Whatever You Decide to Retire in Your Mind, Live in Tranquility

Aah, my shoulders began to relax as the white water rushed over my body. I breathed deeply, fell
to the right of the board, stood up, grabbed the nose of the board, turned, and walked toward Sam
and deeper into the ocean. She knew the anxiety I felt and coached me into comfort.

It’s been four years since I felt at ease in the ocean. My body was fighting me and so was my
mind-set. I spent my entire first year in Jacksonville visiting different beaches on Florida’s
Atlantic coast. Once a week, I would visit a beach because I wanted to honor the reason I moved
to Jacksonville. In Atlanta, I was stressed, and my blood pressure had risen to heights I did not
anticipate. Now, I was riding the white water toward the shore while lying on a foam board. I felt
fabulously peaceful and excitedly calm. More than ever, I remembered why I moved to
Jacksonville.

Four years ago, I visited some friends in Monterey, California. What do you do in California?
You visit wineries and surf. I rode two waves near the Santa Cruz Wharf. As of that moment, I
knew I needed to consistently find my way back to the ocean. I couldn’t wait for retirement.
Each weekend I had been preparing my mind. Every day I prepared my mind. When I left work,
I left the office at the office; I was on vacation. Every weekend when I left the building, I was on
vacation. Every time I left town, I was on vacation.

During 2020, when the world seemed to fall apart, I began planning to retire in my mind. When I
was ready, in January 2021, I began looking to move to the place I planned to retire. My criterion
was living close enough to the beach to take a day trip to the ocean and surf. After researching
different surfing destinations, I set my sights on Jacksonville, Florida and compiled a list of
homes to purchase.

In August of 2020, I contacted a professional writing service—Specs Custom Writing. Yes. I am
a writer, but most writers have an area of expertise. It’s like the proverb, “A man who is his own
lawyer has a fool for his client.” Lawyers hire lawyers. As a writer, I hired a resume writer. Still,
I didn’t wait to locate a situation that would allow me to sustain my retired lifestyle with my
hobbies. The position would involve designing documents using text, graphics, and videos.
While I was waiting to hear from the people reviewing my credentials, I began looking for a
home where I could place my hammock. Because in my mind, I was already retired.