Keep Your Creative and Intellectual Edge in Retirement
When September rolls around, I always get a feeling of nostalgia for returning to school. I have always loved learning and continue to this day to be interested in the things I don’t know and want to learn about. I started my career as a teacher, so I believe in the importance of lifelong learning no matter what stage of life you’re in. Those who love to learn also have a creative and intellectual edge over those who are content to just get by.
There are many other good reasons why we, as adults moving into retirement, should continue that learning process. As we welcome the beginning of another school year, I’d like you to think about your own continuing education. Think about how, both individually and as a couple, you can continue learning and growing as you enter your midlife years. This is an important aspect of looking ahead as you think about your retirement career.
Stay Interested And Interesting
Do you jump at the chance to take an in-service seminar or course related to your work? Are you more enthusiastic if the seminar or course is more related to something personal? Some of us want to learn more and keep our edge by staying current in our profession, but some just want to get out of the office for a few hours or days. The critical question is: when you’re not at work anymore, how will you build lifelong learning into your life?
As you begin your retirement career, you need to continue to think about keeping that edge. Stay current with life and be an interesting and interested partner.
How many times have you seen older couples sitting in a restaurant with very little to say to one another? Although this can happen at any stage of a relationship, we are especially vulnerable to that happening as we transition from work to retirement. Just because you’re retired, however, doesn’t mean you have to lose your edge or be any less interesting. One of the biggest challenges for our boomer generation will be staying engaged in life and continuing to learn new things. Unfortunately, many of our parents and grandparents just retired to a “life of leisure” so we don’t have many good role models to follow.
Possibilities For Growth
Today, there are so many possibilities and opportunities to grow in different ways both as a couple and individually. To take advantage of these opportunities, we have to work hard to prevent ourselves from falling into the RUT. I’ve seen it happen so often because without the structure of work, we have to make an effort to find a new rhythm and to create new and interesting things to do with our time. We need to ask ourselves, “what am I supposed to be doing since I’m no longer working?” The bottom line is: since the struggle for survival has been accomplished, what is the purpose of your life now?
This is where lifelong learning comes in. It doesn’t have to stop after we leave college or our work environment. Learning keeps our brains active and keeps us socially engaged. It occurs when we are interacting with people in a class, working on a project, and even just going online. Remember the old adage “use it or lose it” applies to every muscle in your body, including your brain.
Because all of us are unique and have different interests, you may find you differ from your partner in some of your interests. This is normal and advantageous for you as a couple. As you experience different activities and explore separate interests, you bring them back to the relationship to share. If you’re doing an activity together, you will still share conversations about how you experienced that activity and the people involved. It really does keep life interesting and stimulating for all concerned.
We boomers grew up with the Peace Corps and some of our friends and siblings served in that program. Now people, as retirees, are going back to serve in the Peace Corps after they retire. It brings new meaning to that old saying, “it’s never too late!”
Today many universities are offering courses on numerous topics for those fifty and older. The Osher Lifelong Learning Educational Programs, founded by Bernard Osher, can be found in many universities. Some programs are free and others require a small payment for a certain number of courses per year. It all depends on the university. Regardless of what you’re interested in, you should challenge the learning curve every opportunity you get. There will be so much more to talk about with your spouse and friends.
AARP and the US Small Business Administration just announced a collaboration to promote entrepreneurship as a career option for older Americans. The goal is to link 100,000 Americans over age fifty with small business development resources, including workshops, conferences, and mentoring programs. Starting a new business can be an incredibly challenging yet satisfying learning curve.
Volunteering is yet another way to learn about areas of service unknown to you. You will meet new people and expand your social circle while helping others.
Take a healthy cooking class together or separately. Start a progressive dinner club.
Take a dance class together. It’s amazing how dancing can develop a spirit of cooperation, coordination, and collaboration between partners. What a metaphor for your relationship.
These are only a few of the many different ways to use your learning experience to stay engaged relationally, socially, intellectually, and emotionally. Make sure you pursue new learning experiences to remain interesting and interested.
The Benefits To Your Relationship(s)
As you learn, you’ll enjoy a number of benefits to your relationships. Lifelong learning:
- Creates richer conversations when doing new things either together or separately
- Provides an opportunity to learn more about your partner
- Provides stimulation to your brain
- Expands your social life
- Keeps you more interesting to yourself and others
- Adds variety to your lifestyle
- Creates ways to add to the legacy you will leave your family and friends
Make sure you and your partner stay interesting and interested in life so you can make the best of your life for the rest of your life!
Dee
Dee Cascio
Author, speaker, Licensed Psychotherapist, Certified Life Coach, Retirement Lifestyle/ReCareer Coach, and Life and Work Transitions Strategies Coach.
The Life and Work Transitions Community
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