It’s Time to Rethink Retirement!

I was amused by a lady entering retirement who described the rest of her life as being on her next to last dog. In her mind, her life expectancy was measured by the time two more dogs would come into her life and then die.  I suppose she was thinking she had another 24 – 30 years left, still a long time to spend taking care of her next two dogs . . . but unfortunately, she had no other plans for making her encore years as fulfilling as possible.

Many baby boomers regard their “second adult life” with similar resignation.  Their best hope for this life stage is that things will automatically work out  –  maybe have time left to own a couple of dogs, play some golf and possibly volunteer at something meaningful.  However, after the day finally arrives their new reality soon becomes a much different experience.

Financial issues, caregiving for a parent, health limitations or a feeling of insignificance often takes center stage,  quickly crowding out what had been expected.  Also, changing social circles and the absence of daily routines from a work career soon leaves many retirees bored, frustrated and/or feeling that life has lost its purpose.

As a “retiree” myself, I can certainly relate to the realities of going from a fully engaged work life to one requiring me to transform to new ways of thinking and living.  Once the honeymoon period of no routines or responsibilities wore off, I quickly found myself searching for new retirement options.  Fortunately, I did discover my renewed purpose and I’m now living the dream that I didn’t think was possible.

In fact, the word “retirement”  should be retired from your vocabulary. And instead of your life going “to the dogs,” let’s look forward to the most exciting, purposeful and rewarding years still to come. If you need help reconciling your retirement expectations with your current situation, contact me to discuss your options. As a Certified Retirement Coach, I believe I can make a difference.

According to Dr. Richard Johnson, the founder of Retirement Options, there are ten descriptors of retirees who live life with vitality:

1. Has a high self-regard: They seem to think favorable about themselves even in the face of trial and tribulation. They harbor an internal sense of “all rightness” at their core that appears undisturbed by outside pressures. Certainly they can become upset and irritable at times, but they regain composure rather quickly and emerge without damage to their self.

2. Value their physical health: They monitor their body and are aware of its needs. They are kind to their body in the sense that they don’t overtax it, they give it proper rest, grooming, exercise, medical attention, etc. They have realistic expectations about what is appropriate for them at their stage of life.

3. Have a high sense of personal worth: They see themselves as valuable; they recognize their accomplishments as successes, and can easily understand how useful their work is to the overall project. They enjoy a high sense of utility; they believe that what they are doing is worthwhile.

4. Have faith in themselves: They understand at deep levels that they are capable, resourceful, and enduring. They enjoy an appropriate sense of personal confidence, which is seldom, if ever, overstated. They seem to possess an aura of stability and security.

5. Expect success: They have a hard time believing in failure. What other people might call failure, they seem to recognize as just another learning experience. They expect good things to happen right from the outset of a project or task.

6. Enjoy productive and supportive relationships: Perhaps because of their internal confidence, they enjoy people. They don’t fear that they will be unfairly criticized, and if someone does become upset with them, they can handle the situation with appropriate social skill.

7. Take optimal care of their body: They like the feeling of knowing that they are doing what is necessary to keep the marvelous machine of their body in top running condition. They feed it correctly, get proper rest, maintain a regular exercise program, and perform other health maintenance and promotion activities, which allow them to perform maximally.

8. Engage in stress reduction techniques: Whether it’s regular exercise, mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, a power nap, prayer, soothing music, appropriate “self-talk,” or any of a number of other stress reduction techniques; they know several and use them regularly.

9. Take good care of all their gifts: They know their gifts and talents as an individual, and maintain an active interest in the development and growth of their talents. They seem to appreciate what they have been given and are not particularly envious of the talents and gifts of others.

10. Make continuous adjustments to their attitudes and behaviors: They seem to know innately that their attitudes are the bedrock of their personality and that they need to keep on top of which ones need modification and in what ways these modifications can be made. Attitudes can become antiques, useful yesterday, but quite out of function today. Sometimes we neglect to trade-in our antique attitudes for newer, more functional models.