What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?

With the new year upon us I am re-issuing this post about retirement being a new beginning. May the new year bring good health and much happiness your way.

        A recent conversation with a friend at her nieces’ graduation party (one from college, the other from high school) provided the opportunity for me to show her that retirement is not an end but a chance to begin again and reinvent yourself. As we talked, she said she was looking forward to retiring – eventually – but didn’t want to just sit around doing nothing, and she didn’t have any idea of what she would do at that point in her life.            

        I reminded her that while retiring from a job or career is the end of one life phase, it is also the beginning of the next chapter of life. Looking at it that way, I suggested she think about it as “What do you want to do when you grow up?” (I’m still trying to figure that out myself!). That changes the perspective to one of continued growth and exploration instead of focusing on an ending. A completely different mindset that lays the foundation for the successful transition to the next phase of life; one full of possibilities that can be rewarding and fulfilling - on your terms. She brightened considerably at this thought.

        As we talked, she was not sure of what she would do so I suggested an old decision- making tool that has helped me. It is as simple as taking a sheet of paper and drawing a line down the middle making 2 columns – for those of you who only use a computer or smartphone, make a table with 2 columns in your favorite app - at the top of one put “Like” or “Want”. At the top of the other put “Don’t Like” or “Don’t Want”. 

       Next, take time to think about your next chapter (you don’t have to wait for retirement to use this tool to write your next chapter!) and put down the things you like/want and things you don’t like/don’t want in whatever you are going to pursue. No need to rush this. It’s better if you do it over several days or even weeks, taking time to review your list, walking away from it, and adding things as they come to mind. Do this until you are comfortable with what you have – and don’t let perfection get in the way of moving forward. You now have a list to help you find what you want to do next by looking for things that give you the most of like/want and the least of don’t like/don’t want.

       If you need to earn money, look for things that generate income or that you can monetize over time. If you don’t need cash, a whole world of opportunities opens up through volunteering, and looking for ways to give back to your community without the constraint of a paycheck. No matter what you choose, having that list will help ensure you enjoy what you are doing. It’s how I decided to start this blog.

       Just because you are approaching – or even just thinking about – retirement doesn’t mean you are facing the end. Quite the opposite, you have the opportunity for a new beginning. What do you want to do when you grow up?

www.RetiredandInspiredat55.com  1-06-2025