Although financial considerations are always a major factor when implementing a retirement plan, the personal benefits that come with early retirement are just as important for your well-being and happiness. Consider the advantages of retiring while you are still young and leading an active lifestyle.
With an early retirement, you’ll have more time for family, hobbies, classes, traveling, religious activities and volunteering. You’ll also be able to decide where you want to live during this next stage of life. One of the main reasons retirees choose to live in an engaged retirement community is to have more time to interact with other retirees who share similar experiences and interests.
It’s important to maintain an active lifestyle in retirement, but each retiree has the freedom to determine what “active” means to them. For many, the retirement years are the first time they’ve been able to establish a consistent fitness routine without work interruptions. Early retirement gives you even more time to develop a lifestyle that embraces physical activities.
Although some retirees work in their retirement years, when work is no longer the focal point, there is time for more activities, outside adventures and commitments that fuel your spirit. Just making the change from working full time can lead to reduced stress and better overall health. Early retirement also provides more time for preventive healthcare, flexibility for scheduling appointments and better opportunities for early detection and management of health issues.
There are a variety of structured activities available in retirement communities, including exercise and wellness classes, tennis, pickleball, golf and more, but there are also many opportunities for retirees to connect an interest with a physical activity.
Walking, hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, shuffleboard, bocce ball and horseshoes are popular options, especially when you are surrounded by others who share your enthusiasm. Early retirement provides more years to engage in these activities and improves your overall physical and mental health.
While working on your physical health during your retirement years, you’ll also have more time to build new friendships and strengthen existing ones. Your chosen community will play a significant role in creating a fulfilling retirement. Increased life satisfaction from social interactions, activities and events helps reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. You’ll develop a sense of belonging and support from a group of like-minded individuals, which also contributes to mental well-being.
Early retirement allows for more time to develop and deepen your relationships with your family members, neighbors and religious community. With space on your calendar for activities and events, you can create a lifestyle that best suits your needs. Your weekly schedule can allot time for church, group travel, Bible study groups, volunteer work or clubs that help you meet others with similar interests.
Retirement can also provide the freedom to explore personal interests and hobbies, which contributes to a healthy, active and fulfilling lifestyle. There are many opportunities to learn new skills and try different activities that provide creative and intellectual stimulation. Whether you are looking for an art studio, a gardening club, educational workshops or local theater, a retirement community can help you find activities that contribute to your personal growth and development.
Additional time to pursue personal passions and hobbies helps retirees reclaim a personal sense of accomplishment. When you achieve goals and milestones that are separate from your workplace, it helps you grow in your self-esteem and feelings of personal fulfillment. Many people specifically seek early retirement as a way to reclaim their time, which allows them to rekindle or develop hobbies and passions.
If you are searching for a retirement community built on small-town values, Advent Christian Village is the ideal place to age with meaning and purpose. Located on more than 1,200 acres along the historic Suwannee River in North Central Florida, you’ll find a community where neighbors truly care for one another.
Whether you are planning for an early retirement or wanting to work as long as possible, consider speaking with the team at Advent Christian Village. Our community members enjoy the flexibility of financial arrangements that cater to different income levels, and many were able to create an early retirement plan.
We host tours for you to experience our vibrant community, and we look forward to helping you design a retirement lifestyle with fun opportunities to learn, serve and play.