I drove through Indianapolis yesterday. My husband and I were visiting some friends over the weekend, and we came back through Indiana’s capitol city. Somehow I ended up behind the wheel as we started into the looping and merging that makes up Indy’s driving experience, and in between negotiating with other drivers to let me into their lane and cursing at them when they didn’t, I had a realization. Driving along the interstate system in Indianapolis creates the exact same emotions for me as preparing to retire at the beginning of the year.
Let’s set the scene. I need to move from I-70 E to I-465 N. I need to somehow move across three lanes of traffic to do it. I need to be aggressive, which I’m normally not, in life or in driving, but also safe, which I usually am. And I need to hurry up if I don’t want to miss my exit. You see the similarities here? And that sense of urgency I feel as I navigate through large cities is the same sense of urgency that I’m feeling now, as retirement nears and I have to face the reality of the situation. Am I really prepared? Have I saved enough money? Am I ready?
Well, we made it safely through Indy’s maze of exit ramps yesterday, and I’m hopeful that I’ll make it successfully to retirement as well. After so many years in the workforce, I’m confident in my ability to navigate my career, able to switch lanes smoothly and without hesitation, and I know when to go with the flow and when to give it a little more gas. But there’s only one exit ramp when it comes to retirement, and I’ve never navigated that before. It’s a scary thought.
In Indy, there would be signs a mile or two before the lanes split or an exit came up that would warn you what was coming. Wouldn’t it be nice if that were the case for life as well? Maybe a sign telling you that a big health issue is in the near future…better bulk up on that insurance. But of course, life doesn’t work that way. Surprises, both good and bad, make up our daily commutes, but you can still have a spare tire handy and some jumper cables.
So here’s what I’m thinking: retirement is months away. My finances are in order, and I’ve been spending a ton of quality time with my financial advisor at Afena. We’re planning our first trip to celebrate retirement and also planning what we’ll do when we get home again and face days full of nothing but possibility. I only have a few more miles on this road, so maybe it’s time to relax and enjoy the scenery. The people I work with are all getting something a little extra special this year at Christmas, just because I appreciate these friends that I’ve spent so much time with. My office is slowly getting organized and prepared for a new occupant…I hate to leave things unfinished. And I’m slowing wrapping my mind around this idea; this time next year I’ll be retired.
My advice this week? If you’re taking a trip through Indy anytime soon, have a GPS, a good navigator, and if at all possible, talk someone else into driving. If you’re looking towards retirement, have a plan, a good advisor, and remember that you always need to be in the driver’s seat when it comes to your career, your future, and your retirement.