I’ve now been retired for six months. I started writing this blog post sitting in my garden on the warmest March day since 1968. I took the feature photo in Regents Park on my first trip out for over 3 months. I’m living the dream.

I had originally planned to retire on my 62nd birthday which is now only days away. I took the decision to go earlier as virtual working after a lifetime of a people focused career (nurse, midwife, trade unionist) was not for me. I was fortunate that I could make that decision.

But it hasn’t been easy. My original plan would have been kicked off in longer, warmer days with summer just around the corner. I would no longer have to spend the best of a British summer at a desk looking forward to the joys of the London Underground. A glorious week followed by a rainy weekend would not be the biggest disappointment.

Instead my retirement kicked off with the wettest October since 1797 followed by tiers and lockdowns. An unprecedented period in all of our lives.

But I have got through it. It hasn’t been particularly easy but at the same time I’ve no regrets. It just isn’t what I thought it would be. Maybe I over planned. And when those plans started to not feel right I wobbled. I always knew that there would be some bumps along the way but I had anticipated that the bumps would be me missing work. But strangely enough I don’t. However, I’ve still finding the transition into retirement challenging.

One of the big questions for me is do I want to stay retired? I know at the current time I don’t want to be an employee but do I want to be self employed? After all that was the original plan. But I started to become uncertain.

From talking over my concerns with friends an offer came my way from an experienced coach. Working with him over the last few weeks has brought some clarity back into my life. I’m getting there. I’m feeling more relaxed. And the uncertainty about setting up a business is slowly evaporating to be replaced by excitement and apprehension.

One thing that he suggested I do was to list my achievements. Hands up I misunderstood. He was expecting my achievements during lockdown. I produced a lifetimes worth. But it was an enlightening experience. By the time I’d listed my professional and academic qualifications, my career, the places I’d visited, the mountains I’d climbed, the weight I had lifted, the articles I had written, surviving open heart surgery I was feeling quite accomplished. I even thought that if I died tomorrow I’d have led a good, purposeful life.

But hopefully I’ll live past Easter so there is more to come.

Retirement is a strange experience. It needs to be planned for but at the same time remaining open to those plans being changed. Much as people now embrace a portfolio career could not the same approach be applied to retirement. After all I spend over 40 years working. A lot changed during that time. My retirement may not be as long but it will change. It will evolve. And that is very exciting.

I’m now not so wobbly. I’m looking forward to what the future will bring. I am planning. I’m also a little scared. But just like Eleanor Roosevelt I do believe that it is outside your comfort zone that amazing things happen.

Bring on the next 6 months.