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Serena Ikara spent her life always in charge, and by age 30, because of her success in the company, she had secretaries and assistants to help her, take care of her non business life.
But, she is now 70, she has retired, she no longer has staff, she no longer holds the power. Does Western society offer a means to adjust to a way of life that she has not known for decades, if at all?
Just in general as people age, if they are successful, they learn to replace lost speed and strength with gained experience and treachery. Just in general.
That and in general stay in the best physical shape you can, as you age. Consider Jack Lalanne, who stayed pretty buff right up to the end.
Ah, yes, this thread and the original question is yet another variation on the frequently discussed theme here of how retirees adjust (or don't adjust) to no longer having that 'power' like they used to hold in their previous jobs.
It is something I have commented on multiple times on this forum.
As I always say, I worked to live, not lived to work. Meaning, work to me was always just one means to an end of not having to work anymore. I will achieve this through various means including 401K, IRA, and some additional benefits I get on the side from the military.
Some people seem to live to work, where their entire life and personna was based on their job title and functions. Maybe they one day achieve the top of the mountain where they are the vice president of a corporation. They thrive on that and enjoy the power and responsibilities their jobs give them. So it can be a very very hard adjustment for these types of people who hold so much power to one day give it all up and be a nobody. Nobody answers to them, no one gives them the adulation, bonuses, and benefits they are accustomed to. I feel these are the exact types of people that lament retiring since they will become nobodies in relation to their previous careers. They will quickly get bored and depressed. Of course you will have some that will chime in and vehemently deny this.
I plan on retiring within the next few years and I cannot wait. I could care less about any of my previous titles or responsibilities, I am more than happy to be a nobody and live the rest of my life in a well deserved extended vacation where I do what I want, when I want, and never have to answer to anyone or anything ever again.
Let me try this -
Life as we know it ends. Life as we have not experienced begins. If you look at the new life with open eyes and anticipation and are ready to make changes you will do great. If you mentally hang on to your former ego you will be as unhappy as can be.
Short - smell the roses or get stuck by the thorns.
C-D threads make up such a miniscule percentage of what I'd consider the informative Net it doesn't even register. There must be millions of websites that can actually instruct someone how to accomplish something.
It appalls me how often some OP here starts a thread asking questions they could research for themselves in half the time. Instead, they expect someone else to do the research or their thinking for them.
How to register to vote in NJ.
Which job pays more.
Which brand of soap should I buy.
How much interest will this or that CD earn.
How much profit will I get when I sell my house.
What coolant should I use in my 2006 Toyota Camry.
What furniture should I buy.
Should I use a bungie cord or rope to secure a tarp over my pickup bed.
How can I get rid of the cooking oil residue in a glass decanter.
How to I find out if my cat is diabetic.
Then there are the questions no one can answer without a crystal ball. Not too many of those around that actually work as advertised.
Enough! I'm sure you get the drift.
A retired person who isn't comatose and has a functional brain still has power. They may not choose to use it, but they have it. Once retired, many feel they've finally achieved the most power over their lives. They might have been relatively free of responsibility in childhood but they didn't have much power. Then they attended school or worked to earn a living. Yes, skills can stale, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. The old adage "use it or lose it" isn't an absolute.
Last edited by Parnassia; 01-04-2024 at 05:51 PM..
Ah, yes, this thread and the original question is yet another variation on the frequently discussed theme here of how retirees adjust (or don't adjust) to no longer having that 'power' like they used to hold in their previous jobs.
It is something I have commented on multiple times on this forum.
As I always say, I worked to live, not lived to work. Meaning, work to me was always just one means to an end of not having to work anymore. I will achieve this through various means including 401K, IRA, and some additional benefits I get on the side from the military.
Some people seem to live to work, where their entire life and personna was based on their job title and functions. Maybe they one day achieve the top of the mountain where they are the vice president of a corporation. They thrive on that and enjoy the power and responsibilities their jobs give them. So it can be a very very hard adjustment for these types of people who hold so much power to one day give it all up and be a nobody. Nobody answers to them, no one gives them the adulation, bonuses, and benefits they are accustomed to. I feel these are the exact types of people that lament retiring since they will become nobodies in relation to their previous careers. They will quickly get bored and depressed. Of course you will have some that will chime in and vehemently deny this.
I plan on retiring within the next few years and I cannot wait. I could care less about any of my previous titles or responsibilities, I am more than happy to be a nobody and live the rest of my life in a well deserved extended vacation where I do what I want, when I want, and never have to answer to anyone or anything ever again.
Seriously, most jobs take 10 times more from you than they ever give to you. If you hold a responsible job there is a price to pay for the power you have and you learn not to abuse it.
Once you retire, it's your way or the highway. Do what you want, when you want. Talk about power!
Seriously, most jobs take 10 times more from you than they ever give to you. If you hold a responsible job there is a price to pay for the power you have and you learn not to abuse it.
Once you retire, it's your way or the highway. Do what you want, when you want. Talk about power!
Exactly!
That to me is REAL power. You are in control of your life and how it goes. Of course I am doing meticulous planning for my retirement and not something to be taking lightly as I will still be years away from collecting social security (and who knows what that will be like).
I plan on retiring within the next few years and I cannot wait. I could care less about any of my previous titles or responsibilities, I am more than happy to be a nobody and live the rest of my life in a well deserved extended vacation where I do what I want, when I want, and never have to answer to anyone or anything ever again.
And it's everything you think it's cracked up to be.
Been doing what you plan to do for near 10 years now.
Life couldn't be better right now.
My mantra..."I'm on summer vacation for the rest of my life".
That to me is REAL power. You are in control of your life and how it goes. Of course I am doing meticulous planning for my retirement and not something to be taking lightly as I will still be years away from collecting social security (and who knows what that will be like).
My husband and I are in our late 50's, so 2 or 3 years out from being eligible to start taking SS, more significantly for us is that we are 6 or 7 years out from being eligible for Medicare.
When I retired from teaching, I thought wow I will never have to try to tell people what to do again. Except my husband, who is not nagged but requires occasional guidance!
Then life moved on and my mother developed dementia and grandkids arrived. Coped with difficulty when they overlapped but now here I am trying to stop the grand puppy from digging holes in the lawn.
But I assume the OP is referring to the widely commented on situation (at least here) of older women, in particular, feeling they are becoming invisible.
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C-D threads make up such a miniscule percentage of what I'd consider the informative Net it doesn't even register. There must be millions of websites that can actually instruct someone how to accomplish something. 
