Sure, how are you doing? I’m glad you asked! Physically, I think I may be in as good a shape as I’ve ever been. Certainly since college. While I recognize that weight is not a great indicator of health, it is part of the overall picture. It’s also easy to track and it’s something I’ve been tracking on and off since January 2005. Over nearly 19 years, I have recorded my weight 437 times so far.
Glad you are on the upswing....btw my wife volunteered with Refood (gathering and boxing food from restaurants and supermarkets to provide to needy families). Great organization with centers all over PT.
Thank you for sharing this I think your honesty is so needed
It’s very easy to have the honeymoon period or the distractions of wow so busy
The issue is as things slow & fall into daily rhythm & the need for purpose & connection is highlighted especially if not there
When realising how important it is & how without it one feels rudderless it can lead to some very uncomfortable & heavy feelings
Our plans have been slowed dramatically & it’s a story waiting to be written
There where no plans to stop & slow down only to change direction that we had been on
But due to the delays & more delays it was soul destroying & had become increasingly isolated so it’s taken lot of rethinking & talking & replanning plus great open honest conversations
Sometimes these things need to happen to make us very clear what we do want
Again thank you your honesty & openness is so needed it’s easy to paint a story of how perfect life is when in fact it’s a wonderful imperfect tapestry that’s woven by all the experiences good bad & the turning points
Would you consider volunteering your time at US non-profits from Portugal? I help first-generation college students at ANY (America Needs You) by reviewing resumes and doing mock interviews. All remote!
I’m actually really surprised at how little I miss the work. I’m also surprised at how much that work gave me that I don’t have anymore: A routine. A variety of people to interact with every day. Puzzles to solve. Things to think about. Conversations. Laughter.
I hope you are able to find something meaningful to do. I did. Caregiving found me. I love helping people. But what you said above is IT. I've been back to work over the last 2.5 years to help with systems I had put in place over the years and it was very satisfying sand I really really miss the banter in the office. Again, sir, you nailed it!
Thanks so much for your honest share about settling into "retirement". It makes perfect sense why you'd feel the way you have this October and it gave me some good things to think about for that next chapter in my life too.
I think you just were having a psychological throwback to your old life. October is supposed to be terrible, remember??? Actually, I am now exceptionally glad that I never got around to sending a snarky, "Hope you're enjoying retirement while the rest of us write 75 rec letters..." email I kept thinking of while buried under rec letters. And I am so proud of you for taking all the steps. Anxiety medication is the best! It will make a huge difference long term. Be well, my friend!
I sympathize with you, brother. Retired life without a purpose sucks. I retired at 61 in 2015 when my wife found a teaching job in Chengdu, China. The first 3-4 months were cool, exploring the city and what not. After that though the next few months were boring. I mean how much internet surfing can you do and I found learning Chinese way too hard. Luckily it never effected me mentally and I luckily fell into a job teaching Supply Chain Management at a local university so the next 2 years were ok. The two years we spent in Latvia I managed to find a bit of purpose substitute teaching 1-2 days a week at my wife's school. Now in Portugal we have a flower farm that keeps me busy. I am glad that you found something to give you a purpose each day. I hope things get better for you. Thanks for sharing.
Hey, Scott, just so you know, depression runs in our family (my side). Grandma Laura had it, was suicidal at one time, you know your mother had it, I battle it also. Sorry to hear you are dealing with it now, too. Not surprising with all you and Amy have been thru in the last two years, plus coming to the decision to change your life completely, plus the world situation. I am relieved that you are handling it well and are getting involved with, hopefully, things you enjoy. It's great you are making a difference in other peoples' lives, but be sure you are involved with people and activities that excite you and feed your soul, whatever those might be. Pray about what God may be calling you to now that you are finally fairly well settled in Portugal. I'm impressed with your physical strength, too. Way to go! And maybe you need a vacay - explore parts of Portugal you haven't seen yet, for example. Do you want to come back to the US for some R&R? I'm proud of you and am here for you if I can do anything to help. Much love to you, Amy and Josie.
Hi Scott. I've battled insomnia, anxiety, overthinking, depression, and panic attacks for years so I can relate with your struggles. I retired 9 years ago at 60 in large part because of these issues.
We moved to Madeira last June and since then I have also had some physical results similar to yours.
It sounds like you are exiting the "honeymoon phase" regarding both your retirement and settling into your Portugal life, too. You're definitely on the right track by busying your mind and body with productive volunteer efforts.
Whenever I have a "project " to work on, I'm happy.
