Over the years I have met many people, who, like me, had trouble when they first retired. Here are some early warning signs and how you can take steps to overcome the issues so that you have a smooth or graceful transition into retirement:
The first issue is an unresolved Identity
or Purpose Concern. What I mean is that if your identity is closely tied to
your job and you haven’t thought about how you’ll find fulfillment without it,
you may struggle with a sense of loss or lack of purpose. I call it the “I used
to be somebody” syndrome.
There are
some steps you can take while you are still “somebody” to help ease the
transition to being “invisible”. First, explore New Roles by reflecting on what
you enjoy outside of work. What values or passions drive you? Consider
volunteering, mentoring, or pursuing part-time consulting in your field to stay
connected while transitioning. This is not easy if your whole life has revolved
around your job. This may take months if not years. To help try using tools
like vision boards or journaling to clarify what a fulfilling life looks like
post-career. A good book to read is "Designing
Your Life" by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, They offer strategies for
rethinking career transitions and designing a purposeful retirement.
Remember
you are not on this journey alone many others have travelled this path before you
and have left resources to help you such as Encore.org This group focuses on
purpose-driven work post-retirement, offering ways to transition into roles
that bring meaning. As well there are many websites to help you find volunteer
opportunities aligned with your skills and passions.
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