Living A Full & Flourishing Life

Glenda @ Mitchell News

Be intentional about what you choose to do. Be intentional about actually doing it.

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Rethinking Retirement

Living A Full & Flourishing Life

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*Hot Off The Press*

As we approach the 1-year anniversary of moving into our home, we have been spending copious hours in the garden.  We have been creating new garden beds and identifying plants to put in them.  My husband Walter, has even constructed a wooden wishing well.  I confess to having had doubts when he embarked on the project, but the result is amazing and I am very proud of his first attempt at this level of carpentry.  He is now making a wooden bridge.

All of this is in preparation for Spring.  As the weather warms up, the days get longer and the migrant birds return, my heart starts singing once more.  We will soon be selecting and planting new bushes and shrubs.

Spring reminds us that renewal is always possible.  Buds appear on bare branches, colour returns to the landscape, and the air feels alive with possibility.  In spring, it’s as if the world tilts toward light, and everything leans in to grow.

What if we took the same approach to our own lives, leaning toward the things that give us purpose, connection, and joy?  No matter what the season.

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*Living A Full & Flourishing Life*

Lately, I’ve noticed more and more articles and heard numerous conversations challenging the traditional idea of “retirement.”  And I have to agree; the word itself feels increasingly outdated.

When the old blueprint doesn’t fit anymore

For a long time, retirement was seen as a clear-cut endpoint: you worked for a certain number of years, then you stopped working altogether.  Retirement meant leaving paid employment behind.  Sadly, for many, it also marked the beginning of a decline, with health and vitality diminishing rapidly after leaving the workforce.

These days, younger people hear the message: work hard now so you can enjoy life later, when you retire.  But enjoy what, exactly?  Does retirement mean just sitting back and doing nothing because you’ve stopped working for money?

Many build bucket lists full of dreams and adventures for their retirement years, only to find they don’t have the energy or health to pursue them when the time comes.

The boredom & identity gap

I work with people navigating major life transitions, including retirement.  I’ve observed a common challenge: when paid work ends, they get bored.  This often happens because so much of their identity and daily routine was wrapped up in their job.  Without other interests or close relationships to anchor them, they feel lost. Instead of finding new hobbies, volunteering, or helping others, they sometimes try to jump back into paid work, not out of financial need but just to fill the gap.

It’s as if we’ve been taught to believe that the only way to contribute or feel valuable is by earning money. Anything else is too often dismissed as trivial or “just a pastime.”  But what if we redefined value and identity beyond the pay cheque?  What if there’s more to life than that?

John’s wakeup call

I worked with someone — let’s call him John — who retired after almost 40 years in a demanding corporate role. He expected to relax and enjoy life, but soon found himself feeling restless and disconnected.  The novelty of the overseas trips and cruises had worn off and he was getting on his partner’s nerves.  His days felt empty without the structure and sense of purpose his job gave him.  John told me he was seriously thinking about going back to work, not because he needed the money, but because he missed feeling useful and part of something.

Together, we explored other ways he could contribute and find meaning.  He started volunteering at a local meals on wheels and joined the men’s shed.  Slowly, John discovered enjoyment in these new activities and built friendships outside his former work circle.  He realised that his value wasn’t tied to a paycheque or position.  It was about connection, growth, and sharing his time in ways that mattered.

In John’s case, he waited until he had given up paid employment before making an assessment of how the key areas of his life fit together.  When I saw him recently, he informed me that he has been encouraging his children and grandchildren to look at their lives more holistically.  I laughed and told him he would soon be stealing my clients.

More than money

Retirement doesn’t have to mean an ending.  It can be a transition into new ways of living fully, with purpose beyond the pay slip.

A big piece of the retirement puzzle is emotional preparation.  We often focus on the financial side such as how much do we need to save, but the emotional shift can be just as challenging.  Work gives us routine, social connections, and a sense of purpose.  Losing that can feel like losing a part of ourselves, and that’s something people don’t always anticipate.

Community matters.  Retirement feels richer and easier when you have strong social connections — family, friends, volunteer groups, clubs.  These relationships provide meaning and motivation that money alone can’t buy.

A new kind of retirement

Retirement today isn’t one-size-fits-all. Many people “retire” from their main career but dive into new projects.  With longer life expectancies and better health, lots of folks are staying active contributors well into their 70s and 80s.  Technology and flexible work options mean there are more ways than ever to stay engaged and connected beyond traditional jobs.

From a bigger picture, society is shifting too.  Retirement is moving from a final stop to a phase in a lifelong journey.  It’s less about “retiring from” something and more about “transitioning to” something new and meaningful.

Think like an investor – in life

Imagine living life like managing a diversified portfolio.  Instead of focusing on the investment of money in shares, your portfolio consists of different life areas: work, relationships, health, personal growth, creativity, community involvement, and rest. You invest your time and energy across these areas to maximise the return.  Over time, the allocation shifts as your focus changes – to suit your stage of life, your energy, and your priorities.

Society (and some workplaces) are slowly catching on to this idea, recognising that life is bigger than just your job title or career milestones.

A small challenge for you

So rather than thinking “all work until retirement, then all leisure,” what if we lived each day fully, with a mix of things that bring value?  One where each day counts, with meaningful contributions and happiness woven through all phases of life.

What parts of your life are thriving right now?  Where might you be investing too much, or too little, of your time and energy?  Whether you’re just starting out in your career, midway through, or thinking about what comes next, there’s always room to build a richer, more balanced life portfolio.

Over the next week, try to notice one small way you can nurture an area beyond work.  Perhaps reconnect with an old friend, try a new hobby, volunteer, or simply take time to rest and reflect.  See how it feels to bring more fullness and purpose into your everyday life.

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*The 7Ps – To be intentional about what you choose to do and intentional about actually doing it*

Regardless of your age or life stage, I encourage you to consider how you are cultivating the different areas of your life right now.  How are you investing your time and energy across all parts of your life, not just work?  Is what you choose to do in line with what’s most important to you.

Retirement, after all, isn’t a destination.  It’s a mindset. And the best time to start living that mindset is today.

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*Quote of the Month*

“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

– Eleanor Roosevelt

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*Kicking out The Bucket List*

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I hope you’ve enjoyed the opportunity to reflect and that this sparks some fresh thinking about how you approach your life and work, both now and in the future.

Like a perennial plant, we can keep sending up fresh shoots throughout life.  You can have your own little spring any time you choose.  Water the parts of life that make you and the people around you the happiest, and watch them grow.

Choose one small seed to plant today, and let your life keep blooming.

Glenda

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