Much of what is written about getting old has a negative feel to it,
which is certainly not entirely unjustified. Health may begin to fail.
Finances may become tighter as income dwindles or stops altogether.
Family and friends may move away or move on. But the retirement years do
not have to be negative or bleak. Within this "dark scenario," a
positive existence is possible. Planning Your Time in Retirement focuses
on the variety of free-time activities available to retirees as related
to their physical, social, and economic situation in old age, helping
readers find out what their passions are, what the possibilities might
be, and how to cultivate their own leisure lifestyle. For some retirees,
a post-work existence consisting of fun works well, for they have
managed to shape an interesting casual leisure lifestyle based on
easygoing activities that make them happy. Seldom included in the
popular image of leisure, however, are other types of leisure that are
also widely available to retirees. Regardless of means, the retirement
years can consist of activities and pastimes that fulfill the interests
and pursuits of any retiree. A variety of exciting leisure activities
exists, which retirees may pursue within their financial, physical,
mental, and geographic limits. This book provides a guide--the serious
leisure perspective--for exploring these activities and choosing those
that fit one's tastes, aptitudes, and abilities. At its most appealing,
a leisure lifestyle includes a balance of easy-to-do casual interests as
well as serious ones that require knowledge, effort, and perseverance.
For some, enjoyment and fulfillment may come from engaging in volunteer
work, while for others it may involve leisure activities from which they
gain some form of payment. By employing the notion of positive
simplicity--simple living in the domain of leisure--many people at this
stage of life can delight in these final years. While time and money
cannot be ignored, finding those activities that allow for engagement,
reward, and simplicity can result in days, even years, of leisure that
is meaningful, enjoyable, healthy, and empowering.
