e.g. Mah-Jong, Sudoku

Emotionally Stable
1) Do housework – kinda sounds like being a free maid but it is better than to mull around and do nothing at home. I always believe one’s mind is a powerful tool and can be manipulated easily. So if you just spend your time thinking, you will think too much and end up depressed if you fill your mind with depressing thoughts.

Socially Active
1) CC Activity
2) Karaoke
3) Dancing
4) Volunteer Work – actually I was wondering it would be an interesting scene to see a retired person helping someone of his/her age too. But then I remember there are indeed cases on it. Besides voluntary knows no age right?

How to enjoy retirement?
By building relationships. That means you have to invest in your
1) Spouse – Be a companion. And you should start when both of you are a young couple. This is tough in the real world though because everybody is just so buried with work that he/she allows work to consume him/her. Spouse, family, friends just disappear in the eyes of the workaholics.

2) Children – Be a consultant such that they will seek your help and advice. The speaker said it is because you depend on them when you get old. I thought it hard though because teenagers are rebellious. But I wonder is it because parents were naggy in the first place? Then the teenagers develop an aversion to confide to their parents. I remember a DJ once said, if you have a good relationship with your teenager, then there must be something wrong right? Of course she was kidding, I hope. I wouldn’t say I have the best relationship with my parents as I have the tendency to also show them my colours when I’m stressed and irritated (which is no excuse) but I hope to forever be my mum’s listening ear.

3) Friends – Have some close friends. Hmm reminds me to start finding my friends haha. Glad I have Facebook to find my lost friends too.. Recently a senior just found me… actually I’m quite shocked and happy to get back contact with him as we totally lost contact since we graduated. But sometimes Facebook makes me feel hollow… as in we spend so much time keeping contact virtually that we seem to have missed out the physical world of meeting face to face. Friends know that I no longer talk on the phone because I am just not accustomed to it anymore. That’s the effects msning and gchatting has done to me…

p/s: Thanks to my colleague for recounting the entire talk to me again as I had missed it. Ever so grateful.

pp/s: Adding on some pointers from an article I received from another colleague:

Growing Older is Mandatory, Growing Up is Optional

• We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.
• There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.
• We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!
  >> i-Weekly also mentioned about it.. A lot of us, are actually living dead. Sad but true. We let Habit, overcome us and refuse to accept Change warmly.
  
• Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.
  
• The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.'