This retirement book focuses on the personal dimensions of the move from full-time work to partial or full retirement. Drawing upon conversations with retired professionals from around the country, it identifies some of the key transitions in the first years of retirement, the unique opportunities for personal growth in this phase of life, and the real challenges we must face. Retired engineer Jack Hansen and spiritual formation leader Jerry Haas explore the transitions, opportunities, and challenges of facing retirement through a series of interviews with persons facing and in retirement. It is about the more personal dimensions of the transition from working full time to retirement, including relationships, feelings of self-worth and purpose, and spiritual and intellectual growth. Taken as a whole, the conversations and interactions with retirees suggest an exciting and challenging picture of retirement. This time of life can be one of significant personal growth. It can also be an opportunity for further contribution to one's professional field or the investment of one's talents and experience in volunteer capacities. It is also clear that moving from full-time work to retirement involves important and sometimes painful adjustments in key relationships and in sources of self worth. With some attention and effort, however, these are usually worked through successfully in early retirement years.
Retirement isn't as scary as you might think. You'll find yourself with more free time to spend with the family and to do what you want when you want. A happy retirement is possible for anyone, even workaholics. Whether you're retiring early or have worked way longer than you imagined, retirement can be what you want it to be. For some, that's winding down and relaxing, for others it's being busier and doing more than you've ever done. Learn some ways you can approach retirement. Make it an enjoyable adventure spent doing the things you love, exploring the places you always dreamed of and keeping your calendar topped up. Presenting 99 fresh ideas to keep you active and engaged, This book is more than just a list of things to do. Written by a financial advisor who has worked with retirees for more than sixteen years, this guide helps you see your continued value and recognize the importance of living this new phase well. Organized into different categories, from physical to intellectual to spiritual, this book offers creative suggestions beyond the typical exercise, travel, and hobbies--though it does touch on these tips, as well. Discover how volunteering can energize you or a part-time job can give you a renewed sense of purpose. Find ways to spend more quality time with friends and family. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to retirement, this richly varied list gives you a place to start--and inspires you to consider what it means for you to continue pursuing an ever-expanding, joy-filled life every day.
"Retirement as Spiritual Pilgrimage: Stories, Scripture, and Practices for the Journey" offers a Christian perspective on the personal dimensions of preparing for and living life beyond full-time work. First-person accounts of retirees, reflections on relevant passages of Scripture, and suggested spiritual practices provide insight and guidance for each phase of this journey. Questions for reflection and discussion at the end of each chapter make this book suitable for use by both individuals and small groups (e.g., adult classes, small group studies.)
For the first time in human history, the prospect of living a long, healthy and productive life has become a reality for the majority of people What was the privilege of the few has become the destiny of the many. Robert Butler, MD, Gerontologist Choices & Changes is offered as a guide on how to plan to get the most from lifes second halfnot how to plan to get the most from retirement. While you may think this is splitting hairs, you will come to realize how the words we use impact our perceptions, our self-image and ultimately our reality when planning for and experiencing the future. I have attempted to avoid the use of stereotypical terms like retiree, retirement, senior and other mindless terms often used to categorize millions of active, wise and responsible citizens (except when necessary to establish context.) I contend that how you choose to view the years ahead and your role in shaping that view will have a major impact on the quality and quite possibly the quantity of those years. Therefore, before discussing the elements of your life plan, it is important to spend some time talking about expectations, aspirations and the words we use when discussing and creating our plans. In order to communicate with one another, we use words first, to create categories in which we then place people and things; and then, to create criteria with which to distinguish between those categories (age, sex, nationality, race, religion, education, etc). As we do this, the categories ultimately (and often unconsciously) shape our world view. Retirement, for example, is a word stereotypically used to categorize that portion of life that occurs when one quits working and becomes old. As such, we tend to distinguish retirees from productive members of society. We then help others distinguish these people by creating categories to describe places where they gather (senior centers) or dwell (retirement communities, healthcare centers, assisted living communities or 50+ communities.) Retirement is that magical time of life when the focus somehow shifts from who you are and what you doto what you once did and who you used to be, as if all your experience is at once inaccessible to the person youve become How does this type of prejudice occur? Where does it come from? Lets examine the word. Various dictionaries offer multiple definitions of the word retirement: To go away, retreat or withdraw to a private, sheltered or secluded place To go to bed To give ground as in battle, retreat, withdraw To give up ones work, business, or career especially because of advancing age To move back or away or seem to do so You probably have noticed most of these definitions focus on quitting, going away, withdrawing from or giving up. Retirement implies that your self worth and your worth to society are a thing of the past. Such an implication is negative, unfounded and dangerous to ones health. It is fine to retire for the evening; but it is not fine to retire from life simply because of some mindless designation. While retirement may have been an appropriate descriptor of later life during the industrial age, when very few people lived into their 60s and 70s, the term is no longer relevant when applied to todays active, healthy and well-educated older adults. Perhaps it is time to retire words like retirement, retired or retiree when referring to people in lifes second half, just as we have retired other words used to categorize and demean minorities and women over the years. I have been railing a
Your retirement years should be the best of your life. Free from the burden of making a living, in front of you lies an opportunity for personal development and a time for spiritual growth. These are "your years; it is up to you to embrace them and ensure that you enjoy an enriching journey. "The Spirit of Retirement is your guiding light to creating and sustaining the post-work life you have always envisioned. Bestselling author and retired Fortune 500 executive James A. Autry illuminates a fulfilling path of meaningful endeavors, healthful reflections, and positive outlooks that will help make these years your most treasured. This engaging book highlights many important aspects of your new life, including: -Preparing for the transition -Determining who you want to be for the rest of your life and how to get there -Reconnecting with those you love, appreciating your roots, and reinvigorating friendships -Allowing time to develop your inner self -Plus many other valuable insights Included are moving anecdotes from people whose retirement years are filled with beauty, deep meaning, and purpose. Their stories illustrate the good life and special time that retirement should be and what it can be for you when you follow the guidance and apply the principles presented in this book.
