U Can Do It with Michael McGinnis: Inspiring Growth ~ Igniting Potential: Becoming Our Full Potential As We Get Older Getting Older or is it “Getting B-older” with guest Heather Orengia

During our working years we dream about the day that we can retire. Our understanding of "retirement" is largely shaped by the billboards showing couples playing golf and traveling the world. Our only focus is on funding our 401K so that we have enough to retire. This however is challenged by having to use our funds marked for retirement to purchase a home, cover medical and other bills, or fund our transition between jobs. "Retirement for boomers is different than it was for their parents in the so-called Silent Generation. Life expectancy has improved, and today’s 65-year-old can expect to live at least another 20 years. About 80% of households with older adults — or 47 million such households — are struggling today with money. And they risk falling into economic insecurity as they age, the National Council on Aging says."

It is not just finances that challenge us with this thing called retirement. After 40 plus years of working, raising a family, being a soccer Mom or Dad, our identity or how we see ourselves revolves around these roles. Abruptly these come to an end with the onset of an Empty Nest and no longer working. "Retirement can lead to a loss of identity for many people because work can be an important part of who they are, and retirement can take away that sense of purpose and meaning. This can lead to feelings of uncertainty, restlessness, and a lack of purpose."

Upon entering retirement, which can amount to 1/3 of our life, our excitement can quickly transition into the "3 - D's" as noted by Dr. Riley Moynes, that stand for, "Divorce, Depression and Decline". This was the case for me, and now I have come to realize are common to many of those that I coach. What I realized is that there is a lack of understanding about what retirement really is like, along with the many changes that we experience throughout this time. I found myself back at the beginning of the growth process, having to go through the stages of Personal Growth, Self-discovery, and Enlightenment once again. Our guest talks about the loss of her grandfather shortly after he retired, which can be a direct result of these challenges. We begin to confront our own mortality which can be a daunting task in a society that tends to avoid these conversations. 

Our goal here is to provide a means of education, conversation, and tips to be a guide and inspiration to learn how to prepare for and deal with the major life transition. The good news is that this can be an amazing time and learning how to "squeeze all the juice out of what is left in our life." The key is education, and then applying tools and techniques to help develop a new mindset about our life, and in a way that promotes greater physical, mental, social, and spiritual growth, leading to a happier and more meaningful time, as we define new meaning and purpose.

Join our conversation that will cover several podcasts as we zoom in on this topic.