So what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you consider your own retirement? Is it panic? Is it relief? Or perhaps you’re so uncertain about how this will all unfold that you avoid thinking about it at all! Bet I hit the nail on the head with that last possibility for a significant number of you…
Just the word “retirement” can stir up all sorts of stuff for many of us. We envision the retirement of our parents, living the life of leisure, while looking for things to fill the time. Or we picture golf as our new “job”. After all, if golf takes up all of our waking hours, every day of the week, it hardly qualifies as a “leisure” activity anymore. Suddenly it looks a bit like work! Perhaps it stirs up visions of a lack of purpose, idleness, or the end of a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Imagine instead, a retirement that fosters physical wellness, a true sense of purpose, and a sense of personal involvement. The way that we regard retirement is shifting dramatically. We are living longer, we’re healthier, and we are re-defining what it means to retire. We are staying in the work force longer, sometimes in part-time roles, different roles, or we’re starting entirely new careers. We volunteer our time for causes that matter to us. We mentor and teach. We follow our passions that we’ve neglected for so long. We enjoy leisure activities and develop new ones, we travel, and spend time with our significant others.
No longer do we have to look backwards and view our working years as having been better, more productive, or more meaningful. Consider regarding retirement as a time of personal change and personal growth. Imagine the possibilities….
Since many of us are uncertain how to handle the changes that retirement will surely present, it is worthwhile to consider creating and following a personal plan in the years leading up to retirement. Usually 1 to 5 years before leaving full time employment is a good time to begin. Enlisting the aid of a financial planner to address the financial requirements of retirement is a good start. For those interested in exploring their retirement readiness, a retirement coach can assist you in creating and executing a retirement plan that will keep you focused on what is truly important. A coach can help you identify your “retirement readiness” strengths and areas that require further focus as you approach retirement.
No more will we think of retirement as an ending. Instead, we will view it as a time when we become more interesting, we can do things differently, and we can forgo our habitual ways or thinking and doing things. It’s an opportunity to change and grow. Imagine the possibilities…