Don't Wait Until Retirement to Start Living Your Best Life
Anne Galloway Start Now l GirlsTek
The retirement you dream about doesn't begin on your last day at work. It begins with the choices you make today.
Imagine your first Monday morning after retirement.
No alarm. No commute. No inbox demanding your attention. No meetings. No deadlines.
What do you do with your day?
For many women, retirement is imagined as a time of freedom. More travel. More time outdoors. More adventures. More time with friends and family. Finally, the chance to do the things you've been putting off for years.
But there's something we don't always talk about when we dream about retirement: you need to be ready to enjoy it.
And that means starting now.
A recent story about 80-year-old Queensland cattle farmer Anne Galloway is a wonderful reminder of what can happen when we choose to keep moving, stay connected and continue saying yes to new experiences.
At 80, Anne is still helping run the family business, walking, doing Pilates, heading outdoors and travelling. She's discovered hiking later in life and has enjoyed adventures from the Mornington Peninsula to India, with Sri Lanka potentially next on her list.
Her philosophy is refreshingly simple: stay active, eat well and stay connected.
And perhaps most importantly: while you can move, just keep moving.
Your future self is being created today
We often think of fitness as something we do for the here and now. To lose weight. To get stronger. To feel healthier.
But movement is also an investment in your future.
Every walk you take. Every hill you climb. Every time you choose to get outside instead of staying on the couch. Every Pilates class, swim, hike or bike ride.
You're not just moving your body today.
You're building capacity for tomorrow.
Because the retirement you imagine might include walking the Camino. Hiking in Japan. Exploring Tasmania. Travelling with friends. Playing golf. Walking through European villages. Chasing your grandchildren around. Or simply being able to get out and enjoy a beautiful day without wondering whether your body can keep up.
The best time to start preparing for that life isn't when you retire.
It's now.
Retirement is more than stopping work
Retirement isn't just about having more time. It's about having the health, confidence and energy to decide what you want to do with that time.
And that's where movement becomes so important. Staying active can help us maintain strength, mobility and confidence as we age. But there's another benefit that is just as powerful: movement gets us out into the world.
It connects us with people.
It gives us reasons to leave the house.
It introduces us to new places and new experiences.
And sometimes, it introduces us to people who become lifelong friends.
That's something Anne understands. For her, staying active isn't just about physical health. It's about staying connected to her girlfriends, her family and her community.
Because a great retirement isn't simply about having more time.
It's about having people to share it with and adventures to fill it with.
Don't wait until you feel ‘fit enough’
One of the biggest misconceptions about walking and adventure is that you need to be fit before you begin.
You don't.
You just need to begin where you are.
You can start with a 20-minute walk around your neighbourhood. Then perhaps a longer walk on the weekend. Join a walking group. Try a gentle class. Explore a new trail.
And eventually, you might surprise yourself by discovering that the woman who once wondered whether she could walk a few kilometres is now planning her next adventure.
That's the beauty of movement.
It builds on itself.
So does confidence.
So does curiosity.
So does the belief that maybe I can do that after all.
Your post-work life deserves some planning too
We spend years planning for retirement financially. We think about superannuation, investments, downsizing and where we might live.
But perhaps we should also be asking:
What do I want my body to be able to do when I retire?
Who do I want to spend my time with?
Where do I want to go?
What adventures have I always dreamed about?
What can I start doing now to make those dreams possible?
Your future self may thank you for the savings in your bank account.
But she will also thank you for the strength in your legs, the friendships you've nurtured, the confidence you've built and the adventures you've already started saying yes to.
Start now. Start small. Just start.
You don't have to reinvent your life tomorrow.
You don't need to become an athlete.
You don't need to run a marathon or climb a mountain.
You simply need to keep moving forward.
Take the walk.
Say yes to the invitation.
Join the group.
Try the class.
Book the trip you've been talking about.
Because the goal isn't to arrive at retirement and suddenly start living.
The goal is to arrive at retirement already living a life you love – and to have the health, confidence and friendships to keep going.
Anne is proof that 80 doesn't have to mean slowing down.
And perhaps the biggest lesson from her story isn't about what she's doing at 80.
It's about what she started doing before then.
So, wherever you are today, ask yourself:
What can I do now that my future self will thank me for?
Then take the first step.
And as Anne says, while you can move, just keep moving.