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The New Retirement Attitude - Today's 60 is
Yesterday's 40
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If I say "retirement," what
are the first five words that come to your mind? If
they are "leisure," "relaxation," "comfort," "golf"
and "old age," you're thinking about yesterday's
retirement. This is the 21st century, when the new
60 looks like the old 40. And when retiring means
"growth," "new opportunities," "excitement,"
"challenge," and "self-discovery."
Look on the bright side. When you retire, you have
more time to pursue your passions. That's what Harry
did. He was an on-air personality in the Midwest for
most of his working life. When he retired, he moved
to Sedona, AZ, where he had sought refuge during the
years when the hectic pace of his life left him
exhausted.
For the first couple of years, he played tennis and
read. But soon he got bored, so he turned to
photography -- an early love abandoned when he got
his first big job. Before long his photos were
published. Then he started a small greeting card
company. He didn't need the money, so he donated the
proceeds to a local arts program for teenagers. Then
he put the two together and his greeting-card
company offered exciting intern programs for
aspiring artists. Harry still plays tennis three
times a week, but he isn't bored any more.
Photography and tennis may not be your thing. But
I'm certain there's something out there that will
get you engaged. The new retirement is about
personal growth. It's a chance to mend fences, heal
old wounds, and really get to know you. Since you
have more time, take up journaling. Indulge in the
luxury of going deep -- and understanding your life,
your relationships, and your lifetime motivations.
Keep a "Gratitude Book" and write down the things
you're thankful for -- the large and the small.
Dr. George E. Vaillant, author of Aging Well, a book
that chronicles three studies of 824 people followed
from their teens into their 80s, found that a
capacity for gratitude is a major factor in
successful aging. Practicing an attitude of
gratitude can be done any time of day, but try it
just before you go to sleep each night. Review the
day and notice all the things you're thankful for
from the rose bush that finally has a bloom to your
third grandchild -- a girl at last.
Grow your mind, too. Learn new things by taking
classes at your local community college or travel
with Elder Hostel to study the Impressionist
painters in France. In the "old" retirement you'd
hang out with the same friends -- the threesome on
the golf course or the regular Monday night bridge
game with the couple you've known for 30 years.
You'd design your life around the same activities
day in and day out. Studies have actually proven
that getting stuck in deadening routines can be
dangerous to your health. Instead, meet new people.
Do something novel you couldn't imagine doing even a
few years ago.
Marcia had lived a very diverse life. An actress and
a trained chef, she had played off Broadway and been
a pastry chef on a Caribbean yacht. Her life's dream
was to own a country inn, and she found the perfect
place on the rugged Oregon coast when she was in her
mid-fifties. But after 10 years of working 24x7 to
meet the public's demands, she was ready to retire.
She started a small catering business, but that was
more of the same. She craved a whole new world. So
she said "yes" enthusiastically when a friend
suggested she work a few days in a day-care center.
Being with the young children nurtures her creative
side on a regular basis, and getting to know the
parents has enriched her life and expanded her
universe. She falls into bed exhausted at the end of
her days with the kids, but she's inspired and
gratified, too.
Bottom line -- Cast off society's belief about aging
and retirement. Retirement can be the adventure of a
lifetime. It doesn't have to be a permanent rest
stop.
Ask yourself whether your negative beliefs about
retirement are getting in the way of how you really
want to live the "third half" of your life. What one
belief about retirement will you change today?
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Copyright (c) 2007 Lin Schreiber
Certified Retirement Coach Lin Schreiber, author of
The Retirement Re-Tool Kit, helps baby boomers
revolutionize and redefine their ideas about how
they will live life in retirement. To claim your
free Boomer Transition Kit and copy of 88 Tips for
Planning A Healthy, Happy, Enriching Retirement
Life, visit her site at
www.RevolutionizeRetirement.com
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It's choice,
not chance,
that determines
your destiny.
Jean Nidetch |
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