If you are somewhere between the ages of 40 and 80, I have a golden ticket for you. We have a brand new online course called “Reframing Retirement” and I promise you will find your own piece of chocolate inside. Here are my 5 reasons why I think you will find this course valuable.
1. You don’t know what you don’t know – We have entered a new era of how we work in general with remote work the new norm, and up to five generations engaging in the workforce at the same time. This will force us to reframe our relationship with work over our lifespan. We have a vast number of choices that were never available to us before. Sometimes too many choices leads to no choices due to feeling overwhelmed. Come and learn how to master transitions, focus on your healthspan, discover what brings you meaning and purpose; as well as time to reflect and make better choices now rather than later.
2. Something Is Always Neglected Along the Way – When the moment comes that your 40 hour work week comes to an end, an opportunity arises to take a 360 degree view of your life and identify what may have been pushed to the back burner. Maybe it was your health and fitness, maybe it was friendships you didn’t have time to nurture, or maybe you haven’t had a hobby since the 3rd grade. Join us to reflect on what makes a fulfilling life right now, and how to focus on cultivating a more balanced next chapter.
3. The Best of Times Can Become the Worst of Times – We have fostered a fantasy about retirement as endless days of golf, vacations and cocktails. Yet, in reality, that becomes boring quickly. Did you know the average American baby boomer retiree spends 47 hours watching TV per week (Boomers in the U.S will have 3.9 trillion hours of free time over the next 20 years)? Not to mention, some of the highest rates of divorce and alcoholism occur post-retirement. Let’s fix that and reframe a new narrative to rebuild healthy habits, shed ego-led identities and cultivate new aspirations to live your best life starting now.
4. Retirement is a Team Sport – Let’s face it, all of us are in relationships with partners, friends, family, etc. and when we are going through a significant transition it impacts the circles around us as much as it does for us individually. Choosing to stop working on your own or due to outside influences means that suddenly you go from being busy and someone important every day; to having an empty calendar and a liminal identity, while everyone else’s life is continuing on as normal. Come and learn about how to navigate the impacts of relationships in retirement and focus on nurturing a more holistic approach of awareness and compassion.
5. We are Always Better Together – While there is a certain romance to the idea of being a Superman or Wonder Woman who is totally self sufficient, wise and independent, in reality, we are communal and social creatures. Our greatest punishment in society is solitary confinement, and yet many of us are suffering from loneliness, and aren’t sure how to build a community. It has become an epidemic with dire implications. At MEA, our belief is that “wisdom is not taught, it is shared.” Our programs offer opportunities to meet and engage with many “like-hearted” people you actually would want to know and befriend. Our alumni span 42 countries and many have built countless lifelong friendships, network in local chapters and participate in affinity groups to make a difference. We are always better together.
Join us for this week-long “sprint-style” Reframing Retirement course from August 28-September 1 with a fabulous series of short videos each day and three high-energy live events. It will be the best Netflix binge you could give to yourself. And, you can bring a friend for a big discount. Come and join us in a world of imagination. We need new role models, and something tells me that just might be you.
Kari Henley is the SVP of Digital & Alumni Strategy at MEA, and the developer of our Online programs.