Friendships

Forbes' "9 Keys to a Happy Retirement" says that's it is important to maintain strong social connections.  My happy retired friends agree that it's important to stay engaged in activities with friends.  As a retiree, you will most likely have to initiate plans with friends, especially if your friends are not yet retired.  Keep in mind that your friends are going to have to juggle plans with you and their work commitments.  You may end up making new friends if you become involved in new activities or volunteering.  You also may be renewing old friendships - those friends that live far away and you never had a chance to visit before you retired.  I have a friend in Georgia that has been asking me to take a Ladies' Cruise with her and her friends.  A cruise with an old friend and her friends sounds like a great opportunity to make new friends!  Some people will tell you that you most likely will not stay in touch with your work friends after retirement.  Friendships take effort.  If you would like to stay in touch with some of your work friends, you will most likely need to schedule something on a regular basis.  For instance, while I was working, I used to meet 4 colleagues once a week for breakfast before work.  Out of the 5 of us, I am the only one that retired.  I will continue to meet them for breakfast once a week because their friendships are important to me.  The Ladies' Spa Vacation I recently took to Asheville was with work friends.  I plan on being friends with these wonderful ladies for a very long time!

I am at the Arizona house this week.  Years ago, my parents bought a house in Arizona to use during the winter months.  When my mother became ill, my father turned the house over to my brother and me.  It has become a great place for me to step away for a while and enjoy the sunshine.  I have established my own routine at the AZ house.  One thing I never miss when I visit AZ is having lunch with one of my dear friends from college who lives less than an hour away.  We were college "besties."  She was and still is smart, interesting, funny and most important - she always makes you feel like she is truly interested in you and your life.  I could sit and talk to her for hours.  As many college friends do, we lost touch for a while after college .  With the help of Facebook, we started communicating again several years ago.  It was then that I learned that she had moved to Arizona, not far from my AZ house.   Every time I go to AZ, I give her a call and we have lunch.  I still love spending time with her!

Maintaining close friendships during retirement is not effortless, but is extremely important.  The health benefits of social interaction include lower blood pressure, reduced risk of depression and reduced risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer, cardiovascular, arthritis and osteoporosis.  Not only does it help keep your brain from getting rusty, but it is also highly effective in increasing your lifespan when coupled with a healthy lifestyle including a healthy diet and physical activity.

Even if you can't always stay in touch in person, don't forget how easy it is to send your friend a text, email, make a phone call or even send a card via snail mail!  Staying socially active and maintaining relationships is an important component of a happy and healthy retirement so stay as active and social as possible!


           Some great friends!