Guest article provided by: justyari.org
There have been many studies that have been published by reputable doctors, psychiatrists, and social workers. They indicate one of the biggest problems that our senior population faces after retirement is loss of purpose. In doing so, seniors become more susceptible to isolation, depression, and other emotions that hinder their well being.
For these reasons, regaining a different purpose while we enter a new chapter in our lives is important. It reminds us of who we are at our core and we are then able to turn our passions into a source of income. Interests and hobbies outside of work keep our minds and body active, and allow us to continue to contribute to society in a positive way.
Below are a few steps that any senior can take to regain a sense of purpose in their lives.
Brainstorming
Let’s begin by taking a look at what you enjoy doing in your free time. Do you like to read? Do you like to golf on the weekends? What did you do to relax when you were stressed out from a hard day’s work prior to retirement? These questions can help determine where your area of focus should be when you are looking to regain your sense of purpose. Which is why when you brainstorm and put ideas down, you should specify as much as you can why you like doing these things and how they fulfill your life.
There are plenty of ways that you can turn these hobbies into a new purpose for your life in retirement. Let’s say that one of the things that you enjoy doing in your free time is golfing. You can turn your love for golfing into helping others improve their long drive by blogging about what has worked for you in the past. You can also advise your readers on the best equipment that you have used in the past to get you to the expert level that you are in now.
Remember, that this new chapter in your life has afforded you time to really dig deep and remind yourself that you are more than your previous job. You are human! Most of us have several interests but very little time to indulge in them. You have the opportunity to do so, why not make the most of it by doing something that you absolutely love.
Your Life’s Work is Key
Think of yourself as a sponge. You spent a big chunk of your years on this earth providing a living for your family and now it is time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor. However, you feel as though you would prefer to go back to work because you really enjoyed your job.
This is a good thing! I say this because while you were employed, you learned skills that can never be taken away from you. By learning these skills, you are able to put them to work when you decide to settle down on a hobby that you would like to focus on. Who said those key skills can only be used for that employer… pfff.
Once obtained, your skills can be transferred to any other profession to give you a competitive edge. For example, I like to take pictures of my son playing football. Thanks to my blogging experience, I also know how to put a website together. I have combined the two skills to create cmefootball.com, that showcases my son and gives a home to any recommendations from previous coaches, and educational professionals. This is also a convenient way for college recruiters to find him. All in all, I was able to put together something that commemorates his athletic ability. Pretty cool huh?
Make A Plan
I don’t think anyone wants a project that gives them more headaches than it’s worth. That is why making a plan is so vital in the process when trying to regain a sense of purpose in your life after retirement.
Begin the planning process by taking a look at the grand picture. Let’s take the example from before: Deciding to make a golfing blog. Now break this overall goal down into macro and then micro bite sizes in order for you to have a beautifully accomplished product that could service other individuals. Figure out what it takes to start, and how to really have a fully functional website.
Planning will help you take a deep look at crucial details essential to the success of your project. Make sure to answer the important questions: Who is this for? What do I hope to achieve with this project? Where & when will I be able to launch? Why do I feel like this will provide my life with more fulfillment?
Answering these questions will help the project to completion and will allow you to move on to the next step.
Collaborate with Others
Isolation can be very damaging to anyone’s psyche. It has been the leading cause of a lot of mental disorders, and can debilitate an individual’s healing process. This is why collaborating with others is so important in this new stage in your life.
Reach out to those who have the same goal as you do. They are able to share their insights in order to help you give finishing touches to your projects. Join support groups on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, and Quora. These sites have a fountain of valuable information that have not been tapped into. You can also connect with like minded people and build your social network.
This is exactly what Annabelle Harris- your founder of elders.center did! She found my website: justyari.org, and suggested we collaborate on it, offering to write an article for my next post. I am so glad she did! In exchange, she gained my gratitude and my friendship that I hope will continue past a simple blog post. What a difference a post can make!!!
Don’t forget to include your family into your project. They too are wells of knowledge that can help you grow and succeed. Finding something that excites you is exciting for them too. And they will want nothing more than to see you happy doing what you love to do.
Launch
The time has come to launch! Whether it be a blog or being a community activist- if you have taken the steps above then you are ready!
Try to stick to the plan that you started with. If something comes along that was unexpected, make modifications and continue. Collaborating with others is an ongoing process to ensure that you continue in the right direction. Ask for feedback and learn to take constructive criticism.
Make sure to always press forward, even when taking a few steps back and do it with all your heart!
Conclusion
Most people that reach the age of retirement think that their best years are behind them. Others think that once they have effectively aged out of the workforce that they have lost a sense of self. That is not the case. You are not your job.
By gaining new insight and a different perspective, you can clearly see that your best years are still to come. Understand that all people, no matter the age, carry different sides to them that are sometimes ignored by the chaos of the day. You are fortunate enough to have your health, and time to find those untapped sides to you and explore them. I can’t wait to see what you come up with in this new chapter of your life!
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