Recently, I joined a dynamic group called Lustre, a collective of vibrant women who have officially “retired” from their long-held careers, but you’d never guess it by looking at their calendars. These women are anything but retired in spirit. They are passionate, curious, engaged, and absolutely not interested in fading into the background. They’re not slowing down, they’re just redirecting their energy into something new.
That’s the thing about retirement. For many of us, it’s not an end. It’s a beginning. It’s not a winding down, but a gearing up for something different, something fulfilling, something you’ve been waiting your whole life to do.
Retirement from your first career whether it spanned 20, 30, or even 40+ years doesn’t mean the story ends. It just means you’ve turned the page and found yourself at the beginning of a fresh new chapter. One that’s wide open, filled with possibilities, and entirely yours to write.
Many of the Aging Icons I work with are in this exact space. They’re discovering that retirement is really just code for reinvention. And if we’re being honest, most of us have been reinventing ourselves our whole lives anyway. Careers change, families shift, passions evolve. Retirement is simply another moment of transformation.
For some, it’s about starting a second (or third!) career and one that’s driven more by purpose than paycheck. Others are diving deep into long-held interests they never had the time to fully explore before like painting, writing, teaching, learning new languages, or launching businesses. Some are traveling the world or mentoring others who are just beginning their own professional journeys.
The possibilities? Endless.
And let’s not forget the joy of learning for the sake of learning. I see women enrolling in classes that spark joy, signing up for workshops, joining discussion groups, and volunteering their time and talents in meaningful ways. They’re raising their hands, not because they have to, but because they want to.
Of course, not everything is as easy as it once was. Bodies change. Energy fluctuates. Some of us move a bit slower or need accommodations to do the things we love. But let me tell you this, there is always a workaround. Always. I’ve seen women who use walkers volunteer at schools, women with arthritis creating incredible works of art, and women with hearing aids starting podcasts.
Limitations don’t have to be limitations. They can simply be opportunities to do things a little differently, and sometimes, even more creatively.
That’s why I love working with Aging Icons. These are individuals who may have “retired” on paper, but in reality, they’re just getting started. They’re determined to make this next chapter the best one in the book. They ask the big questions: What’s next? What do I want? What impact can I still make? And then they get moving.
It’s not about proving ourselves anymore. It’s about expressing ourselves. It’s about embracing the wisdom we’ve earned and using it to shape lives, our own, and others’.
If you’re nearing retirement, or already there, I want to leave you with this thought:
You’re not done. Not even close.
You’re just getting started.
Whether you want to travel, teach, mentor, create, rest, explore, or lead, this is your time. And I’m here to remind you that whatever “next” looks like for you, it’s valid, it’s worthy, and it’s entirely possible.
Here’s to the next chapter. Let’s make it unforgettable.
June 6, 2025
Posted by Aging Icon |
Uncategorized | investing, life, meaning, next chapter, personal-finance, professional, reinvent, reinvention, retirement, retirement-planning |
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