where women celebrate their ageless authenticity

Taking Ownership of Your Retirement as CEO of You

It’s 6:30am on Friday and I’m appreciating my morning coffee, realizing it’s my favorite day of the work week.  Oh wait, I’m retired. Guess my old habits didn’t get the memo.

I’ve had a job with a paycheck ever since I was 15. Now at 66, looking back on arriving here, I’m fortunate to have been an ice cream scooper, a waitress, a professional athlete, a figure skating instructor, an aerobics coach, an English advisor (summer gig in Japan), a publicist, a mom (best non-paying job ever!), an owner of a Sports & Special Events Marketing Agency, and dabbled in TV commercials.

Not quite ready to head “over the hill,” or “out to pasture.” But perhaps finding balance and a breath is something I could get used to…

Yet, in a society where we are defined by what we do, what happens when we stop doing?

I “officially” retired my marketing agency during Covid in 2020. Not too many special events on the horizon, so I took it as a sign. I looked at my husband and asked, “I’m done, can we do this?” Ever since then, I’ve been wallowing in the ethos of elder expectations. Leisurely sticking my toes in the retirement waters, without really submerging.

A wooden-framed board displays the text, "Take time to make your soul happy." Next to it, a decorative leaf holds six colorful stones.

Seems I’m in good company. According to The National Council on Aging, NCOA, adults aged 65+ are a fast growing segment of America’s population, expecting to represent 22% of the market by 2040.

With my sprinkling of senior moments notably on the rise, maybe I should adjust my hearing aids to zero in on the trove of golden years enhancements like anti-aging creams, restorative hair growth vitamins, sciatica pain relief pads and arthritis hand exercise balls. Or not.

To me, it’s more about shifting my perspective, without relying on what the outside world is serving up. It’s taken me a lifetime of learning to see that the things I value most are relationships, and connection. Priceless as they are, you don’t find them on a shelf.

Time to reinvent myself by viewing my retirement as a new playground for possibilities. Giving myself permission to explore and be a beginner again. A “seasoned” rookie. It’s my turn to recognize my own self-worth and figure out what matters most to me.

But first, I need a title for this next chapter. How about “CEO of me?” Only applicants over 60 need apply. It’s more about taking responsibility, which means of course, it’s an inside job.

An elderly person with colorful hair takes a selfie while giving a thumbs-up. They wear glasses, a purple jacket, and a bright green scarf, sitting on a teal chair against a pink background.

Connecting the dots looking backwards, in my journey thus far I seem to grow the most when I’m seriously out of my comfort zone.

Flashback to 17-year-old me seeing my dad cry for the first time when I left home, boarding a plane to join the Ice Follies skating show tour. I’d missed qualifying for the 1976 Olympic team, but talent scouts somehow saw something in me and served up a contract to turn pro. The only thing I knew was that my new pair partner would be meeting me when I landed in Ohio. Funny how the world works when you let it. I never could have imagined it would lead to nine years of performing for audiences around the world, and the treasured friendships and experiences that would shape me along the way.

I loved every minute of it, until I didn’t. Perhaps the most valuable takeaway was, being open to trying new things. To listen deeply and never stop saying “yes” to whatever your heart is telling you. The best part is that those choices are always there waiting for us, at any age.

When we were young there were all these perceived threats and challenges to protect ourselves from. And now that we’re older we tend to box ourselves in, trying to feel safe. We have the, “I’ve been down that road before” approach, or my personal favorite, overthinking. That somehow, I need to put in the hard work to have all these credentials, or prior knowledge before I can proceed.

How about entering retirement with a blank canvas and a sense of freedom?

A person in an orange shirt leans out of a car window with arms outstretched, smiling against a blue sky background.

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outliers: The Story of Success,” the common thread is the 10,000-hour rule, which says complete mastery requires enormous time. Good to know that by living my “master class of life” for the past six decades I’m now qualified, primed and ready. He goes on to say that “practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.” Ahh, there’s the rub. Action is required. We must embody our passions, and let our creativity be the expression of who we are.

So, what does that look like to you?

A question we retirees get to ask ourselves. Answers may vary. As CEO of you, you get to decide what lights you up. Then do it. There’s no right or wrong way. Just go!

The study of Blue Zones may offer up a roadmap; those places on the planet where the healthiest, happiest and longest living people reside. They reveal that relationships and a sense of purpose give our lives meaning.

Blue Zone Lifestyle Habits:A road in a desert with two directional signs pointing opposite ways labeled "WORK" and "RETIRE" in yellow letters.

  • Moving naturally

 

  • Belonging

 

  • Love and connection

 

  • Downshifting

 

  • 80% eating rule

 

In your new leadership role as retirement CEO, why not make your first action item be JOY? What shift in your perspective is required for playful productivity? How can you be of service to yourself and others?

Think I’ll start with a very important lunch meeting… I’ve scheduled a little backyard picnic with my husband. I’ll surprise him with his favorite — sliced egg on half a bagel with mayo. Then I’ll contemplate what I want to focus my awareness on to grow and expand.

I’m retired, after all. And it’s Friday. Time to dive in!!!

A group of people smiling and holding sparklers under string lights during a nighttime gathering.

♦Let’s keep the conversation going. I’d love to hear what you’re leaning into in your retirement. Sharing inspires a sense of community and belonging, recognizing we’re not alone, even if our approaches differ. Drop me a line at intenfullyfit@gmail.com so I can share your voice in an upcoming newsletter.