I have been retired for 15 years. When I stopped working the world was a different place than it is today. 9/11 was still 3 months in the foreseeable future. That event would shake up about everything just, including retirement. Financial planning and a certain predictability of how things worked well would change almost overnight. Well laid plans would be shaken to the core.

While still changing to a new world, our bodies experienced yet another huge shock just seven years later, with a recession that came to an financial meltdown close. It’s ripples remain being felt today. I possibly could argue that the contentious election cycle we are long lasting is part of this ripple.

Just because I had developed retired didn’t mean I used to be isolated from the twin shocks of the terrorist attacks and the financial mess we found ourselves. Actually, in looking back I think those events may experienced a greater effect on me mentally than if I were still obtaining a salary.

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• 25% Vanguard S&P 500 Index ETF (VOO)
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• No weightage was presented with to availability of security for credit service

I felt I had little control over my investments or economic wellness. I didn’t come with an obvious path back to generating more money. If the stock market or financial institutions began to fail I had been dependent on the government to make me (partly) whole at some undefined time in the future.

My house seemingly lost value with every passing week. I could see years of planning start to slip away. Luckily for me, that didn’t happen. I lost a bunch, on paper, and then rebounded within 4 years. The strain, worry, and time lost wondering what would happen was very real, however, not permanent. I know I used to be lucky. I learned an extremely valuable lesson that continues to pay dividends today: There’s always a path forwards. Even when events conspire against us, there is positive movement possible.

The surroundings, the trappings of your respective life, the area and type of life one lives may all change, and not always for the better. But, the freedom that is included with retirement, the ability to shape a full life that is satisfying, whatever the external circumstances, is a never-ending gift. The ability to not only survive, but prosper on the different route than the one planned for, is something I wish I understood after i first retired.

My life in 2016 is not the main one I envisioned in June of 2001. In fact, what turns me on today and maintains me motivated wasn’t even on my radar in the past. I could not need predicted how things are changing. I am aware what truly is important and makes me happy Now. If I had only known!