Over 50, how do I make a new life after retirement and empty nest ?
My Boomer Tips
This may be the weirdest question ever asked by me, but my heart is sad & I am lonely &I feel so isolated & don't know where2 turn. So I'll take suggestions from people who have been here & done that. I am 56, a recently retired elem teacher & was a single parent from 1985-1997. So I was so busy I thought when the kids left the nest I would B content. I am miserable. I have no family, no friends, they were all at school & my kids have flown the coop very far& emotionally 2. I am a very outgoing person & love people, but I've never really had 2 make friends because I was always involved in soccer mom & in school extremely involved in extracurriculur activity. I am stuck & feel like the whole world hates me, but it is just because I don't belong 2anyone or place anymore. 1 contingency is that I have a strong leader personality & when I join groups, like my intuitive daughter says, I am a leader not a follower. I also have CFIDS so have about 1/2 power and little money.voluteer no
CFIDS means one has very very little energy . I can't even drive 30 miles to our next door neighbor big town and when one doesn't have money, they can't travel.
It sounds like even though you retired, you still have a lot left to give. If you are still interested in teaching, why not tutor kids? You can make your own hours and use your experience to make some extra money.
When you were working, and extremely busy, what did you dream of doing, but didn’t have the time? Did you ever want to watercolor, do pottery, pick up a new sport? Try getting active — go to the health club and even do some group classes. You’ll get good exersize and you’ll meet people. If you like running, start training for a race in the future. You could also join a running club that trains for events together.
How about gardening? I don’t know if you have much space, but gardening is really rewarding. Some cities have gardens where they plant lots of flowers and vegetables and it takes work to keep these up.
If you are so inclined and able, how about considering being a foster mom? That’s a huge committment, but they need families that are able to take newborns for a few months until they can be adopted.
I’m pretty sure you said no volunteering, but with your skills, so many different organizations could use you…
Good luck — if you live near me we could go for coffee!
You could think about going back to school, of all things!, as a student…take some classes in areas that interest you but you never had time to develope fully. Travel with a like minded group could be a good way to start a new circle of friends also. Good luck I am sure you will find your way back to a busy and fulfilling life.
Sounds like you have wonderful qualities to work part time at a school. I know that our Middle school and High School where I live are in desperate need of people to work, even if for only a few hours two or three days a week helping out, answering phones, calling parents, scheduling conferences etc.. Since you already have teacher experience you probably are shaking your head.. "yes, I know". The truth is, THEY NEED YOU… and I’m sure they’ll gladly take any time you can offer. But if you just need to chat you can email me at: smackyalater@yahoo.com… I’m 45 and a mother of three teenagers!
you have a life to live…thats it….its the greatest gift that you must enjoy…dont worry if you dont have someone with you…if you want i can be your friend…you can email me…marie_ann_24@yahoo.com…enjoy life…your lucky enough to have your life…look at other people…