There have been many research articles and studies done that state that there is a growing number of people who will never be financially able to stop working. This conclusion begs the question…Should people just give up on ever retiring and accept the idea of working until they keel over?
NO! But we do need to change our definition of retirement!
I recently read an article in the Retire Well section of forbes.com, entitled, “When to Give Up on the Idea Of Retirement,” by Robert Laura. He opened his article by saying, “One of my readers recently made me aware that many of my articles are worthless because there are millions of people who won’t ever have enough money to retire.”
This statement really caught my interest since I currently own a business that helps people find ways to maintain a quality lifestyle after retirement and still have enough finances to attain all their dreams!
For my parents, retirement meant that you didn’t have to work and that you could withdraw from everything including your career. Retirement was a refuge from the fast-paced world where one could focus on staying healthy and active. Retirement was a permission slip to live your life on your own terms and according to your own rules.
That was good, then. But unfortunately, the incredible economic freedom enjoyed by our parents did not include a guarantee of happiness. In fact, many Baby Boomers interviewed just before reaching their retirement expressed some concern about how the retirement system worked in the past. They say things like, “ …(the system) used us all our working lives, then, kicked us to the curb with a meager pension.” Some will tell you that withdrawing from work life looks like a lonely, miserable, and meaningless existence. They prefer retirement with no standards to follow, and they prefer to forge their own way.
We now, however, know that a lack of structure, limited personal interactions, and reduced mental and physical activity wears down on a person. They often fall apart or wilt like a flower. Everyone needs a sense of purpose, direction, and self-esteem. Without these human needs character traits, humans will become depressed, reliant on drugs or alcohol, and feel alone and empty.
Ironically, these are the same feelings and behaviors people have who think they will never be able to retire. What can we do? We simply need to look at the concept of retirement differently.
The new view of retirement offers multiple forms of work…Not mindless work that causes stress and produces low pay, but rather a role or series of roles that best suit your desire to help others or to be a part of something bigger. This can put both a smile on your face and money in your pocket.
This new retirement includes work as a major role in your senior life. It gives you a new purpose, provides new mental and physical activities, and reinforces social connections. Think about this –
1. You can successfully start a business when you’re 65+,
2. You can switch careers at 50 or 55,
3. You can go back to school for something you always wanted to learn, or,
4. You can just use your retirement savings to improve your situation now.
You can approach the next phase of life with renewed focus and energy knowing that you have used your work ethic, knowledge, and skills to influence and leave an impact on life, no matter how big or small.
So, I believe retirement can be in everyone’s future. We just need to look at it through a different set of glasses.
This article really hit home for me. I am so thankful that I was able to fill my life with such a successful and profitable way to use my knowledge, skills, and work ethic in a business of my own. Now, I am able to help others attain a new purpose, direction, and self-esteem.
If you are interested in knowing more about how I was able to fulfill my dreams and secure my future, then leave a comment below. You'll see how I created a new definition of retirement for myself. It truly allowed me to make a full-time income working part-time.
Retirement life is a great life – if you understand and apply the principles that make it so.
As always thanks for reading.
Sandi
P. S. Please leave a comment below. Share your thoughts on this topic. I want to hear from you.
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