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Episode 271 - Reinvention
5 Plays9 minutes ago
Reinventing yourself after retirement is an option we all have.
It doesn't need to be a flashy, public spectacle. It can be as simple as deciding you're going to start choosing YOU first for a change. Maybe you've always wanted to take a pottery class; well, now you can!
Or maybe you have a book hiding inside you, clawing to get out. Now's the time!
You don't need anyone's permission... just follow what makes your eyes light up and your heart sing.
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Transcript
Challenging Traditional Retirement
00:00:03
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Retirement. That's what we're all aiming at, right? But exactly what does that mean? conjures up visions of endless days of golf, drinks with little umbrellas in them on a tropical beach, feet up reading a book.
00:00:16
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Is that what it's all about? I don't think so. Life would get pretty dull after a while without anything meaningful to do, don't you think?
Jackie Doucette's Quest
00:00:25
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I'm Jackie Doucette, and I'm on a mission to discover exactly what life is like beyond retirement.
00:00:30
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Join me while I chat with people who've already done it, who've retired to something rather than from something. Let's find out together exactly what's waiting for us when we say goodbye to that nine to five.
Retirement as a New Journey
00:00:51
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Hi everyone. Welcome to another episode of Beyond Retirement. I'm your host, Jacqui Doucette. And if you remember, in last week's episode, I was talking with Robert Nadeau, a lawyer, negotiation strategist, and now ah student again at North of 65, in his words.
00:01:11
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Today, I want to reflect on something Robert said that I didn't coach him to say for the show. He said, retirement doesn't have to be the end of the road. It can be the beginning of a new journey.
00:01:23
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Now, we all know that's what I've been saying all along, right? It's easy to think of retirement as the finish line, but what if it's actually just the start of your next act?
00:01:37
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In my generation as a kid, and maybe in yours too, or maybe not, it doesn't matter, We listen to our parents talk about retirement as some nebulous time in the future, when life would be different than it was while they were working.
00:01:54
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They'd have time for all the activities they don't have time for now. They'd do all the things that they've been putting off. This fits well with the idea that retirement doesn't have to be the end of the road.
00:02:06
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As you may recall, Robert didn't retire because he was tired. He retired because he had something else he wanted to do.
Robert Nadeau's Proactive Retirement
00:02:14
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He'd built a successful career, co-founded a respected law firm, and spent decades helping people through complex negotiations.
00:02:23
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But then one day, he looked at his life and realized, I've earned the right to do something new. And so he did. He spoke to his partner, he stepped away from the firm,
00:02:35
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And instead of shutting down or slowing down, he leaned into curiosity. He's gone back to university to start a new path. The message I take from this is that retirement doesn't necessarily mean you're done.
00:02:50
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You may just feel drawn to something different. And to pursue the new path means veering off the path you've been on all along. Call it retirement or redirection or reinvention.
00:03:04
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It's important to recognize that urge when it hits. You may be aware of it, as Robert mentioned he was when he spoke to his partner and stepped away from the law firm, or as I was when I woke up one morning and simply knew that I needed to step away from the position I'd held for so many years.
Exploring New Paths in Retirement
00:03:22
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Sometimes it's just time to move on, not because you have to, but because you're ready to explore something else. Have you ever felt that little tug, that little whisper that says, I want to try something new, but I don't know what, or I'm not sure I still can.
00:03:41
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You're not alone, but you're also not out of time. That whisper is your next act calling. Personal growth doesn't always look like starting a business or writing a book.
00:03:54
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Sometimes it's learning to show up differently, ask better questions, or maybe make space for curiosity where you didn't make space before.
Creative Ventures Post-Retirement
00:04:04
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Take Robert's Center for Contextual Negotiation as an example.
00:04:09
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He's still using his experience, but in a reimagined way. And his mentalism, magic for the intelligent mind, connects them to people through curiosity and insight.
00:04:20
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So what about you? You're getting close to retirement, or maybe you've been retired for a while now. What could you explore if you didn't worry about being too old or too late to do it?
00:04:33
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It doesn't have to be flashy or public. It could be as simple as picking up that book you always wanted to write, taking a class just for the joy of learning, starting a group, sharing your wisdom,
00:04:47
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Traveling somewhere you've never been? You don't need permission. You just need to follow what lights you up. Here are a couple other suggestions help you figure out how to reinvent yourself if you want to.
00:04:59
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You could revisit something you used to love as a child or a teenager. You could notice what you're curious about, even if it feels impractical for some reason.
00:05:12
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You could volunteer, audit a course, simply declare to someone what you want to explore.
Retirement: Milestone, Not Conclusion
00:05:20
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That puts it out there.
00:05:23
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Remember what I keep saying. Retirement isn't the finish line. It's a signpost on the road along the way to whatever is coming next. I'd love to hear your ideas for reinvention.
00:05:34
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Send me an email. Send me a message. I don't know. Send up a smoke signal. Maybe you know someone whose life has taken an unexpected path they'd make a great guest for the show.
00:05:45
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So here's your invitation today. What's something you've always wanted to explore, but never gave yourself the time or the space to try? It's not too late.
00:05:56
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You're not too old. And you don't have to be anyone other than who you already are. Retirement isn't a period at the end of your sentence. It's a new chapter, maybe even a new genre.
00:06:09
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Thanks for listening today. And Like I said, if you've got your own story or you're just beginning one, I'd love to hear about it. Until next time, take care of yourself and stay curious.
00:06:23
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And that's it for this episode of Beyond Retirement. Thank you so much for hanging out with me. I hope you enjoyed it.
Planning Your Retirement
00:06:30
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Are you ready to start rocking your retirement? Head on over to www.beyondretirement.ca forward slash rocking it and sign up to plan out your own roadmap for retirement.
00:06:42
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Don't wait till it's too late.