How to Reinvent Yourself While Aging

Director for Education and Culture for Koelsch Communities Benjamin Surmi joins Suzanne to talk about reinvention. A new life cycle is emerging due to demographic shifts as we're living longer, as well as changes in how we learn and work. A new trend shows multiple cycles of school, work, and mini retirement, with several different careers over the course of their lives. Some seniors are happy at 75 to play bridge or bingo all day, but others have contributed and still want to keep going at 70. People in older age groups are starting new businesses. Benjamin says, "Traditionally, we go to school, then we have a family, and we work, and then we retire — our whole financial planning industry is oriented around that particular life cycle model. So much of our schooling systems, our work systems, everything is dependent on that framework. However, what we're starting to see is a whole new life cycle be born. That is partly due to demographic shifts as people are living longer. It's due to other factors in our environment. And in the way work is done and learning is done now than it was in the past. But now according to an expert named Ken Dychtwald, PhD, with Age Wave and the Second Wind Movement, we're seeing a new trend in which people will do all three of those things multiple times in their life. They'll go to school, they'll work, and then they're gonna have a mini retirement. Maybe they're only 30, maybe they're 35, 40, they have a mini retirement. Then they go back to school, they learn and they do more work, and then they do retirement again, and then they do it again. Because we're seeing people who are retiring at 50 and then going back to work in some capacity. Or going back to school in some capacity. And so it's a whole new way of understanding our lives and even financial planning is having to change because now I bet plan for multiple retirements, not just one." This new trend shows multiple cycles of school, work, and mini retirement, with several different careers over the course of their lives. Some seniors are happy at 75 to play bridge or bingo all day, while others have contributed and still want to keep going at 70. People in older age groups are starting new businesses. Benjamin says, "Someone once said, the only things that will change your life are the books you read and the people you meet. And so, if that's true, the people we surround ourselves with is really critical, are essential." How does someone begin the second wind journey? There's a method to define what matters to you, create one sentence in your head that begins with what you want to do/learn/enjoy/share, followed by with/so that/for/ to clarify more about it. For example, what do you want to do? "I want to share my love of photography with my grandchildren so that nonprofits in my city are uplifted." Learn more about Koelsch Communities at their website or call (360) 867-1900. Hear more of their podcasts at Answers for Elders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.