In Clergy Retirement: Every Ending a New Beginning for Clergy, Their Families, and Congregants, retirement is likened to a death experience, but much more. Besides saying goodbye to congregants, colleagues, and a career, it is equally important, as in any other loss, to take time to grieve aernd then to discover new meaning in life through which to reinvent oneself and grow to new heights. This book is a manual for transition into a new world as one approaches retirement. It not only encourages the retiree to think through the process of making new meaning, but offers practical suggestions of how to do so.
Retirement and good living Are you getting ready to simplify life and move from the world of work to a life of retirement and good living ─ to enter a happy retirement? Retirement and good living: The author of Purposeful Retirement, Hyrum W. Smith, is one of the original creators of the popular Franklin Day Planner, the former Chairman and CEO of Franklin Covey Co., and the recognized “Father of Time Management”. In this book, Hyram shows you how you can move from your world of work, simplify life and enter what can be the most satisfying phase of your life ─ a new world of purposeful retirement and good living. Aging well and a happy retirement: You have had a successful career by almost all measures and now you are concerned about aging well and looking toward a happy retirement. You are definitely not a couch potato. • How are you going to create a retirement that is meaningful and inspiring for your second act? • Can you simplify life? • Is there a way to make intelligent and anxiety free retirement planning choices? • Can you learn from the lives and experiences of people who have found their pathway to happy retirement? • What are their secrets to aging well and a happy retirement? Retirement guide: For four decades, Hyrum W. Smith has been empowering people to effectively govern their personal and professional lives. An award winning author, distinguished speaker, and successful businessman, Hyrum offers a tested and actionable retirement guide to finding that perfect retirement niche. In his book, Hyrum enables you to map the step-by-step route to a retirement that is not just enjoyable but is also deeply fulfilling on a personal level. Welcome to your new life of retirement and good living: This distinguished author, speaker, and businessman combines wit and enthusiasm with a gift for communicating compelling principles that inspire lasting personal change. Hyrum shares a lifetime of wisdom in this powerful retirement guide to discovering your true passion, re-imagining your life, and trying new possibilities. Welcome to a new life of retirement and good living ─ to a purposeful retirement.
A companion to the author's earlier book Designing an Older Adult Ministry (Discipleship Resources, 1999), this book will provide new information and outline ways to develop and strengthen ministries by, with, and for older adults that can, and will, enhance the spiritual growth and well-being of people of all ages. The church is beginning to recognize that there are vast numbers of older people in its membership. It is becoming aware of its indebtedness to them for the leadership, support, service, and faith that has made the church of today possible. The church is uniquely positioned to help older adults respond to the challenges of aging; to see the tremendous potentialities in the lives of older adult for making the church and community better; and to assist older people as they experience new meaning and purpose in their later lives. Chapters include "Why Older-Adult Ministries?"; "Understanding the Aging Process"; "Aging and the Spiritual Journey"; "The New Seniors: Boomers?"; "Intentional Ministry by, with, and for Older Adults"; "Organizing for Intentional Ministry in the Local Church"; "Organizing for Intentional Ministry in the Conference"; "Congregational Care Ministry"; "Additional Ideas for Intentional Ministry"; and "Trends in Aging." Appendixes include a "Facts about Aging" quiz, information on creating and using older adult surveys, and suggested resources for further reading and study.
Whether you are planning to retire, newly retired, long retired, or wishing you never retired, this book offers insights into the retirement process. You will learn the phases of retirement and transitions required to overcome career losses.
A discerning guide through the ups and downs of retirement The number of people age 65 and older worldwide has more than tripled to nearly half a billion over the last 50 years. Spiritual Wisdom for Successful Retirement is an inspirational guide through the journey that begins in life’s “third stage,” when employment is left behind and uncertainty lies ahead. This encouraging and uplifting book travels beyond the financial and emotional considerations of retirement planning to address the real-life issues retirees face, including the loss of identity after leaving the workplace, managing the clock, calendar, and commitments, how to deal with the blues and the “blahs,” facing the reality of death, adn keeping life in balance. Spiritual Wisdom for Successful Retirement anticipates the changing events and transitions of retirement, focusing on the need to adapt to this “work in progress.” Retirees struggle with real and symbolic losses as they redefine their identities, face uncertain financial futures, adapt to altered living arrangements, and become more aware of their physical limitations. The disappointments, adversity, and suffering retirees face can throw them into spiritual chaos. This powerful book presents real-life stories of people striving to remain engaged in life, open to possibilities, and experiencing intimations of eternity—here and now. Spiritual Wisdom for Successful Retirement examines: the need for a worldview that helps you take major life transitions in stride specific steps into retirement how to manage your time when “every day is Saturday” how to identify indicators of depression how caregivers can attend the needs of retirees how to get help when life “caves in” on you how to live with purpose and courage the significance of family ties the power of relationships, connections, and friendships the dynamics of hope and much more! Spiritual Wisdom for Successful Retirement is essential for anyone living in, or facing, retirement, and for family members of retirees, members of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), and for lay and professional caregivers. It’s also a helpful resource for academics working in gerontology or theology.
