I was fortunate to begin my professional career working at MetLife in New York City. The ability to secure a job after graduation was not easy and I was thrilled to be able to go into the city and begin my career. Now I won’t lie, I had visions of Mary Tyler Moore with a fashionable apartment and a fun-filled life as a young adult in the city. But as we all have learned, life usually looks nothing like a TV show.
As the reality set in (and the long commute on the Long Island Railroad began), I had difficulty adjusting to the grown up world. Where was the freedom of strolling around campus and stayi
ng out late into the night?
Where were all of the benefits of earning an income? And why did I feel so out of my element?
Every Sunday I would begin to get that pit in my stomach that the work week was about to begin. The “Sunday Blues” was my ailment and it took a long time to learn how to overcome the feeling of dread that the work week was about to begin. It wasn’t necessarily the job itself, as much as the change in lifestyle. Change is difficult and sometimes your expectations don’t line up with the reality.
This change is also evident in retirement. And Sundays can be just as difficult. The weekend is a time to spend with family and friends with many activities to keep you busy. But it is also important to have a plan set for your week.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Are you excited to dive into the challenges that you have lined up for the week?
Are you looking forward to engaging with different people?
Is the retirement you dreamed about aligning with the reality?
If the answer is no, it is time to make some changes. And finding the things that will keep you active and happy in retirement is the key to an enjoyable retirement.
Keeping the Sunday blues at bay is crucial during all the phases of your life.
And who knows, maybe Mary Tyler Moore had the Sunday blues as well. Who could blame her with a boss like Lou Grant!!!
Hope you have a great week!
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