Would anyone like to share their pitfalls of early retirement

[LetterOfTheLawFella]

Dh and I are both early 50s and looking to retire within the next 5 years. Other than not having enough money to live on (!) what other factors have negatively impacted your early retirement? Just want to be able to balance the positives.

It's a privilege to be able to spend your days doing the things that make you happy. I found working limiting.

Years ago I read an article that really stayed with me. It had the idea that there are 5 things you need to do to be happy in life.

They were -
Avoid introspection
Embrace change
Live now
Be a leaf on a tree (i.e. connect with other people in some way that works for you)
and
Develop a passion - that passion can be a cause or a hobby. In my experience people who have a hobby/passion that gives them joy are healthier and happier, be it gardening, golf, knitting or dog walking.

These five principles are a great foundation for retirement. Well, for life really.

Very helpful, thanks @BunnyBetChetwynnd

Spending large parts of your days watching TV and reading is limited imo when you’re only in your forties and you have another 30-40 years ahead of you.

We’ll have to agree to disagree on this one.

I retired early about five years ago and DH still works at a very demanding job. I get a bit lonely at times although I have lots that I do. Once he retired in 2 years time we have plans to do more travelling and weekends away. We have sufficient money to do all these things though.

Retirement isn't linear though. Perhaps your neighbour is just quietly recovering from a lifetime of work and commitments. Maybe, in a year or two, when she's recovered her mojo she'll have the energy to fill her life with other things. Maybe she'll just love what she does and contentedly read her way through libraries of books - perhaps she's waited her whole life to have the opportunity to do just that.

I definitely found that when my working life stopped it took me a while to clear the head space I needed to let other things flood in. When you're in the thick of work you have no idea what you're capable of outside of that sphere.

One person's 'limited' is another's utter fulfillment. Nobody else needs to understand that fulfillment to make it be the case.

I'm not going to share the details of her life online obviously but what I will say is you're way off track with a lifetime of work and commitments

My opinion of what constitutes a limited life is simply my own opinion, nothing more. I'm glad you're enjoying your retirement, I hope I will too when I feel work is no longer fulfilling.

I'm sure many people love the idea of this but it's my vision of hell. Would be lovely not to have to worry about paying the mortgage etc but I couldn't drift around with no focus for 30-40 years.

How to be happy... "Avoid introspection"!!!
So basically, don't think.

@BunnyBetChetwynnd

I really agree with this - this is exactly how I feel right now, 3 years in. After a very full-on working life, where other people always had a call on my time, I'm revelling in my time being utterly and completely my own.

If that means doing fuck all some days, ten it's totally enjoyable and permissible!

I don't imagine it will always be like this, but for now, it's perfect.

There's a lack of people to hang out with Mon-Fr 9-5

Sorry @BunnyBetChetwynnd, I meant to quote this from your post, but somehow it got deleted:

Retirement isn't linear though. Perhaps your neighbour is just quietly recovering from a lifetime of work and commitments. Maybe, in a year or two, when she's recovered her mojo she'll have the energy to fill her life with other things. Maybe she'll just love what she does and contentedly read her way through libraries of books - perhaps she's waited her whole life to have the opportunity to do just that

I agree. If I had retired at such a young age I'd be looking for really interesting things to fill my day with, but that's probably the result of the life I lead and the job I do - I enjoy being busy, meeting new people and learning new things. Th thought of pottering for 30-40 years doesn't appeal at all.

Each to their own @SirChenjins , each to their own.

DH retired the year DD2 started school. I'm a SAHM.

I think it worked for him because having school age children helped give structure, he generally came on the school walk (except when it was raining).

However but more importantly he took up a 'hobby' that now he does 4x a week which gives him social time with other men and more structure.

I won't 'retire' until DD2 is fully independent / moves out.

