WORK IN PROGRESS
(Life, Me, You, This Newsletter)
Vol. VI, Issue 3, February 1, 2002 ><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>><<>>
In this issue:
We did it!
For young & old: Retirement - you're never too young!
Client corner
Recommended reading
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We did it!
In December I asked for your help in crossing the 2,000 mark in subscriptions for Work in Progress. It did not happen in December, but at the end of January Work in Progress goes to more than 2,000 people in over fifty countries. Sister-newsletter, Grounded in the Earth, Reaching for the Sky, which focuses on spirituality-related topics, now reaches over 1,600 subscribers in over 40 countries. Thanks for your help, and please remember to forward WIP (in its entirety, please) to anyone you think might benefit from it.
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RETIREMENT - YOU'RE NEVER TOO YOUNG TO CONSIDER IT
No matter which generation you are, how do you think of retirement?
Is it as a reward of rest and relaxation after years of toil?
As freedom?
As a loss of identity because who you are has become inextricably integrated with what you do?
As involving financial hardship?
As an opportunity to pursue activities you never had time for before
As involving a loss of purpose?
Do you fear having no reason to leave home in the morning?
How will it happen and when?
Will it be an occasion for joy or loss of identity?
Will it happen by your choice or through a loss of options?
How can you find the best of both worlds?
For some reason these questions have been coming up a lot lately, among readers, clients, friends of all ages. Not only are mature folks talking about it, but young people are also becoming increasingly aware of retirement issues. A couple of years ago, in the midst of dot.com-stock mania, many twenty-somethings were convinced that they would be able to retire in comfort at forty. Now they are less certain, but if the debacle has helped them to become aware of these issues at an earlier age than would otherwise have been the case, then they will ultimately gain.
(Although this is NOT a piece on saving for investment, just in passing, do a search for "compound interest" on the web, and play with some numbers on the calculators that you'll find. If you're not already aware of the VAST benefit of saving over the long- rather than short-term, you soon will be.)
However, this issue is not money, it is about how you think about retirement, and the emotional issues involves. The issues are complex, and can by no means be covered in one brief newsletter, which is why, further down, I recommend three books on the topic. However, here are some questions to set you thinking, no matter whether you are nearing retirement, or are of an age where retirement seems something so far in the future that it cannot yet be contemplated--which is precisely the ideal age to start thinking and planning for it..
For some, a look at the questions above, or at their basic expectations, may indicate that work is a necessary drudgery, and that retirement is their rightful reward for enduring all those years of misery. I have known people like that. I remember an old friend who hated his employment, dreaded work, saw no prospect of anything changing, and yet stayed on in that same dreary environment year after year because he had only a few years to go before retirement, and believed that any amount of misery was worth that glowing beacon that he saw ahead of him. Will retirement live up to his expectations? I hope so, but somehow I suspect that it may not, and I feel sad.
Such contrast, such high expectations, may call for a very high level of adjustment when the time comes.
Equally, there are people who derive their life's meaning and their identity from their work. What is to happen to them when they reach that time of separation from such an anchor?
What does retirement mean to you? Do you know what you plan to do when the time comes? Will your life change instantaneously from constant work to constant leisure? Is that what you want?
What will really happen? Do you have plans? Dreams? How clear are they? As you consider them, remember than an individual does not change just because s/he is no longer in a previous job. If s/he was a joyous and happy person who appreciated the good things of life, then that will most probably continue--unless, of course, the joy came from the work s/he was doing or the people with whom s/he worked. If, on the other hand, the person felt like an abused victim for the course of an entire career, is that likely to change? Again, if someone has been a driven-to-achieve "Type A" worker for the past twenty years, do you really think that retirement will instantaneously transform him/her into someone whose ideal is a haven of rest and relaxation?
What are the expectations of your family members? If you anticipate that retirement will mean the opportunity to start the small business you have always dreamed of, are your family members on the same page? Or do they have visions of sunsets, pina coladas on the beach, and long, unscheduled hours together? Hmm... how is THAT going to work out for everyone?
