We are welcoming Wendy Leggett, a Certified Professional Coach (CPC, ACC) specializing in non-financial retirement life planning, to the circle of trusted experts we’ve asked to share on topics of interest with our clients this year. Wendy’s credentialed with the Retirement Coaches Association (CPRC) and affiliated with the research-based Retirement Life Plan. She supports client well-being and fulfillment by helping her clients zero in on retirement’s much overlooked non-financial aspects, including identity, social networks, and meaningful activities.

 

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The team at Inspired Financial has guided and supported you as you’ve developed a healthy and robust financial plan for retirement. Through that exploration, you may have also shared ideas of how you’d like to spend your Golden Years. However, a successful and satisfying retirement doesn’t end there. To enjoy the years that you’ve worked so hard for, a retirement life plan is imperative. This roadmap includes both the financial and non-financial aspects for a gratifying next chapter.

Why is a retirement life plan important? Extensive research shows that 1 out of 3 struggles in retirement. Often this struggle comes from a sense of loss in unexpected or unplanned ways, including:

• Loss of work role: Who am I without work?
• Loss of structure: How do I spend my day/my week/my month and more?
• Loss of connection: Without my built-in work network, who do I want to spend time with?
• Loss of direction: What activities are engaging and meaningful to me?

 

To replace the sense of loss experienced in retirement with fulfillment and satisfaction, an important first step is to consider the 4 Anchors of Retirement Wellbeing a model and concept created by Pauline Johnson-Zielonka. By integrating these anchors into your financial plan, you ensure that you are viewing the years ahead holistically and realistically.

 

Anchor 1: Who You Are

“…from being a somebody to being a nobody.”

Situation: The stronger your identification with the work role, the greater the impact retirement can have on adjustment and wellbeing.

Considerations: 

• Shift your focus to alternative roles outside of work
• Take the opportunity to explore new interests, activities, and life spheres

 

Anchor 2: What You Do

“There’s not a sense of direction that I used to feel.”

Situation: Work takes up at least 1/3 of our waking hours. In retirement, we need to reemploy that time while not getting caught up with the busyness factor.

Considerations:

• The quality of activity involvement may be more important than activity level
• Engaging, meaningful, and challenging activities are a central part of wellbeing

 

Anchor 3: Who Is Involved

“I miss daily communication with my co-workers.”

Situation: For many people, work is a primary source of social interaction. Daily, we have 22 interactions at work. In retirement, that number is cut by ½, and the quality of those interactions also drops.

Considerations:

• Before and during retirement, make an effort to connect with the type of people you enjoy and relate to
• Build upon and nurture relationships
• Have a healthy mix of acquaintances, friends, and confidantes

 

Anchor 4: How You Structure It

“The days don’t matter any longer – if it’s Monday morning or Friday evening.”

Situation: Retirement can feel like every day is a Saturday, which can start to feel like Ground Hogs Day if you don’t have a plan.

Considerations:

• Freedom from routine may have both positive and negative implications. Be true to yourself and map out your day in a way that supports your interests and goals and allows you to continue to feel involved and contributing
• Without external demands, some retirees experience a lack of motivation. Be mindful of how you’re feeling day to day and make changes accordingly

 

As with many things in life, it’s difficult to head in the right direction if we don’t know where we’re going. By recognizing that a non-financial retirement life plan is a crucial component to a satisfying and fulfilling encore chapter, we see the criticality of having a roadmap. The 4 Anchors of Retirement Wellbeing provide guideposts as you plan and live out a successful and enjoyable retirement.

 

Wendy Leggett
https://www.confluxbusinesscoaching.com/contact

I’m Wendy Leggett, Conflux Business Coaching, and I’m happiest when my creative side is fed. That can happen wandering through an art gallery, walking along the beach near my house or devising a new business strategy (weird, I know!) During my 25-year career in Sales and Business Development, I have helped organizations attract clients, increase their brand awareness, grow their staff and build profitability through purpose, process and passion.