A burst of happiness.  Money in the bank.  Yep – I hit the trifecta! The Kentucky Derby comes up next month, so it is a good time for a post about how to hit the “retirement trifecta.” In the horse races, the trifecta is three wins in a specific order.  As I see it, that means a retirement trifecta can be any three things that you consider a “win” in life. These three great wins just have to be together and boom… you have a retirement trifecta!

Cochise, in the above featured photo, was my Kentucky Derby horse Shetland pony that I rode as a kid. He was one of several horses that belonged to my best friend, and I was always elected to ride him. (Hum….I wonder why?) He was a sweet old soul and stubborn as hell. It is a wonder I did not break a bone riding him bareback and being thrown whenever he abruptly decided it was time to stop. Maybe not a trifecta win, but definitely good memories.

Unlike the horse racing trifecta, the retirement trifecta can be found by anyone, almost anywhere.  It often includes a few moments of “awe.” We can deliberately plan a trifecta win or it can show up spontaneously.  What is my retirement trifecta?  It is any activity that has the following three characteristics:

• fun
• healthy
• inexpensive

It is fun

Who among us does not want to have fun; honest, exhilarating, laugh out loud, fun.  The stuff that makes us smile, even when no one is around.  Why do we get so serious as we age?  I am sure it is due to years of hard living.  You don’t get to be retirement age and not have a few chinks in your armor.  We have all had our share of mean people that etched unkind words in our souls.  We have experienced deep losses and heart-breaking news.  We’ve had years of responsibility that felt like the weight of the world was on our shoulders. 

All these experiences, over a lifetime, take their toll.  But now that we are older and the challenges and stress of building our careers while raising families are behind us, we should be having more fun. As the sayings goes, “if not now, when?”  Fun is different for everyone.  We can’t necessarily describe it but we know it when we experience it.

It is healthy

Who among us does not want to be healthy? However, most of us do not want to put the effort in and do what we need to do to be healthy.  But what if healthy was also fun?  For example, I know that working out at the gym is healthy, but for me, it is not fun.  I feel good afterwards, but I do not feel exhilarated.   It is just something that has to be done.  But, if I can be out biking, hiking, walking, kayaking or cross-country skiing in some beautiful terrain, ahhh.  That is exercise that is also fun.  It is good for both my physical and mental health.  Bonus if I pack a fresh, nutritious lunch to have while I am at it.

It is inexpensive

Who among us doesn’t want to save money? I think most of us hate wasting money on something that ends up not being worth what it cost. I certainly don’t mind spending extra on something that is going to give me a big bang for my buck.  After all, retirement is the time to experience some of these special, albeit expensive, experiences.  The big-ticket items are well worth it if they bring big ticket enjoyment. But, when I can get a big bang for minimal to no buck, well….that is even better.   

Sometimes there is an initial investment, but if I use the item a lot and there is not an ongoing monthly cost, I consider it inexpensive.   For example, being out on my kayak or riding my bike counts as one leg of a trifecta for me.  If I only used these toys a few times, I would have a hard time justifying them as inexpensive, but since I use mine quite a bit, I figure they have paid for themselves.  Bonus that they get me out in nature which is both inexpensive and lifts my soul.

Everyone’s trifecta will be different. For some it might be creating something beautiful in solitude that ignites the soul. Or maybe it is travel, being outdoors and having an exhilarating experience out of your comfort zone. When I hit on something that is fun, healthy and inexpensive, it is a trifecta win for me.  There are all kinds of formulas and calculations to try to hit the horse racing trifecta. Like betting on the horses, there are calculations for winning the retirement trifecta. All it takes is a little simple math.

Simple math

Hitting the trifecta in retirement is really just simple math.  Good thing it is simple because I was never a math whiz.   I earned decent grades in math, thanks to a few great teachers.  I was usually able to study the formulas and figure it out… for the test.  But apply it to real life situations?   Forget it.  Don’t rely on me to figure out the diameter of a sphere and I prefer my formula for Pi to have a flakey crust.  I definitely do not do “air math” unless it is under two digits.   So, as I get older, I have decided to create my own simple math.  What do I add together to create a better quality of life?  What formulas do I need to remember to build health and enjoyment into my life without spending my retirement savings down? In other words, how do I hit the trifecta by doing simple math?   

One thing I love about living in the PNW is that we have four distinct seasons (even though winter is a little too long).   Each season brings a different trifecta. Here are four simple math problems for each season of the year that hit the trifecta of fun, healthy and inexpensive for me. 

• Spring:  A bike ride + a pack lunch + sunshine + view of the lake or river = a trifecta win (it was fun, healthy & inexpensive)

• Summer:  Kayaking + sun on my shoulders + stopping to have a fresh, healthy pack lunch + a cold glass of ice tea + laughing with my kayaking companion = a trifecta win (it was fun, healthy & inexpensive)

• Fall:  Outdoor fall cleanup with a slash fire + hot cocoa + comfy camp chair for breaks = a trifecta win (it was fun, healthy & inexpensive)

• Winter:  Cross country skiing + sun reflecting off of a perfectly groomed trail + good company + Baileys and coffee at the warming hut = a trifecta win (it was fun, healthy & inexpensive)

Everyone’s trifecta will be different, but it boils down to doing some simple math to hit it and in doing so we create a better quality of life.  How do you know when you have hit the trifecta?  You feel totally happy and content afterwards.   Your soul is satisfied. The weight of the world is lifted off of your shoulders for a while and you forgot about time.  

Why do we make life so complicated?  Hitting the trifecta is just simple math.

What is your trifecta?