The Retirement Newsletter: Retired for half a year? That can’t be right.

Issue Number: 174 (27) — where has the time gone?

Photo by Author — a flower at my local country show

Welcome

Welcome to issue 174 (27). This week, I look back on the first six months of my retirement. I cannot believe it has been six months since I retired; the time has passed so quickly.

The first six months

The journey started with looking forward and staring into the void. In that issue of the newsletter, which I wrote just before I retired, I outlined four things I wanted to address — health, money, starting a paid newsletter, and travel and holidays.

In the next issue of the newsletter (OK — this is it, my first week of retirement), I looked at the ten things I said I would do on the first day of my retirement. I came up with this list back in November 2021 when I was still dreaming of retiring — 10 things I am going to do on the first day of my retirement.

So, how am I going with these?

Health

My concerns about my weight turned out to be well-founded.

I started my retirement with the clear goal of losing some weight. Things were going well, but then a routine blood test revealed that my weight was a serious issue, and I needed to drop quite a few pounds.

My original aim was to lose about 10 kg (about 22 lbs, or just over a stone and a half) in the first year of retirement. As I said in looking forward and staring into the void, this would be tricky due to my commitments. However, the blood test’s ‘wake-up call’ and the subsequent chat with my doctor have spurred me into action. I have now set a more ambitious goal.

I will write more about my weight loss journey in later newsletters. Since I am focused on losing weight, I will wait until I have reached my goal to tell you what I have done.

Money

I thought that money would be a worry, and so far, it hasn’t. I am not ‘flush with cash’, but the situation is manageable and is working.

In issue -0.5 — Have I lost 12% of my pension? — I wrote about my huge pension scare. It looked like I had lost 12% of my pension. HR saved the day, and I am receiving the pension I thought I would get.

My plans for extra income from side hustles have not gone to plan, and they have not brought in any money. You can read and see more about how things are going with my side hustles at The Retirement Side Hustle.

Paid Newsletter

I started a paid newsletter called The Retirement Side Hustle, which, as the name suggests, is about setting up side hustles in retirement.

I am enjoying producing the newsletter, but it is making no money.

I give it a year and then decide what to do.

Travel and Holidays

As I said in looking forward and staring into the void, I love travelling (see Travel — Nostalgia Corner below and Nick’s Wanderings).

I have no fixed travel plans, apart from my travels being UK-based. I am still trying to complete the Thames Path and will start the Pilgrims’ Way shortly. I will write about the walks when I have completed them on my Travel Blog.

The list of ten

As I discussed in OK — this is it, my first week of retirement, I had hit the majority of the ten items:

1. Have a leisurely breakfast — I didn’t do it on my first day, but I did manage a leisurely breakfast later in the summer.

2. Delete all Microsoft products from my computer and phone — This is still a yes and no. Although my desktop machine does not have Microsoft programs, they are still lurking on my phone. Do I miss Word, PowerPoint and Excel? The simple answer is no. The free Apple versions are just as good, if not better.

3. Not look at work email — I didn’t on the first day, but I have since. (I have an honorary position at the university, so I occasionally check my work email.) My work email account is like a ghost town….

4. Stare out of the lounge window for 10 minutes — Did it. But it wasn’t the lounge, it was my office. I still do take time to stare out the window. I find it strangely relaxing.

5. Go for a long walk and not feel guilty that I am out walking on what would have been a workday — Did that. But, even now, when I am out walking mid-week, I still feel guilty and think I should be working.

6. Do not look at my to-do list — My work to-do list has been replaced by an ‘everyday’ to-do list. Win some, lose some!

7. Not look at my watch — I still keep looking at my watch. It is very difficult to break habits built up over many decades.

8. Meet a friend for a very lazy lunch — Did that, and still do that. It’s great.

9. Go to the cinema in the afternoon — I still haven’t done this one, but as winter approaches, I may go to the flicks on a rainy afternoon.

10. Sit by a river, eat ice cream, and watch the world go by— This is now a weekly event without the ice cream. I sit by the river with a cup of tea. It’s great.

So, overall, things are going great. (Famous last words.)

Conclusion

I haven’t achieved everything I hoped to do in the first six months, but overall, I would describe it as a success. I am having fun and enjoying my retirement, and I am thrilled. I would describe that as a great result.

This week in the Retirement Hustle

This week in The Retirement Side Hustle, I look at how to do Faceless Video Creation - from prompt to final slides.

In the video, I show how I take a series of prompt slides to a deck of slides ready to use in a faceless video.

The Retirement Side Hustle Newsletter is subscription-based. However, each video comes with a free minute or so that allows you to confirm the content, and if you take out a free subscription, you get full access to one edition.

Travel — Nostalgia Corner

This week, more stories from my time in Laos:

• Laos — Motorbikes in Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos - More on motorbikes in South East Asia

• Laos — The death of my faithful travel umbrella - A sad, sad day

• Laos — Mount Phousi, Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos — part 1 of 2 - Visiting a local tourist attraction

• Laos — Mount Phousi, Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos — part 2 of 2 - Finally, at the top

• Laos — Khmu Restaurant & Spa, Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos - Evening dinner

• Laos — Night Market, Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos - Not a local’s market

Next week, stories from my trip to Luang Prabang’s countryside.

Next week

Next week, in issue 175 (28), I will examine retirement and the changing seasons and explore whether retirement is life’s autumn (fall).

Thanks

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If you want to say 'thanks' to the newsletter, why not buy me a cup of tea?

Until next time,

Nick

PS: If you would like to contribute a story, give advice, or provide anything else to the newsletter, please get in touch.