Do You Really Need a Retirement Guide?
As you approach retirement, are you inclined to look for an advisor? A coach? Are you a “just give me the plan” type of person?
At Retire Artfully, we pride ourselves on guiding clients through the practice of retirement. Now, this might seem like “semantics” but bear with me as I explain why the language matters and how it can help define what we offer as you transition to this new and exciting phase.
Because retirement is the start of a new chapter, it often brings up some of the biggest, most personal questions of one’s life. For many, it's the first time in decades you’re not defined by a job title, career track, or calendar. This can be both exciting and disorienting. And because it's a journey into new and unfamiliar territory, having the right guide by your side can make all the difference.
Imagine you're setting out to explore a vast canyon you’ve never visited. What would you do first? You could buy the map, watch the videos, and read the trail reviews. But that takes time, and chances are you’d miss some of the best views or get turned around and lost. You might also carry the wrong gear, or not enough of it. You’d work harder, and probably see and enjoy less.
Now imagine hiring a guide. Someone who’s been there before and knows how to help you develop a plan. They know the terrain. They can help you find the hidden trailheads and avoid the unstable cliffs. They walk alongside you, not in front of you. And, as a consequence, they help you get the most out of the experience because they bring the tools, experience, and perspective to help you make the most of your time and energy.
Retire Artfully offers guides to help you ask the right questions and develop the right plan for your retirement transition.
We’re not here to hand you a list of hobbies or tell you how to spend your days (although we can help you define those preferences for yourself). We know retirement is deeply personal. We walk you through a custom process for rediscovering your identity, values and priorities and to help you create an infrastructure to build a new schedule that reflects those desires.
While I’ve spent many years helping people navigate transitions as a professional coach, I’ll be honest; this particular phase of life—the shift away from a career-driven identity into something more open-ended—is unlike any other. It asks bigger questions:
Who am I now, without my title or career or a calendar full of meetings?
How do I build a life that’s not just full, but meaningful?
What do I want to contribute or leave behind to my people and communities?
Why am I on this planet? (When's the last time you asked or answered that one?)
These, and others like it, aren’t ones you can answer in a single afternoon. They take time to explore, mull over, and ruminate on. The good news is, you don’t have to do it alone.
These are questions I’ve been working with, too. While I’m choosing not to “retire” quite yet, I am entering a season of reflection, realignment, and a shift in priorities. It's my “top of the sixth inning.” With fewer years ahead of me than behind me, I’m figuring out what I want these next innings to look like, what impact I want to have on whom, and how I want to use my gifts.
No one can give you your answers. But at Retire Artfully, we will walk alongside you, offer tools, perspective, and encouragement, as you chart a path that is uniquely yours.
Yes, you can absolutely do “retirement planning” on your own.
However, with the right guide (and guidance), the experience is deeper, the detours are fewer, and the views are even more extraordinary. If you think a retirement guide could be just when you need to enjoy your view from retirement, set up a free consultation today.
