An 87-year-old man was confident when he told me: "If I could do it again, I would never just retire. At least retire without really thinking things through first."
"What do you mean? What would you do differently?" I asked.
"I would really think through what I wanted to do next. I just retired. If I were to do it again, one thing I would do is really spend more time figuring out what comes next.. beyond the financial planning!"
Wow! When life transitions hit, all the momentum tugs us towards either "doing what everyone else is doing" or voice of fear buzzing in our heads pushes us with, "Hurry up and get your resume together and get a job." "Move." "Move on!" "Take what comes your way!"
The advice from my fellow coach Scott Dinsmore encourages just opposite - BEFORE you retire, get fired or leave - but certainly if it's already taken place: "DO NOTHING"
"For at least the first three weeks (and ideally a few months) DO NOT do any of the following:
Find any job you can get your hands on
Start interviewing like crazy
Take the first offer that comes to you
Panic and run around in circles"
Instead, see this as your chance to STOP. DO NOTHING IMPULSIVELY.
Life transitions clearly scare the heck out of most of us! They ignite adrenaline and make us feel out of sorts, off our rhythm and even in a hole! For far too many, the fight or flight inside us makes us RE-ACT instead of seeing this as our time to RE-FLECT.
The blood pressure increases. The "what if?" kicks in. The "hurry, hurry" gear gets activated.
Maybe, just maybe might this be the best possible opportunity to let yourself reflect... think... recalibrate... reconsider?
When all the momentum of life tends to push us to "be afraid," "be very afraid" transition can actually enable the best of life to be birthed, or maybe just incubated.
If this fits your season, consider these as a better path...
Take the time to review your last season.
What worked for you?
What didn't work? Why?
What might you have done differently in retrospect?
Write the answers to these in a special journal purchased just for this transition.
