I went for my daily walk a short while ago and, on my walk, I met several older people out walking their dogs.
They are all retired now and simply enjoying their days doing the simple things they love.
For some reason, it made me think of all the poor advice we get about needing to prepare for retirement.
I am all for the idea of setting a little something aside for the future if you can afford to do so.
However, it seems that conventional wisdom is telling us that we must make sacrifices in the present so that we can have a good time in the future.
We are asked to postpone our happiness and enjoyment.
That is madness.
It’s the old ‘I will be happy when…’ approach.
If you ever find yourself using that phrase, please wake up.
Forgive me for being morbid but I can see two major issues with postponing your happiness and enjoyment.
I know it is not a nice thing to think about but it is a fact. Many people do not make it to retirement age. I have known countless people who died from various illnesses or took their own life before they got to that much-promised paradise of retirement.
We are conditioned to avoid thinking about the death but when we accept that death is inevitable and the duration of our lives are uncertain; we can quickly see the foolishness of postponing enjoyment and happiness.
If someone you loved walked into your home tomorrow and handed you a check with all the money you would ever need; how would you react?
Would you say ‘No thanks, I’d rather go out and work hard to earn that money.’
Because when you postpone your happiness and enjoyment that is what you are doing.
You have the opportunity to be happy now but you are telling yourself that you have to earn the right to be happy first.
Lose that attitude and choose to be happy now.
Identify the things which allow you to be at your happiest.
Make time for these things and start doing them now.
Because ‘Now’ is the only time you have and no other time is guaranteed.
Be happy now!
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