George Carlin spent years saying many interesting things, and some of his best quotes are the ones that retirees should hold dear.
Keep moving to the next thing
One of Carlin’s best quotes is one of the simplest ones. He once said, ‘Always do whatever’s next.’ But the thing is, retirement is one of those times when sticking to the simple stuff can really help you, as you don’t need to replace your old work schedule with a military operation.
No, don’t feel like you have to fill every minute doing something. Just do the next thing. Maybe that’s making some coffee or walking the dog, perhaps calling someone. It doesn’t matter, as long as you remember that not every day needs a mission statement.
Some chores are never really finished
Carlin said that dusting was ‘a good example of the futility of trying to put things right.’ It’s deeper than you might realize. You clean the shelf and admire it for maybe twelve minutes, but then it gets dusty again, sooner than you would like it to. That’s just like retirement. Yes, many retirees keep trying to live a life during retirement that is full of futile attempts to do retirement ‘right’.
They’ll take up the hobbies that people expect them to do, which makes them happy for a short time, but then there’s another expectation to fulfill. There’s no point in behaving that way. It’ll only make you happy temporarily. Rather than obsessing about trying to do retirement the ‘right’ way, do the things that feel good for you.
Meet the person, not the label
One of the most Carlin-like quotes is the line, ‘I love individuals. I hate groups of people.’ Retirement gives you plenty of chances to understand exactly what he meant by that. You might join a bunch of retiree groups, yet find out that you actually dislike most people in them.
Maybe you feel like you have to socialize with everyone in your contact list because, well, that’s what retirees do. But you don’t have to. The truth is, people are usually more interesting one at a time anyway, so talk to the people you enjoy. Don’t bother with the ones you don’t.
Stop trying to capture every minute
It’s way too easy to spend your golden years watching the clock. Carlin has a quote for that. He once said, ‘There’s no ‘now’. Everything is the near future or the recent past.’ Take that as a lesson that you don’t need to be obsessed with the idea of using time ‘properly.’
Newsflash, there is no ‘proper’ way to spend your time, especially not when you’re retired. Do the things you enjoy because you’ve earned time to do so. It’s okay if you don’t follow a schedule. Your time isn’t going anywhere, after all.
Your age comes with a bigger archive
Carlin once directly talked about getting older, as he said, ‘At 70 it’s a much richer storage area.’ Remember that. When you get older, you’ve probably seen jobs come and go, as well as suspiciously familiar fashions return. You’ve seen friendships change and cities transform.
All of that is normal, and it gives you a lot of useful experience in your head. A younger person might have more energy, sure, but you’ve got 40 extra years of strange stories and pattern recognition.
Keep hold of your own calendar
One of Carlin’s best lines about retirement is one that’s ironically about work. He said, “I don’t work for anybody. I’ve always driven my own bus.” Retirement is the time when everyone else realizes you’re suddenly ‘free’ and they start giving you jobs.
They immediately discover errands you can run and committees you can join. They have a bunch of grandchildren you can watch. Don’t think you have to take them up on it, though. Retirement doesn’t mean becoming the unpaid assistant for everybody you know, as you can help people and still keep your own time.
An ordinary day still counts
He even spoke about the meaning of life, although maybe not in the way you might expect. He said, ‘The meaning of life is life itself.’ That’s pretty useful advice when you’ve retired, as you no longer have a job to determine what counts as a productive day
You don’t have to replace the office with a heroic retirement schedule because, maybe, you could just have a long breakfast on Wednesday. The next day could involve a trip to the hardware store. There’s no rule saying retirement only matters when you’re doing something impressive.
Let other people run their own lives
Adult children have a funny way of becoming adults, and then doing whatever they want. It really grates on you as a retiree. But don’t let that happen to you. No, just remember Carlin’s quote, ‘live and let live,’ and accept that their life is theirs.
You don’t have to agree with where they move to or how they spend money. You don’t even have to agree with their dating choices. You’re allowed to think it’s a terrible idea, the difference is that you don’t need to control them. Let them make their own questionable decisions.
Ask whether the fear is actually necessary
There’s no mistaking it. Your first solo trip after retirement can feel pretty ridiculous, as you start worrying about things like getting lost or feeling awkward during dinner alone. During those occasions, tell yourself, ‘So what is there to be afraid of?’
Not every nervous feeling deserves to be heard. There’s sometimes a real reason to back out, of course there is, but other times, the scary part is simply being the beginner again. Don’t feel worried about looking a little clueless as a beginner. That’s just how things work, even as a retiree.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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