The Top 150 Best Things about Retirement

On this, the occasion of our 150th blog post, we would like to share with you, intrepid readers, our very own Top 150 List. (David Letterman, eat your heart out! And, by the way, how is your retirement going?)

Drumroll, please…

TOP 150 THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT RETIREMENT

1. Alarm clock on constant ‘snooze’
2. Walking the dog twice a day
3. No mandatory HR meetings
4. Traveling across country
5. Sitting around in your pajamas as long as you want
6. Two-hour lunches
7. Tennis at 10 a.m.
8. Going to a concert on a weeknight
9. Hanging with hipsters in coffee shops
10. More time to spend with grandkids
11. Traveling across Europe
12. Volunteering with young people
13. Going back to college
14. Two-hour breakfasts
15. Challenging yourself in unexpected ways
16. No boss but you
17. Going to the gym when it’s not crowded
18. No mandatory health insurance meetings
19. Movie matinees on weekdays
20. Exploring new places to live
21. Reading a book instead of the paper in the morning
22. Learning a foreign language
23. Fostering pets for the Humane Society
24. Socializing with people you really like
25. Taking a painting class
26. Getting the best tee times
27. Putting yourself out there
28. Taking hours to cook dinner if you want to
29. Stretching
30. Hiking all the trails in your state
31. Hawaii
32. No Friday afternoon staff meetings
33. Becoming fearless
34. Mentoring start-up entrepreneurs
35. Parties!
36. More time with family
37. Shopping at 11 a.m. on a Monday (don’t scoff; it’s bliss!)
38. Experimenting
39. Brushing up on your dance moves
40. Taking more photographs
41. Every day’s a “personal day”
42. Home improvement
43. Binge-watching your favorite shows with no guilt
44. Mexico in February
45. Spoiling your spouse rotten
46. Getting spoiled in return
47. Laughing
48. Having no agenda
49. Having a full agenda
50. Getting healthier than you’ve ever been in your life
51. Building a Habitat home
52. No more dreading Mondays
53. Getting in touch with your spiritual side
54. No monthly reports to write
55. Playing in the snow
56. Frolicking in the leaves
57. No more constant interruptions
58. Opening up
59. Naps
60. Being spontaneous
61. Every day’s a “casual day”
62. Looking up old friends
63. Planning winters away
64. Being charitable
65. Not watching the clock
66. Teaching at the local university
67. Getting involved in your church
68. Not sitting at a desk all day
69. Vacations with the whole family
70. Making new friends
71. 9 to 5? What’s that?
72. Joining a book club
73. Defining yourself in a new way
74. Freedom from the pressure to perform
75. Netflix
76. Getting a wild hare and acting on it
77. No office gossip
78. Not having to drive in bad weather
79. Staying up late with no worries
80. Making intangible contributions
81. Traveling in Asia
82. Learning to play an instrument
83. Meditating
84. More time to spend in the garden
85. Starting your own small business
86. Picking up old hobbies
87. Being flexible
88. A much smaller email load
89. Long hot baths in the middle of the day
90. No guilt on sick days
91. Climbing in Peru
92. Kayaking in Chile
93. Getting your Christmas shopping done early
94. Less stress
95. Turning the music up while you’re on the computer
96. Satisfaction for a successful career completed
97. Ski weekends in the middle of the week
98. Writing your first novel
99. Babysitting the neighbor kids (if that’s a good thing)
100. Volunteering at the animal shelter
101. Vegas whenever you want
102. Not having to resort to fast food
103. Driving for Meals on Wheels
104. Getting political
105. Expanding your mind
106. Yoga classes
107. De-cluttering your house
108. Random acts of dancing
109. No more vending machine coffee
110. More sofa, less cubicle
111. Playing
112. Visiting every museum in town
113. Running your first 5K
114. Getting lost in the library
115. Deadlines only of the self-imposed variety
116. Fulfillment
117. Not having to cram all your fun into the weekend
118. Getting to know your spouse again
119. Day trips
120. Lectures at the university
121. Scavenger hunts with the grandkids
122. Appreciating art
123. Learning about wine
124. Relaxation
125. Not having to pick up the phone
126. Creativity you didn’t know you had
127. Micro-management: A thing of the past
128. Cruising in a motor home
129. Downsizing
130. Moving to the country
131. Moving to the big city
132. No rules
133. Getting to know your neighbors again
134. Walking to places because you’re in no hurry
135. Getting into genealogy
136. Working for your favorite cause
137. Mentoring job seeker
138. Heading to the beach just because you can
139. Being there for family special occasions
140. Dusting off the old bicycle
141. Becoming a gym rat
142. Taking chances
143. Peace of mind
144. No more annual reviews
145. Cooking classes in France
146. Getting out of your comfort zone
147. Mingling with other singles
148. Happy hour starts any time you want
149. Picking up and going
150. Living the dream!