Explorations in Retirement
Kathrine Livingston
Most clients I work with come to coaching to navigate a transition. By nature, transitions are fraught with complexity, which can be exciting and daunting at the same time.
Retirement is a transition with its own unique set of cross-currents:
- This new phase won’t look like the past, and it will be shaped by your expertise and interests.
- You’ll be guided by prior experiences, and you’ll encounter circumstances and opportunities you’ve never seen before.
- You’ll leverage a lifetime of wisdom and confront moments of “not knowing.”
It’s no wonder that Rachel, a new client, recently described herself as “swirling” as she contemplates what to do next.
Research from the retirement field* suggests that reflecting on specific, interrelated components can be useful as one copes with the complexities of this phase:
- Who am I?
- How do I want to spend my time?
- Who will I spend my time with?
- How do I want to structure the various parts of life now and into the future?
For Rachel, reflecting on these elements offered her the opportunity to contemplate what really matters. She was able to envision what the next life phase could look like, and craft a plan in that direction. Through coaching, we were able to formulate a plan that addressed the multiple objectives she wished to pursue. She was able to slow down the swirl of ideas and adopt a mindset of navigating the future with confidence and control.
*Anchors of Retirement Wellbeing, Retirement Life Plan LLC. 2003.