Section 2 – Practicing for Retirement with Barbara Mock (Barbara's Amazing Retirement Journey)

We continue to follow Barbara Mock through her Retirement journey. For the next year, she is letting us live vicariously through her eyes, telling us what it’s like to go through the stages of Retirement.

For many people, traveling is one of the things they enjoy most about Retirement. Barbara took some time off of work and went on a little mini practice Retirement. She and her husband went on a trip to Priest Lake Idaho with some friends they have known for over 40 years and have kept in contact with. Everything sort of fell together last minute and she said it was magical and even thought to herself, is this what Retirement could be like?

Having fun with friends that they have known forever and ever kind of made her realize that maintaining friendships over a long period of time is really going to be something valuable to as we retire.

 After 3 days, their friends had to go back to work so Barbara and her husband dusted of their camping equipment went camping at Farragut State Park in Lake Pend Oreille. They hadn’t camped in the dirt for 20-25 years. They put up their tent, watched the stars, and had a romantic time. We talked about the next day where Barbara and her husband met a couple and shared a boat ride and a meal with them. What both of them learned is that you can make friends anywhere if you’re open to it.

Not only has she been practicing for Retirement, but Barbara has also been doing a lot of reading and research. She wants to plan for the emotional outlook of retirement but how it will impact her relationship.  Her husband is not as willing to research but will discuss it. During a 7-hour car ride on Barbara’s practice Retirement/ vacation, she learned a lot. She learned that her husband has sort of been putting his Retirement on hold waiting for her to retire and that he loves golf. Her husband had taken up a sport that Barbara loved and she wanted to make sure that she was taking interest in things he loves as well.

They have also been having conversations every day. There is an enormous amount of planning and preparation it is taking her to prepare. She had no idea how many checklists and things you need to get in order prior to Retirement. Social Security, financial planning, estate planning, medical insurance, social life, traveling, downsizing, or Moving, among many other decisions that have to be made.

Barbara does find it a little difficult to focus on work with her impending Retirement. Especially after her practice Retirement vacation. However, with work being very busy right now it helps her stay focused on her job.

Pretty much everyone at work knows by now that Barbara is retiring. Some offer advice and most tell her she will love it. Barbra did reach out to an old colleague who has been retired for about 10 years. What she told Barbara was amazing. It was so inspiring. She’s in her 70s her husband’s in her 80s. And she said, keep Moving, move, don’t become fragile. She and her husband have stand up paddleboards, they go kayaking, and they are avid snow skiers, they ski all over the world and in the US. She has a bike that she rides, she has an organic garden, and she does yoga and works out every morning! So that was her advice. Stay strong, exercise, and keep working out so that you can do the things in your Retirement that you want to do.

Have you thought about practicing for Retirement? Or if you have already retired, how did you prepare? Were there things that were surprising to you? Let us know in the comments below.

Read all of Barbra’s blog posts by visiting https://www.rockyourretirement.com/blog/

Episodes and websites Mentioned

This show is sponsored by https://CertifiedMedicareAgents.com.