A few weeks ago, I thought of an educational curriculum I'm writing for kids 4-16 that every country could implement relatively soon and for moderate expense. The expenses are basically start up costs and materials. I've already written a children's book for this and I'm going to make a Kickstart pitch soon for publishing it and producing a PR pitch for this curriculum. That will be a new experience for me! And I can use any and all tech help, too. I’ve never done a PowerPoint presentation either. If you're interested in helping with my project, let me know by DM.
Nov 6, 2023·edited Nov 6, 2023Liked by Scott H-K, Amy Redfield
Thank you Scott for your thoughtful post and sharing what you're going through. I can absolutely relate to uninvited anxiety who wanders in and overstays its welcome. I really appreciate your creative and vibrant ideas of quieting the noise. Yours is always a refreshing voice. It's easy to spot a kind (and hilarious) soul and it's been a pleasure getting to know you.
Hang in there, Scott! The volunteer opportunity sounds great - right up your alley and contributing positively to the lives of others. Perhaps you just have residual stress associated with October, lovingly referred to as Suck-tober by some college guidance professionals. You may well have had the crunch and crush of the build-up to November 1 application deadlines (which has only gotten worse in the last couple of years!) seared into your memory bank. Envious of your weight loss despite all of the temping food options in Lisbon! Keep at it and keep the faith. Boa sorte.
Scott, thank you for your candor and courage in sharing your life with us. I took an early retirement in 2021, and still figuring out my post retirement life, and your experience really resonates. Thanks 🙏🏻
Scott, glad to hear you are doing better physically and have a plan on the mental component. Keep talking about it - many do not, which only continues the cycle. Looking forward to the next update for continued progress!
I had wondered how you were making the adjustment to retirement once settling in to Lisbon. It's such a huge adjustment for everyone, and we all deal with it in our own way. How wonderful that you have found these outlets! I hope they prove fulfilling and rewarding. ❤️
Monsanto hikes are a big part of my life here too. I perfectly understand.
The Rota Amarela is my favourite, especially if I can hike there and back (I turn midway back at the basket fields). Great endurance exercises, and the woods are enchanting: one can experiment every type of vegetation, from Eucalyptus to the Mediterranean bushes. It is lovely when it is raining (no one else around) and the only need is a pair of nice gripping soles (my Salomon boots, bought at Decathlon are just enough). The big perk is the after hike rewards: on Saturdays, hop towards Benfica for a Prego Sonhe at Cervejaria Boa Esperance (and add in some ameijoas and some nice octopus salad!).
Glad you are on the upswing....btw my wife volunteered with Refood (gathering and boxing food from restaurants and supermarkets to provide to needy families). Great organization with centers all over PT.
Thank you for sharing this I think your honesty is so needed
It’s very easy to have the honeymoon period or the distractions of wow so busy
The issue is as things slow & fall into daily rhythm & the need for purpose & connection is highlighted especially if not there
When realising how important it is & how without it one feels rudderless it can lead to some very uncomfortable & heavy feelings
Our plans have been slowed dramatically & it’s a story waiting to be written
There where no plans to stop & slow down only to change direction that we had been on
But due to the delays & more delays it was soul destroying & had become increasingly isolated so it’s taken lot of rethinking & talking & replanning plus great open honest conversations
Sometimes these things need to happen to make us very clear what we do want
Again thank you your honesty & openness is so needed it’s easy to paint a story of how perfect life is when in fact it’s a wonderful imperfect tapestry that’s woven by all the experiences good bad & the turning points
Would you consider volunteering your time at US non-profits from Portugal? I help first-generation college students at ANY (America Needs You) by reviewing resumes and doing mock interviews. All remote!
This nails it!
I’m actually really surprised at how little I miss the work. I’m also surprised at how much that work gave me that I don’t have anymore: A routine. A variety of people to interact with every day. Puzzles to solve. Things to think about. Conversations. Laughter.
I hope you are able to find something meaningful to do. I did. Caregiving found me. I love helping people. But what you said above is IT. I've been back to work over the last 2.5 years to help with systems I had put in place over the years and it was very satisfying sand I really really miss the banter in the office. Again, sir, you nailed it!
Thanks so much for your honest share about settling into "retirement". It makes perfect sense why you'd feel the way you have this October and it gave me some good things to think about for that next chapter in my life too.
I think you just were having a psychological throwback to your old life. October is supposed to be terrible, remember??? Actually, I am now exceptionally glad that I never got around to sending a snarky, "Hope you're enjoying retirement while the rest of us write 75 rec letters..." email I kept thinking of while buried under rec letters. And I am so proud of you for taking all the steps. Anxiety medication is the best! It will make a huge difference long term. Be well, my friend!
