Am I happy now?

In September I celebrated my two-year anniversary of writing this column. At that time I wrote, “Retirement life isn’t working out so well for me…yesterday I ironed everything in my closet. I always hated to iron. This afternoon I cleaned the coffee stains from the inside of all of my white mugs. Did you know that Mr. Clean erasers could do this?”

In a USA Today article (Oct. 12, 2014), How to Reinvent Yourself in Retirement, author Nancy Hellmich cites gerontologist Ken Dychtwald, 64, the CEO of Age Wave: “We have seen in our studies that not everybody is happy with retirement. About half of today’s retirees are very dissatisfied with a life of leisure 24/7. …One to 15 years after retirement people start wondering: ‘Who am I now?’ Some people have a real identity crisis…They may feel a little bored. Last year, the average retiree watched about 49 hours of television a week, he says. That’s why some people try a different line of work. They want more engagement or purpose in their lives.”

I have received a range of emails about leaving the workforce, from “Boy, do I feel your pain” to “Just enjoy the experience!” One reader wrote, “People go through a transition period and aren’t really comfortable until they become familiar with the many things available to them.’’

For me, this transition took about four years, partly because I moved to a new state where I knew no one, and partly because I did feel like I lost my identity. Writing and teaching need to remain important parts of my life.

Last column, I wrote about my quest to include regular exercise in my life as well. My husband handed me an article from The Washington Post, Oct. 7, titled Exercise rids the brain of depression chemical. “Swedish researchers have discovered a new reason for lacing up those sneakers. Research from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm showed that exercise helped rid the body of kynurenine, a stress-induced amino acid.”

So with that in mind, I stepped onto a power plate at Fun Fit Vibe in Lewes with trainer Greg, who lost 70 pounds after working out on the machine for six months. The theory is that whole-body vibration increases gravity by accelerating the platform you stand, sit and lie on. I enjoyed the 30-minute workout. Contact Greg to schedule a free one-on-one demonstration.

I also tried a one-hour class yoga class with Dimitra Yoga in the Plantations called Cool Flow. Cool as opposed to hot yoga, which sounds awful to me. This class taught by Erin was a total workout targeting all body parts. She suggested I might like to try a class called Warm and Light. She is not talking about the croissants in Vienna. Darn. When I get on my bike and take to the Junction & Breakwater Trail, my entire outlook changes. Maybe because biking makes me feel like a kid again. Free and brave.

Gracie is asking to go for a walk now. Still the easiest solution without spending any money.