Crucial Considerations on the Road to Retirement

by Isabelle St-Jean

If you’re in the legal profession you know first-hand how fast-paced and hectic your professional life can be. Focusing on work at this speed and intensity can lead you to loose touch with your authentic self and what matters most in your personal life.

This year, the first wave of Baby Boomers, those born in 1946, will be turning 60 and many of them will decide to go into some form of retirement. If you’re a Boomer, you’ve been part of an era that has seen the most effective visionary leaders changing the world in significant ways. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, and Pierre Elliot Trudeau were models of moral leadership as they contributed to the advancement of human rights. Collectively, the Boomers’ generation can re-capture the sense of purposeful engagement it experienced while being inspired by these leaders of the recent past.

As individuals, it’s common to experience a sense of anxiety when this transition emerges over the horizon. Being concerned is appropriate because this life juncture presents unique challenges that require thoughtful choices. If you plan to by-pass retirement and continue to work with fewer hours, you need to be alert to the possibility that as the years go by, your ability to keep up with the load may decline. Then, it’s wise to anticipate a graceful exit and prepare for retirement.

You may be excited as you think of filling your days with leisure activities such as golfing. But let’s face it; you likely sense deep down that golf alone will not satisfy you any more than eating desserts all day would keep you well nourished. So what will it take for you to create a life filled with a sense of significance after retirement?

There is a multitude of options to consider as you design those golden years ahead. Introspection accompanied by professional guidance and support often yields the best answers for you. What is certain is that at the heart of experiencing fulfilling retirement lies a renewed sense of purpose.

This is the fuel that stokes the fire of aliveness within. Without that you could be at risk of falling into depression, loosing your vitality, your health and even dying prematurely.

After 20 years of research on retirement Dr. Richard Johnson of Retirement Options has identified several success factors that are important to consider. He strongly advises retiring professionals to reacquaint themselves with their passions and dreams in the process of cultivating greater self-awareness. My professional experience has proved that finding your home ground and using your internal compass helps you stay focused on your True North. That is the point of convergence of your values, the positive attitudes you hold, the purpose you act on, all of which contributes to your well-being and happiness.

As a Boomer, retrieving your authentic self allows you to re-connect with the timeless messages and values that have stirred your heart in the midst of an exciting part of history. Now, it’s up to you to keep growing and contributing your knowledge and talents, leading and perhaps inspiring others. As John Lennon suggested, “imagine” a better world, a brotherhood of man.

Isabelle St-Jean, Professional Speaker and Certified Retirement Consultant, Inspired Momentum, www.inspiredmomentum.com

About the author: Certified (from Retirement Options), Retirement Consultant and Baby-boomer Isabelle St-Jean provides qualified assistance to retiring professionals through seminars and consultations. Visit her website at: www.inspiredmomentum.com

This article was published in the February 2006 issue of BarTalk. © 2006 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.