Wanna Retire? Find a Purpose

In this video by KUTT-TV in Anchorage, Alaska, Fred Keller and Judy Foster show off their retirement project: they transformed a 1976 pickup truck into an oversized replica of a Radio Flyer wagon they can drive around town.

While a new red wagon isn’t for everyone, it illustrates an important point: retirees need to find ways to remain active. Older people warn that retirement shouldn’t be viewed exclusively as a time to “relax,” a well-deserved break.  People who enter retirement expecting nirvana often find they’re bored stiff, or even depressed, due to an abrupt drop in productivity after decades of working. Retirees also spend a lot of time alone or watching television.

This blog often promotes the benefits of financial health and mental health that come with working longer.  When making financial preparations for retirement, preparation should also include thinking about pursuits such as working on a long-neglected project or hobby, writing a family history, or finding a social group, part-time job, avocation, or volunteer work to add structure and purpose to one’s life.

It took Keller and Foster nearly a year to build their vehicle, KTUU reports. When they took it on the road, they discovered another benefit: talking to the people who invariably ask them about their Radio Flyer is a constant source of fun.