You

sat through the long speeches, corny jokes, tonnes of fattening food; received

the standard watch, plaque and best wishes from your boss and former

co-workers. You are ready to ride off into the sunset and live your life

without an alarm clock for the first time in decades. Your home is yours, your

kids are grown and gone, and your spouse has a bucket list almost as long as

her 18-inch weave. Yup, you are on retirement, honey.

You finally have time on your hands to relax and do you, but suddenly you do not know where to start, as for decades you were so busy attending to everyone else’s needs that you forgot about taking time for ‘numero uno’. Well, there is no time like the present to pencil out some activities that sound look fun and go do it. As long as it is not super expensive, live a little and do not forget to take a lot of pictures to show everyone that life is a journey and not a destination.

Travel

This

is a must. They say expand your horizon and get a better appreciation for

somewhere else other than your home address. If you have the dough to make it

international, kudos to you. If you do not, find a parish you have never been to;

book yourself into an Airbnb and get to know the people in the nooks and cranny

of this blessed island where no one is really a stranger if you ask the right

questions.

Learn another language

You

are already bilingual (English and Patios), so why not add a third to it? Doing

it at your own pace is not as stressful as learning it in school to pass an

exam. You can go as slow and steady as you wish and then impress your friends

and family at some function later down the road.

Pick up a musical instrument

So

you always wanted to learn how to play the piano? Well, now is the perfect time

to tickle those ivories. Never put off what you have an inkling for.

Turn a hobby into an income stream

If

trimming your hedges is getting old pretty quickly, then why not explore that

hobby that you always enjoyed? Some of us are good bakers or chefs, so do it

and earn some extra bucks. If you are in retirement trust me, you can use all the

money you can get!

Volunteer

Get

involved in the business of giving back. Whether it be teaching remedial classes

or helping to feed the elderly, make a worthy contribution that at the end of

each day, puts a smile on your face.

Take up a new sport or activities

Give

those supplements something to work on. Do not go placidly on to the couch and

be glued to soap operas. Find a sport that is easy on the knees but full of fun

like power walking, zumba or gardening. Immerse yourself and get busy moving.

Make new friends

It

is always a good thing to be social, and the older you get the more you need

friends because as we age, we lose some good ones along the way. Join a club or

two or attend more church outings, and just strike up a conversation with

someone with a pleasant face or a friendly smile.

Life insurance

Make sure that all your life insurance policies and will are updated and in place. As you enter your golden years you need to ensure that financial matters are not left up to your loved ones to bicker over when you pass. Do your due diligence while all your marbles are not rolling around loose in your head.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of BUZZ or its employees.