Too young in your fifties, 30+ years (hopefully, unfortunately death just after people retire are quite common) of boredom or worse free childcare, no thanks. I have a serious disability, 52, wouldn’t dream of retiring yet, although I only work part time, when I am well enough to do so. Perhaps if you were extremely wealthy and could travel the world in luxury that could be an option.

That's what the 'agree to disagree' means here @Soontobe60

My FIL retired at 57 and now, aged 84, still talks frequently (every time we visit) about things he did as part of his working life. Maybe that means he retired too early? I think you do need to make sure that you replace work with stuff you're really interested in.

@Roselilly36 I agree, retiring at 50 with potentially 40 years ahead of you to fill would be much too early for me. Late 50s or very early 60s seems about right.

In my previous clinical role I was desperate to retire or get a way out as it became hideous. However now I've switched careers (related but different) I enjoy work, learning new things, meeting new people, challenges. I'm nearly 50 and expect to be working until mid 60s. I am now tired but no way could I contemplate a retired life from mid 50s like my mum did.

I will try and go part time in a few years though so I can pursue hobbies and travel more. Currently I'm a bit knackered with full time hours and I'm sacrificing doing exercise as a result.

When I do retire I'll still do a bit of part time work, maybe a bit of what I'm doing now or work in a garden centre, national trust place. Pottering about full time isn't for me. My parents often say they're busy but they're actually spending ages doing the stuff that the rest of us fit in to our normal lives. Ditto a lot of sahp who have kids in school. There's no way anyone spends that much time "running a house".

DH retired at 60. He's massively into angling so he spends a lot of time doing that.

I started a new job and hated it, so I left and kind of retired by stealth, mid fifties. We have both done some consultancy work and the rest of the time I go to the gym, take DS to college and meet with friends who either work PT or are SAHMs. I will continue to do consultancy here and there and we both have elderly parents that are starting to take more of our time.

No pitfalls here, it's wonderful! I thought after a short break I would take up part time work or volunteer but I really love the freedom of not being tied to any work schedule at all.

Time seems to have slowed down too. The week used go so fast at work and then weekends busy doing all the other stuff, barely having time to just enjoy life.

Weeks, months, years absolutely flew by but now it's all slowed down and I can appreciate each day for what it is even if it's just a leisurely read book in the garden afternoon, cheese and wine at tapas time and a late dinner with no need to set the alarm. Bliss.

Retired 3 years ago at 49 but I do have a few jobs I do from time to time (stewarding at local football club, exam invigilation). I don't regret retiring at all. Currently unwell so no need to ring in sick and no pressure to return. No stress at all (previous job was awful). Love my life.

I don't read it like that @YukoandHiro but I suppose it's possible to do so. I regrettably don't have the original article, but it was clear not to suggest you simply stop thinking.

When I read the article suggesting 'Avoid introspection' I was incredibly busy, recently bereaved (both parents and my best friend) and in a spiral of overthinking which was screwing up my days. I read introspection as avoid overthinking and overanalysing things that were unhelpful - regrets, wallowing in self pity, conversations I wished I'd had etc. I found it very helpful at that time. It broke me out of an unproductive cycle and made me think about the past in a productive way and focus on the now and the future. Helpful traits to move life along out of a difficult patch.

Since I've retired I've spent an awful lot of time thinking - studying drawing, learning a new language (I'm just about to start another course in a new language), learning about the organisation in which I volunteer (including a a whole new world of safe-guarding), learning to cook and eat healthily and learning widely around my main hobby which is gardening. I've also travelled widely and bought, renovated and sold three houses.

So basically, a lot of thinking.

Thing is, I have found a big difference in my energy levels between my early 50s and my late 50s. Early 50s I had a teenage son, caring for elderly parents , full on job, running around but no problems with it . Six years later, elderly relatives sadly passed and DS is self sufficient - but frankly I've had enough of working now . I want to concentrate on my physical health and enjoying myself .

At 61 I'm desperate to retire but am so worried about running out of money. No mortgage but living alone I'm just not sure how much I should have behind me.