Are You Planning Not to Retire?

I have talked with a number of people in their 50s and 60s who are not planning to retire - at least not in the traditional sense of retirement. They do not see a rocking chair in their near future. They are not planning to move to Florida and stroll on the beach from dawn to dusk every day. They are not yet ready to stay at home and just putter around in the garden or on the golf course. These are people who are planning not to retire - yet!

Many of these individuals plan to keep working - not necessarily in the same job, but working at something. Some people take advantage of their retirement plan and look for new ways to utilize their skills and satisfy their need to do meaningful work. That is often accomplished by finding another kind of work, sometimes that is accomplished through volunteer or community work.

Keep in mind, that for work to be meaningful, doesn't mean it has to be high pay or high stress or high profile or huge responsibilities. Meaningfulness is an individual preference. So, what I might think of as meaningful, someone else may not, and vice-versa. In most cases, in order for an activity to be meaningful, it must bring to someone some joy, pleasure, excitement, or an interesting challenge. Secondly, for an activity to be meaningful, it generally meets a personal goal or fills a need. Generally it will be an activity that allows you to use your talents and abilities. Additionally, for an activity to be meaningful, it generally needs to be something that fits with a value you hold dear. It is generally something that addresses a need on a larger scale - community, country, or humankind.

As more and more people work later in life, the picture of 'typical retirement' is changing. Think and dream about how you would like to spend time in your next stage of life and plan now to create the life you want in your retirement years.


Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC), by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor (L/WC) by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourcareerPlan.com for more information.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.