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That's the way to look at retirement, as the start of something you've been, up to this point in your life, warming up for.

Don't look at retirement through eyes that see only negative aspects. We all knew about and expected the transformation from hectic hysterical moments under pressure from what seemed to be a never ending cycle of work days with not enough hours in them, to the sometimes deafening silence of peace and quiet within the boundaries of your own home.

No one said it would be easy to replace the hustle and bustle of the daily grind, with the relentless search for something else to do to enable you to survive till lunch time!

Approach retirement more as a bicycle ride along beautiful country lanes enjoying the sounds and smells of nature as you meander along your way, and not as one of the road-hogs in the fast lane, who see nothing but the tail end of the vehicle in front and getting heady on exhaust fumes that are just the taste of worse to come when they reach the traffic jam in town.

Retirement is a winding down, a shifting of cogs into that lower gear, get rid of the carbon monoxide commuting and say hello to the serenity of retirement, the cycling stage of life.

To get you in the right frame of mind, let's do a simple exercise, let yourself drift back to the moments in your working life when things were going wrong, the times when all you thought about was throwing in the towel, dropping everything and just walking away.

Hey! well now you can! and not have to consider the consequences because there aren't any, you've earned it, you've paid your dues now relax and enjoy the benefits.

It is to be expected that there will be times when you reminisce, there will be small bouts of depression, so what! get over it the same way you did when you were faced with problems in your working life, you're still the same person with the same determination. Don't forget; you're now in the cycling stage of life, if you do happen to fall off, maybe you'll scuff your knee, or hurt your pride, if so, take a break, there's no pressure on, you have all the time in the world, re-group and continue with the journey of retirement.

There will come a time when you can leave it all behind you, although there will also be times (hopefully not many) when you shake your head at the way the younger generation go against all the business rules you were ever taught, and still succeed, that's called progress!

Now's the time to think of all the things you ever dreamed of doing, and go ahead and do them. Make a list, write your dreams down and number them, then tick them off one by one as you achieve your lifetimes desires.

e.g.

Buy those roller blades that you always had your eye on (but don't forget the pads!)

Take your loved one for that spontaneous walk in the rain.

Go and book that cruise that you never before had the time for.

Write that book that you always knew was lurking within you.

This is the start of your new life, so grab it by the throat and live it for all it's worth!