Reality Today: Stop then Get Ready to Start

Many pre and post retirees are talking about having their futures postponed by the Covid-19 epidemic and the uncertainty of the protests and violent riots occurring across the country.  This year has been an extremely difficult time to REWIRE when everything has become so unpredictable and erratic. The major impact of job loss, furloughs and financial stress has created a landscape that we have never witnessed before in our lifetime.  We have been forced to stop our normal routines. Now we are waiting for our lives to start up again.

Many Boomers who remember the strife filled years of the late 1960s are comparing them to today. They are similar in many ways. While there was no pandemic there was a flu epidemic that killed over 100,000 people; there was a space launch; and there was tremendous civil unrest do to the racial divide and the Viet Nam war.  Sounds and scenes of the past look familiar today. Yes we were younger then, but like now, filled with hopes and dreams.

Some of us were using our time of quarantine to reflect, to get organized or to just ponder possibilites. Some of us were actually getting serious about making some changes. Change can be daunting and anxiety provoking. and now the reality of our collective circumstances is forcing us to step back and perhaps deal with some of that change.  The plans many of us had in place may not be valid anymore or have become so altered and distant that they lack clarity and a slim chance of becoming a reality. It is one thing to decide to change our timetables for life; it's another to have forces beyond our control change it for us. It's a good time to remind ourselves that not being in control doesn't necessarily mean you are out of control.  Because our forward progress has been stopped doesn't mean it won't start again.

Rewiring has no expiration date, since it's based on your desires and needs. However some of the things you want to rewire might have time frames. You need to consider incorporating any revised schedules into your plans.

Making time to reflect is always valuable. Self discovery can be confirming or disruptive, and its up to you to rethink your priorities, timetables, even new activities that will fulfill you. Once we get back on track and through this terribly unexpected disruption you may discover that you have different needs than you did back in March.  The adage that tough times don't last, but tough people do is often the case.  Winston Churchill's famous line of Keep Calm and Carry On! has become our motto.

The White Space Blues

Last month we had the pleasure of being part of an excellent all day program on retirement in Sarasota, Florida hosted by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College.  Our host was Executive Director, Janna Overstreet.  The attendees were a combination of retirees and those who are still working including some that took a day off from work to make sure they get a fulfilling next act.

One of the areas of concern was the FEAR  of the White Space.  This is a condition that affects many retirees. The white space we refer to is the amount of empty space on a person’s calendar once they retire. Some people love their new-found calendar freedom, but not everyone.

Before retirement, people dreamed about the day they no longer had to attend meetings with demanding clients or boring customers, not to mention endless sessions with the boss and the team. The idea of retiring sounded very appealing. Many call the initial stage of their retirement-- the honeymoon phase—and they live in the glow of free time and fantasies. After a few months, however, retirement bliss can change and send retirees into panic mode. Some retirees complain of being bored even feeling rudderless. The natural instinct is to immediately fill up one’s calendar with activities.

Many retirees, unsure of what they want, start to commit to anything and everything just to be busy. Very quickly the fear of the white space is replaced with a new condition which causes frequent outbursts of “now I’m too busy.” Some people admit that they have even committed to things that they really don’t care about! The remedy for this condition is to unearth interests, identify what really motivates or drives you, and then use this knowledge to select new undertakings that fulfill and energize.

Check out OLLI in your area for more great ideas.

Announcing the 3rd Edition of Don't Retire, REWIRE!

Over the past two years we have been conducting research and tracking retirement trends of pre and post retirees around the globe. We discovered that much has changed financially, socially and globally since 2007, when the Second Edition of Don’t Retire, REWIRE! was published. What has not changed is the universal need for people to better understand themselves as they plan for the future. 

We have also created a new and streamlined interactive website with downloadable quizzes for couples and individuals. 

