Reflections on Retirement in Year One: Happiness Favors a Prepared Mind

It was December 1854, French chemist Louis Pasteur, dean of the faculty of sciences at the University of Lille, stated a famous quote, "Chance favors the prepared mind." What does that really mean? Simply put, the better prepared you are, the more likely you can take advantage of new opportunities. Pasteur was a genius who developed vaccines for anthrax and rabies and created the process of pasteurization.

Although the future of medicine is not our destiny, the concept of being prepared for retirement is! Why not be ready for this first year of profound transition? For some retirees, the freedom from the old days of relentless toil at work is viewed as a permanent vacation. It's a blessing to feel that way. However, for most of us, there are significant feelings of consternation when leaving behind years of achievement at work. It's okay to feel that way too! This is normal and requires a new perspective. Truly, it takes time and patience to adjust, along with kindness about who we are now, as retirees.

This short book, or perhaps a survival guide, is meant to calm fears about the unknown journey of retirement and lifestyle changes. As stated in the title, there is a truth that "happiness favors a prepared mind." It is important to be ready for retirement and should be comforting to know that most of us have the same emotions!

The purpose of this book is to share feelings that might be a challenge in your life right now. The author provides a unique story, along with personal experiences and examples, to better understand and kindly accept retirement in year one. It is a conversation that is needed and, hopefully, will be valuable for you!