Stop thinking about it as retirement. Start thinking about it as a transition.
The traditional meaning of retirement used to be: work until 65, live a couple more years to enjoy your retirement by spending time with your family, maybe play a little golf, then die (as sad as that sounds). This 20th century concept is no longer functional. Today, our lifespan has increased to the mid 80’s and people are no longer retiring. Kate Dewey, President of the Forbes Fund said it best:
Just because we “retire” from work, does not mean we “retire” from life. We need to stop using the word retirement and start using transition in its place. We transition through different phases in our lives one of them being from our jobs. For many of us, transitioning from work is not end but rather a new beginning.
In the traditional retirement concept, people close to 65 have adult children and were retiring from work. But take a look at Janet Jackson who at 51 years old just welcomed her first child. She will be raising a child way past her “retirement” age.
Or how about Mick Jagger? At 73, he became a father for the eighth time! Talk about slaying stereotypes.
There is nothing wrong with transitioning from work to focus on something else in your life. If you decide it IS time to transition, consider this:
- Why do you want to transition? – If you’re leading a satisfying and fulfilling life, why transition at all?
- The timing of your transition – Are you/your family emotionally and financially ready?
- Your expectations- what do you expect to do, learn, gain, from this transition?
Our transitioning lives should afford time for raising families, staying healthy and fit, maintaining social connections, pursuing hobbies, traveling and attending to the needs of our loved ones.
How have you transitioned? What are some tips you have for transitioning from work? What are you doing now after you’ve transitioned from work? Share your tips on our community forum!
Read Part 1 of our Slay Stereotype Series: Who Are You Calling “Old?”
