| » Retirement Coaching Articles » The Retirement Ahead | Thursday, May 1, 2025 | |
The Retirement AheadAre you beginning to notice things like television commercials or newspaper articles that make you think about your retirement? Or maybe you recently received that dreaded envelope in the mail, your invitation to join AARP.With 76 million Baby Boomers slated to retire in the years to come, the topic of retirement is in the forefront of our news and our minds. Did you know you will potentially be living 30-40 years in your retirement lifestyle? That could mean that you would spend more time in your retirement than you did working! So in light of these statistics, planning for your retirement takes on even more importance. Start planning now for the life that you have always wanted to lead. So where do you begin the process of planning for your retirement? Simply, just start thinking about your retirement. That may sound a bit odd, but it is true. At a recent retirement workshop, one of the participants stated that he had thought more about his retirement during the 2 hour workshop than he had for the last 20 years. So face your future and really focus on thinking about your retirement. What do you want it to look like and how do you want to be in your retirement? What do you want to do? Most people have some kind of shift in thinking about retirement after they reach fifty years of age. Retirement is no longer something in the distance, but something that will soon become a reality. Just before the shift, there may be a precipitating event, or one of those "aha" moments, or a realization of the upcoming event. Or you might just ease gracefully into the thought of retirement and the meaning it has for you. No matter how you get there, that shift is going to happen. Think back about when it happened for you and the circumstances surrounding it. If it hasn't happened yet, start thinking about the shift and your upcoming retirement transition. For Bill, getting laid off started him thinking about retirement. Until the layoff, he thought everything was going along just fine. Although initially traumatic, the layoff gave Bill the opportunity to create the life that he wanted, eventually starting another career in the financial industry. For Susie, her spouse's retirement helped her make the shift. Since her spouse was older, watching his transition made her aware of the impact retirement could have on her life. So how can you start thinking about your own retirement? Take the first step and sit down with your partner, or a group of friends to discuss your feelings and concerns. Or start writing about your retirement dreams in your journal. It will start you on the road to the best years of your life. About the Author Joanne Waldman, M.Ed., LPC, NCC, NCGC is a career, retirement and life planning coach. She is a Certified Retirement Coach, Certified Teleclass Leader with Teleclass International and Coachville, Director of Training for Retirement Options and a Teleclass Instructor for International Coach Academy. Find out more at New Perspective Coaching.
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