I sympathize with you, brother. Retired life without a purpose sucks. I retired at 61 in 2015 when my wife found a teaching job in Chengdu, China. The first 3-4 months were cool, exploring the city and what not. After that though the next few months were boring. I mean how much internet surfing can you do and I found learning Chinese way too hard. Luckily it never effected me mentally and I luckily fell into a job teaching Supply Chain Management at a local university so the next 2 years were ok. The two years we spent in Latvia I managed to find a bit of purpose substitute teaching 1-2 days a week at my wife's school. Now in Portugal we have a flower farm that keeps me busy. I am glad that you found something to give you a purpose each day. I hope things get better for you. Thanks for sharing.
Hey, Scott, just so you know, depression runs in our family (my side). Grandma Laura had it, was suicidal at one time, you know your mother had it, I battle it also. Sorry to hear you are dealing with it now, too. Not surprising with all you and Amy have been thru in the last two years, plus coming to the decision to change your life completely, plus the world situation. I am relieved that you are handling it well and are getting involved with, hopefully, things you enjoy. It's great you are making a difference in other peoples' lives, but be sure you are involved with people and activities that excite you and feed your soul, whatever those might be. Pray about what God may be calling you to now that you are finally fairly well settled in Portugal. I'm impressed with your physical strength, too. Way to go! And maybe you need a vacay - explore parts of Portugal you haven't seen yet, for example. Do you want to come back to the US for some R&R? I'm proud of you and am here for you if I can do anything to help. Much love to you, Amy and Josie.
Hi Scott. I've battled insomnia, anxiety, overthinking, depression, and panic attacks for years so I can relate with your struggles. I retired 9 years ago at 60 in large part because of these issues.
We moved to Madeira last June and since then I have also had some physical results similar to yours.
It sounds like you are exiting the "honeymoon phase" regarding both your retirement and settling into your Portugal life, too. You're definitely on the right track by busying your mind and body with productive volunteer efforts.
Whenever I have a "project " to work on, I'm happy.
A few weeks ago, I thought of an educational curriculum I'm writing for kids 4-16 that every country could implement relatively soon and for moderate expense. The expenses are basically start up costs and materials. I've already written a children's book for this and I'm going to make a Kickstart pitch soon for publishing it and producing a PR pitch for this curriculum. That will be a new experience for me! And I can use any and all tech help, too. I’ve never done a PowerPoint presentation either. If you're interested in helping with my project, let me know by DM.
Thank you Scott for your thoughtful post and sharing what you're going through. I can absolutely relate to uninvited anxiety who wanders in and overstays its welcome. I really appreciate your creative and vibrant ideas of quieting the noise. Yours is always a refreshing voice. It's easy to spot a kind (and hilarious) soul and it's been a pleasure getting to know you.
Hang in there, Scott! The volunteer opportunity sounds great - right up your alley and contributing positively to the lives of others. Perhaps you just have residual stress associated with October, lovingly referred to as Suck-tober by some college guidance professionals. You may well have had the crunch and crush of the build-up to November 1 application deadlines (which has only gotten worse in the last couple of years!) seared into your memory bank. Envious of your weight loss despite all of the temping food options in Lisbon! Keep at it and keep the faith. Boa sorte.
Scott, thank you for your candor and courage in sharing your life with us. I took an early retirement in 2021, and still figuring out my post retirement life, and your experience really resonates. Thanks 🙏🏻
Scott, glad to hear you are doing better physically and have a plan on the mental component. Keep talking about it - many do not, which only continues the cycle. Looking forward to the next update for continued progress!
I had wondered how you were making the adjustment to retirement once settling in to Lisbon. It's such a huge adjustment for everyone, and we all deal with it in our own way. How wonderful that you have found these outlets! I hope they prove fulfilling and rewarding. ❤️
Monsanto hikes are a big part of my life here too. I perfectly understand.
The Rota Amarela is my favourite, especially if I can hike there and back (I turn midway back at the basket fields). Great endurance exercises, and the woods are enchanting: one can experiment every type of vegetation, from Eucalyptus to the Mediterranean bushes. It is lovely when it is raining (no one else around) and the only need is a pair of nice gripping soles (my Salomon boots, bought at Decathlon are just enough). The big perk is the after hike rewards: on Saturdays, hop towards Benfica for a Prego Sonhe at Cervejaria Boa Esperance (and add in some ameijoas and some nice octopus salad!).
I wish I had your problems :_D
Thank you for sharing!