Do you ever wonder what retirement feels like? Do you ever just imagine what it would feel like to know that what was once your life is now a multitude of experiences that only exist through stories and memories? I know that at this point it feels as though mentioning COVID in every title, in every sentence, and in every story, has become rather taboo. But what can we do if that is the reality of the reality that we are living in? What can we do if COVID is why you may be able to take a glimpse into what your life could inevitably become?

We are currently in 2021 where our current living circumstances has shifted so drastically, and the only way to be able to handle it is by clinging onto a perspective that allows you to accept it. To be honest, there’s no way to view the situation that makes it any more ‘okay’, but there are ways to look at it that gives you insight into new things and new experiences. It’s obvious at this point the extent to which most, if not all, of us are being affected by the current Pandemic which has plagued the world. Most of us are so overwhelmed by the fact that we are literally burdened by the psychological repercussions of this. The main reason being, none of what is happening is within our control nor is it something that we planned ahead for. So what we are living in is basically a Matrix – an accelerated lifestyle into forced retirement.

When you think about it, this Pandemic is a precognition of what our life can inevitably become – an unforeseen radical shift to retirement. COVID has created a real-life shift which in its own way has given us a glimpse into what our future can look like through self-experienced journey. Just take a second and try to remember what life was like for you one year ago, two years ago, or rather every year before 2020. For most reading this, I suppose we can look at those years as your prime years, and for some you can look at it as more seasoned years. What I’m basically trying to tell you is that most of you reading this is a far way off from retirement, so this experience is all new to you and quite an interesting teaser of what is to come (possibly)!

Little do we consciously realize is the fact that COVID is an aging virus. And when I say aging, I do not mean a virus that accelerates cellular aging, hormonal aging, accumulated damage to our bodies, nor metabolic aging. The aging I am speaking about is related to our aging lifestyles and our structured realities. Think about it, at this point of our lives most of are supposed to be living a pre-dictated lifestyle in which the system has designed for what ever phase in life we are in. Whether it be in school – high school or college -, work, traveling, exploring the world, or being parents, we were all supposed to be living a life laid out to us that fits whatever phase we are in. Instead we’re doing neither because COVID has created its own system and its own rules.

What COVID has done to most of us is fast-tracked us to a retirement-like lifestyle. A lifestyle where people are forced out of their jobs, where athletes are forced to give up their passion for sports, where societies are forced into isolation and even where students are forced out of a growth experience. Luckily for us, retirement never looked this great! We still don’t look the part, we still don’t feel the part, and we’re definitely not ready to act the part. Our minds are still sharp, our bodies are still strong, and our curiosity is still peaked, but that doesn’t make the feeling of retirement any less real. Just think about it, think about how we’re living, think about how it feels, and think about what it could be like to get to this stage. What we need to remember is that COVID is a temporary lifestyle we are forced into and have no control of. The life we live outside of COVID, from the start until retirement is our life and everything that we can control. I urge you to use this experience as a lesson, use this experience as motivation. Make your days count because it is inevitable that you will have to give up your passions someday. Enjoy your working days because it’s inevitable that will have to give up your role to someone else someday.  Keep learning as much as you can because it’s inevitable that at some point knowledge your mind will not be able to like before. Celebrate good times with friends, family and loved ones, for it’s inevitable that they won’t always be around. And when retirement comes around, plan it out how you see fit, how you can live with it.