What’s it all about?
If fifty is the new forty, and sixty the new fifty, surely retirees are the new go-getters. And it’s the baby boomers, the game-changing demographic of the past seventy years, who are behind this major shift in attitudes to retirement.
Not only are significant numbers of them actually not retiring, they’re tackling a myriad of new activities, including setting up their own businesses and making valuable community contributions as volunteers.
No longer does retirement carry the connotation of shuffling off into a more sedate and leisurely life, largely unseen and unheard in public. Instead, many baby boomers are proactively seeking out opportunities to utilise their professional and life skills, to pursue their own interests as well as contributing to society as a whole.
But not all retirees are making a success of their work-free lives. Financial or health issues might hinder a smooth transition for some, but for others lack of pre-retirement planning could be the cause of an unfulfilling new lifestyle.
Not working leaves us with lots of free time. What’s needed to fill it is one or more interesting and intellectually stimulating activities, that keep our brains active, and keep us socially engaged. But these activities, whatever they might be, don’t just automatically materialise.
What will we cover?
The word tackling has been used intentionally here. When our working life is over, people without established interests or hobbies to delve further into might need to take a pro-active approach to bringing new activities and interests into their lives, to ensure they get the mental stimulation and social connection essential in retirement. Positive action is the key – to build on existing hobbies and interests, and/or create new ones, that will broaden and enrich our lives.
Join me as I talk about how we can develop a new and enjoyable life in retirement. Sure, we’ll briefly talk about getting our finances in order, looking after our health, grand-child minding duties, and casting off regrets, but mostly we’ll consider how we can pro-actively create a new, interesting and stimulating life as a retired person.
Whether you’re already retired, or contemplating it, you’re never too young, or old, to explore this important topic.
Who will be teaching?
Since ceasing paid employment in 2014, Stephen Peterson has created a new life for himself, immersed in a range of volunteer activities, as well as his writing and public speaking. His social connectedness has also benefited from these activities.
Stephen is keen to draw on his own personal experience to assist others approaching retirement, or already in it, to create an enjoyable and rewarding life as retirees. You can find him on Instagram