“Let’s have fun!”This is Disney World’s mission statement, according to my sources. I believe that having fun after retirement is just one of our many hopes and dreams.
The embodiment of this is my family “have fun”Our Aunt Hannah, who was now a retired aunt, had the mandate. Aunt Hannah loved to play bridge and bake her chocolate nut squares. She also enjoyed treating her nieces and nephews to Broadway plays. “When did I ever have time to work?”It became a joke in the family that Aunt Hannah would be our first social planner before any family events could be planned. This was her role model for planning. “how to have fun and not be bored in retirement!”
Webster defines “fun”As “enjoyment or “amusement.” Well, that’s all well and good. But, in reality, one person’s idea of “Have fun” may be anathema to another’s. What’s important in retirement, is that you find your own “fun recipe” and determine those magic ingredients that blend together to form your perfect fun formula.
Let’s start with that secret wish that you’ve always had about something you would like to try. Your fun could start there. Then you could move on to somewhere you have always wanted to explore. Or someone whom you privately emulate and would even be in awe to experience, or even to meet, in person! Is your something square dancing, and your somewhere Nepal? Is your someone Prince Harry or Willie Nelson or the Dalai Lama?
One important ingredient to your own version of fun is your natural gifts. Now be realistic. If you had a rendezvous with a tree on your first (and only) ski trip, (and on the “kiddie slope!”)… If you fell off the horse during your first riding lesson… If the lifeguard had to jump in the pool to retrieve you from the shallow end… Then these may be activities that are fun to others, but not to you. And you probably need to rethink adding them to your own future fun bucket list.
Reading is my idea of fun. Also, I greatly enjoy writing and travel and learning and listening to music of every kind. But riding a Segway will forevermore be on my list of ways to make myself completely miserable, right up there with rock climbing and golf.
What about your personality? If you know in your heart of hearts that you’re somewhat of a loner, that you dread walking into a room of strangers, that you usually escape a cocktail party at the first opportunity, and that the very words “group” or “If the words “club” trigger anxiety attacks, you might be more comfortable at home watching a film, drinking wine, playing Words With Friends or solving Sudoku. You might find this familiar. Resist the temptation to plan a march on Washington for your favorite social cause.
A caveat… A caveat… Recognize that the moment is now YourIt is the best time of your life to discover what brings you joy, what excites you, and what you find fun.
No matter what it is, you should embrace it. It is your freedom to dance as though no one is looking. It’s a good idea to do this often.