Who is the New Retired YOU?

The topic of this blog is…You matter.

I mention in the book that it is quite a shock to the system when you go from being what you have been for 40 years or so to…to what? Who and what is the new retired YOU going to be? You may not know that on the day you retire. That may not become apparent for a few years. In the meantime, what is the importance of YOU? Do you matter?

Who We Were and Who We Become 

I was a corporate warrior for 40 years. I had some big jobs with some big firms. I was the bread winner at home. I took pride in my career. People looked up to me (how many or who those people might have been is subject to audit). I was a boss…an executive…a leader. I was somebody.

The day I retired…I was back to just being Don. My wife didn’t need a co-CEO of the house. My new neighbors and friends in the place we moved to (Hawaii) did not care one bit about what I had done in the past. All the things in the previous paragraph…gone.

Reinventing Ourselves Once We’re Retired 

I had to kind of re-invent myself. I started by embracing my lazy side…getting up late when I wanted, taking a nap if I had a chance, not wearing a watch and…most of the time…not really knowing what day it might be. I stopped looking for ways to be important. I started looking for ways to have fun. Even better, my wife decided to join me on this quest…let’s find fun stuff to do together.

So…that is what we do now. We look for adventures. We look for fun things to do. We have become really comfortable just being one more couple on the beach with smiles on our faces. Yes, I have a photo business and write some books…but those endeavors have been fun for me all along the way. I just have more time to do them now and the time to up-my-game by getting coached/mentored by some great photographers and writers.

You Matter. It’s That Simple. 

You matter. You matter right this very moment. The world at large could care less if you are an important executive or doctor or lawyer or teacher…they don’t care. But they do care about you…the human being. I think the world wants to see you enjoy the retirement you’ve earned…and enjoy it in a way that is new, fun and exciting.

If you are worried about how you will matter in the future, quit worrying.

You matter now and you will matter then. Just go about putting together a great retirement life, and let all those old thoughts of importance and the like take a back seat for a while. Before too long you will look at your grand kids or students or new or old friends…and that spouse of yours…and realize that YOU MATTER now more than ever.

Aloha,

Don Hurzeler

Connect with Don on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, or LinkedIn, and purchase his latest book Smells Like Retirement: How to Create a Rock-Solid Plan for the Best Years of Your Life on Amazon.

Learn more about the book here.