Going forward, we will do a twice monthly blog which will include posts on what we’ve heard, what we’ve read, and what we’ve seen from longevity and leisure to financial planning and friendships, to transitions, travel, and the test marketing of new ideas. Our goal is to inform and inspire you as you plan for and live your future. 
If you want to reach out with an idea, a question or comment, click on the Contact Us on the website.  

Knowing Yourself is the Key to a Positive Retirement

Our book DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE! 5 Steps to Fulfilling work…was first published in 2002; the second edition in 2007. At the time of publication our editor at ALPHA, a division of Penguin, called it an “evergreen” book meaning that the message would stay relevant for years…and it has! The first Baby Boomers who turned age 70 in 2016 got insights and ideas from the book, and now the biggest group of boomers, the 4.3 million born in 1957, and are in their 59^th year, are now finding answers to their questions within the pages of the book.

Although we have discovered that the title can be deceiving for some, we are not telling people notto retire, but rather to take the time they gave to their traditional work, and put it into new activities that will fulfill them. We are not saying stay working, but yet we don’t want people to go from 95 mph to 10 mph. That can have a bad effect on peoples' minds and bodies too.

In our work we have discovered that “rust out can be as bad as burn out!”

So what is the secret in DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE? To know yourself. Pretty simple, huh? This is the time of life to discover what/who/where and why things or people turn you on.   Over the past several years we have traveled the globe from Saudi Arabia to Salt Lake City, sharing our rewiring process with people at all stages of health, wealth and age who are afraid of what the future might or might not hold for them!

The Drivers exercise that is in DON’T RETIRE, REWIRE! is still the best way to discover what motivates you. To identify what gives you your buzz!  We live in crazy, competitive and demanding times, and often we put our own needs at the bottom of the list. Well if you want to be happy in the future, however you define your next act, take the Drivers test and get some self knowledge. Our five step process takes some of the guess work and fear out of the future…the personal insights that you learn at 59 will still influence you at 70, or 80 or yes maybe 90! We really don’t change that much.

Get a rewiring attitude. Don’t be in denial about the future; and don’t leave everything to chance. You could have a long runway in front of you with plenty of time for new dreams and desires. Don’t leave your future on the sidelines by failing to take the steps required to realize those dreams.

Feeling confused and anxious, and excited and joyful, are all emotions that one person can have at the same time! So if you are having them, you are not alone.

Because people are busy we’re going to use our Facebook page to give new ideas to our readers and we hope you will follow us and like us there!

Having a Pet May Mean a Healthier Retirement

It may not be a new trend, but we are hearing from a quite a view readers that as part of their plan to REWIRE they have added a new pet to the family.  Not that it should be surprising, after all, recent surveys show that 68% of U.S. households have a pet.  Of course, that includes all pets: snakes, lizards, gerbils, alligators (yes, alligators), and other exotic beings.  Most are opting for the more traditional route: a dog or a cat.

The benefits of having a pet are multiple and hold great appeal for retirees.  Pets are great company.  You may live by or be home by yourself. If there is a pet in the house you are never alone. They make good company and take your mind off of yourself.  As one person said to us recently, "Yes, I admit it, I talk to my dog. He listens. I feel better. He doesn't feel worse. The day seems a little brighter.  Then we go for a walk."  What could be bad about that.

 

Don't make light of the "going for a walk" part.  Getting out of the house and walking is a great way to exercise with a purpose.  It is also a terrific way to meet new people. Ask anyone in NYC who goes to Central Park with their dog.  Strangers talk to them....the pet that is.  Eventually the conversation extends to the pet owner as well!  Social engagement via a pet has great possibilities. Some of our single friends say it can be as effective as Match.com.

 

Having a pet requires care and cost. It isn't fair if you are always traveling to leave them home or in the care of a stranger.  Grooming an animal can be time consuming. Taking them to the Vet can be a financial challenge for some people. Cleaning up after them is not so terrific.  If they get hair or fur over everything, vacuuming takes time.  There are no guarantees that you and a new pet will bond. For that matter, you may get the pet, but the pet may love someone else in the household more.  Now that all the disclaimers have been said.  Let's end on the one great truth of pet ownership: They are fun, distracting, lovable, and exciting to be around.  Sounds like a winning combination to us.