What I have seen (and I seem to be developing something of a coaching niche with people who are approaching, or planning for, retirement) is that retirement is as important a transition as any other major life change, but that few people have a clear vision of what they want in their "golden years." Strategic planning for the emotional aspects of a comfortable and enjoyable retirement is as important as is strategic planning of retirement finances.
What are your hopes and dreams for the years after you finish whatever you presently do to earn a living?
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CLIENT CORNER
Congratulations to a client who recently fulfilled a life-long dream by climbing Mt. Everest, and to another whose video won an award in the New York Festivals competitions.
YOU, too, can fulfill your dreams! If you're not sure how, a coach can help! Contact me NOW for a free sample coaching session with no obligation, no strings, and no pressure.
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RECOMMENDED READING
How To Create Your Own Super Second Life; What Are You Going To Do With Your Extra 30 Years? By Gordon Burgett
"Gordon Burgett introduces and explains the fascinating concept of a "super second life," enabling one to create just that for themselves through providing planning activities and a set of planning tools to help the reader organize how to live their life to its fullest later. How to Create Your Own Super Second Life is a wonderfully practical, step-by-step planning guide for enjoying life from 60 to 90 and beyond!"
To learn more and/or order, click on
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D0910167605/personalandcareeA/002-8534146-380480
What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up: Starting the Next Chapter of Your Life by Dorothy Cantor
"A remarkable, on-the-mark book for anyone twenty-five to eighty-five who is planning a job change or contemplating retirement."
To learn more and/or order, click on
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D0316127140/personalandcareeA/002-8534146-380480
How to Enjoy Your Retirement: Activities from A to Z
by Tricia Wagner, Barbara Day
"How to Enjoy Your Retirement has over 1000 fun, exciting, inspired, and enriching ideas for making retirement a happy and rewarding time of life. It makes a great gift!
Many people today are unprepared for retirement when it arrives. Suddenly an abundance of time and freedom can actually seem stressful, and people complain they "don't know what to do" with themselves. To help these millions of Americans, the authors have filled this one-of-a-kind offering with A to Z listings of ideas, toll-free phone numbers, Web site and mailing addresses to help the reader investigate the ideas quickly and inexpensively."
To learn more and/or order, click on
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D1889242020/personalandcareeA/002-8534146-380480
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ARE YOU RECEIVING WIP REGULARLY?
Work in Progress is regularly distributed on the 1st and 15th of each month. I have been known to be a day late (this issue will be late in some countries), but I have never completely missed an issue. However, I occasionally get requests to subscribe from people who are already subscribers. It often turns out that they have had a discontinuance of delivery even though their addresses are still in the system. I have noticed, however, that a number of these people have AOL.com addresses. As a result, I e-mailed the owner of my hosting service to ask if AOL ever blocks mass mailings from my distributor, under the mistaken impression that they constitute spam. Here is his response:
"Yes... we get sporadic reports of this. Tell her to complain to AOL specifically about non receipt of this particular email. She must have the details in her complaint, i.e. the return address, the broadcast address and the typical subject line. This generally has the effect of getting it flowing again."
In this case, the return address is: Editor@ChoiceCoach.com ,
the broadcast address is: lists.webvalence.com
and the typical subject line is: Work in Progress [followed by the date]
I do not know if any other ISPs have a similar misconception, but if you do not receive your issues regularly, please let me know. I hope this will help you to continue to receive WIP on a regular basis.
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Copyright 2002 Diana Robinson, Ph.D. Work in
Progress may be reproduced in its entirety only,
including this copyright line. Disclaimer -The contents herein are solely the opinions of Work in Progress owner, and should not be considered as a form of therapy nor advice. There is no guarantee of validity or accuracy. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, services of a competent professional should be sought.
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To offer feedback e-mail Diana at Editor@ChoiceCoach.com or visit her web site at www.ChoiceCoach.com