Best Places to Retire.What Are The Best Retirement Locations?
So, what are the 10 Best Places to Retire?
How do the dreams you have 5 years before retirement tally with the reality of
moving to a new retirement location?
I had better start off by saying that while this section will expand over time to include many fine and
desireable best places to retire around the world, I feel that we sometimes don't consider the places that best suit
our temperament and personality - as well as those who will travel with us. My first story starts off with this aspect of retirement planning in mind.
Home is Where the Heart Is.
My late father in law was born in
1909, and lived to be 92. He was a farmer, poet and storyteller. He lived all of his life in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.
He loved his own place and often celebrated it in verse and song:
"God bless the hills of Kerry,
I love them from my heart.
Its valleys lakes and rivers,
From them I'll never part.
One hallowed spot that beats the lot,
A gem of beauty rare,
That lovely soil of Erin's Isle,
Glenflesk so sweet and fair."
I remember one Sunday morning driving him from the Church in Glenflesk to his home in Carrigeen. It was the month of
May and the beautiful sunshine held the promise of a good summer.
We weren't talking much, and I became aware of how beautiful the countryside looked. He must have been thinking something
similar, because suddenly he waved his hand to indicate the vista in front of us and said, "You know Greg, I think this
must be the loveliest stretch of road in the world".
It was wonderful to see a person so content in his own place, and if I were his coach, he would never have had to discuss his
options on the best retirement locations!
I remember another day driving in the same area with my daughter, who was then, aged five.
We were descending from the Derrynasagart Mountains into the Vale of Glenflesk.
I was thinking to myself how idyllic it would be to live in such a place. The lightly wooded hillside of this sparsely populated
countryside looked dramatically beautiful.
My thoughts were interrupted by a little voice from the back saying, "I would hate to live in a place like this"!
"Why so?" I enquired.
"There are no shops, you would have few friend and would have to travel miles to meet them, no cinema, and probably poor
mobile phone reception!"
The difference in perception between the old man and the young child wasn't solely attributable to their age.
You see my daughter has an extraverted personality and is energised by the company of other people. She is outgoing,
talkative and needs relationships.
My father in law had a preference for introversion. He was selectively sociable, but he also needed privacy and would
be energised by his inner resources and would enjoy quiet reflective times.
These preferences are based on the work of Carl Young, a Swiss psychologist, and have been popularised by Myers-Briggs via the
MBTI psychometric instrument.
Curious about the 10 Best Places to Retire? So was I - so I did
some research. You can see the results here.
Figuring out where to retire is never easy - and sometimes the answer is closer than you think. Have a
look at: Where to Retire? My Own Backyard!
Sometimes, it's useful to work out a personally meaningful
Retire Abroad Checklist as you consider not just where to Retire,
but whether Retiring Abroad is the right thing for you!
You may find also find it helpful to discuss this aspect of your personality with a Life or
Retirement Coach, when considering places to retire.
So - WHat are your plans? Where do you think are the Best Places to Retire?
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