THE INTERN: Planning to Work in Retirement

There is a new film coming out this week called THE INTERN. Based on the preview we saw, we have added it to our list of  films to see.  Robert De Niro plays a recent retiree who REWIRES. He wants to be doing something he enjoys: work.  His character gets an opportunity to be an intern at a start up.    The film gives humorous and factual insight into today's work environment.  It's still competitive, challenging, and more complex than ever. Technology requires learning something new almost daily.  However it is also becoming more intergenerational.  People of all ages are learning from each other.  Now that's a novel idea!

If you are thinking of going back to work in some fashion, there are some things you need to consider.  Working in retirement today means you can become an intern, a part or full time employee, be a consultant or start your own business....finally doing something you love.

It’s key for you to think about some basic questions before you jump in....half of the time people say they want to work or want new work options, but don't know what it is they want; can't tell others who would like what they want to do, nor do they have an elevator speech ready to go to explain what they want to do.!

We need other people to help us uncover opportunities so we need to make sure--- coming out of the gate--- that we have our act together! We need to be mentally and physically prepared to help others, so they can help us!

Here are some tips to get you thinking. Many of them are pretty basic…in fact you may think they're so obvious that they should be second nature, and you'd be right! But the obvious is often overlooked.

1. Know WHY you want to work in retirement. (For pay, intellectual stimulation, community, for driver fulfillment?)
2. Think broadly about possible work options (for wages, for a fee, for free by volunteering, being a consultant, starting your own business, working for someone else?)
3. Determine how you want to work: Part time/full time/flex/seasonal
4.Visualize your "dream" job or situation. What would it look like
5.Keep your technology skills up to date
6. Review past accomplishments to get a sense of work you like
7. Identify the skills you want to use and needs you want to fulfill
8. Test market a work idea.  Start with an internship or shadow someone doing the job
9. Create a concise, short 2 minute elevator "job you want" speech (This tells your network what kind of work you want to pursue)
10.Stay RELEVANT physically, mentally, socially.

How old do you think you are?

How we see ourselves in the mirror is often misleading.  If you are having a bad day, you think you look older than you really are.  If you are having a good day, you think you look younger. Makes sense, doesn't it. We have a friend who has created a formula that he uses when he looks in the mirror.  Here is how he describes it: "Up until I was 45, every time I looked in the mirror, I saw myself as 28.  But once I hit 45, I saw myself as 35.  When I hit 50, it jumped to 40.  At 60, it went to 45. I just turned 70, so now I see myself as 50.  I guess when I reach 100, I will see myself as 75. It makes perfect sense to me."  In reality he doesn't care what anyone else thinks how he looks, and he readily acknowledges self-delusion. But his formula simply makes him feel better. A new study shows how people of different ages define older age. It confirms what we hear most often about the perceptions of aging.

Our faces often reflect are lives. Each wrinkle a decade of experience.  Some decades are harder than others.  It also shows how much time we spent in the sun without sunscreen.  Remember the home brew of baby oil and iodine many of us used in our teens and twenties? The sure way to tan. But it was even better if you used a reflector.  What were we thinking?  Skin cancer was hardly on the screen then.  The other factor is our DNA.  Did our ancestors win the tight skin lottery or did they have to run around in skin looking older than their age.

Whether you look young or old, the key is feeling good about yourself.  Take care of that skin.  Lotions, vitamins, exercises, sunscreen, hats, etc. all help.  It only takes a little effort to make a big difference.  After all, don't you want to look 75 when you hit 100?

Rewiring also means taking care of yourself as you age so you can look your best.  Projecting energy and vitality can lead to opportunities that can make a big difference, especially if you are looking for a new job, part time work, being selected for a great volunteer assignment, or if you are out in the dating market again.