Paul Simon was right,

and there are at least

50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER JOB!

(to prepare for Retirement!)

Are you struggling with the very idea of retiring? I often have people asking me questions like, ‘Should I?’ ‘When is the right time?’ and ‘How do I handle it?’ My best answer agrees with the transition advice given long ago to folksinger Paul Simon:

“JUST MAKE A PLAN, STAN!”

Ok, so maybe your name is not Stan, and maybe you don’t even love your job - just the paycheck. The advice regarding facing a transition is still strong. Retirement means the end of something – the end of having structure to your day, the end of the identity on your business card, and the end of that reason for getting up in the morning.

 

The answer to “How do I handle it?” is simple. As with all transitions, making a written PLAN will help you ask yourself, “Who am I now?” and “What do I really want?”. (Of course, you can still do this if you have already retired and are questioning what to do.) It’s common sense – think about how very different you are now from that person who was just getting started in the working world. And, by the way,

 

YOU DON’T NEED TO BE COY, ROY.

 

Oh, that’s right, your name is not Roy. But…, being coy – shy or timid – will not help you figure out your next move. You need to be honest with yourself, and PLANNING is what will help you focus and stay on the track of not what you are leaving from, but what you are going to