Personal Development Tailor-Made for Retirees

How do you develop your personal development when retired?

Personal development is more important than ever when entering retirement. It’s a time of empowerment, not a complete life overhaul as some may believe. With the right mindset, retirement can be a period of significant growth and self-discovery.

The old 9-5 job comes to an end, and now it all changes to something different. However, with society’s development in the last decades, it’s a truth with essential modifications to look after carefully.

To start, when reaching retirement age, we are still much healthier physically and mentally than older generations. Not looking after your personal development is the same as fading out from life.

In my earliest article, “The Naked Truth About Side Hustles When Retired,” you got a small proof of what you can do in retirement.

Personal development can be viewed from different perspectives, and in this article, we will discuss how to adapt to this new situation.

What Is Personal Development?

To fully understand the essence of personal development, we can divide it into three big groups: understanding personal development, the importance of self-awareness, and the role of a growth mindset.

Definition of personal development

To develop as a person, you need to work on yourself. This can be in many different areas, but in a few words, it’s all about being a better you. When retiring many (too many) see retirement as a period in life where you disconnect from most of what you have been doing earlier in life.

As retirees, we all have the privilege to slow down on speed and live a more comfortable life. This freedom, if utilized correctly, can lead to a lifestyle of continuous growth and learning, not laziness.

When you retire, you will have much more time for what really matters to you. It can, for example, be:

Improving your relationship
Create better habits
Learning new skills
Learning new skills

Nothing is right or wrong here. The goal is to find a lifestyle that fits you the best.

Importance of self-awareness

Self-awareness is essential for personal development, especially when entering retirement. Often, we fall into old routines only to make things easier. But the truth is that it’s completely the opposite.

At this point in life, you should spend time to make an analysis of:

Values and beliefs
Personal thoughts and feelings
Strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities

By knowing your position well, you will automatically grow, not only emotionally but also more easily adapt to new situations.

The “new” digital world is a good example. As the development in this area is so fast, it’s easy to just ignore it and let your children and grandchildren take care of this part.

As a 73-year-old (young) retiree, I decided from the very beginning to stay as updated as possible on everything related to the Internet and digital software and applications.

It’s no longer “rocket science,” but it sometimes feels like that because the development is at such a high speed. But guess what? It’s the same speed for the younger generations.

Having a growth mindset

Believe that you can improve and learn new things. Don’t be afraid of new ideas.

See the opportunities and every challenge
Never give up on trying new things, even when they seem hard to do
Learn from all mistakes on the way

This mindset of growth will help you be open-minded. Nothing is impossible! It will be key to whatever you do when you retire.

Setting Goals – Part of Personal Development

A life without goals is like a ship in the ocean without a defined destiny. In retirement, setting realistic and achievable goals is crucial. It keeps you focused and determined and gives your days a sense of purpose.

In an earlier article, we discussed the S.M.A.R.T. formula. It’s a fantastic method for setting goals correctly and should include long-term and short-term goals.

I am talking about the two most common obstacles retirees face when retiring:

Lack of activities; life becomes boring
Not sufficient financial resources to live as retired the way we dreamt of

Often, the financial roadblock becomes a hurdle to starting these activities, which are planned to be undertaken when retiring. Let’s face it: Most retirees have less income than when still working in the corporate world.

If that is the case, increasing your income should be on your to-do list when setting goals.

A Personal Plan For Retirees

Your personal development plan is entirely individual. We all have different goals, backgrounds, and conditions to deal with.

Assuming that lack of retirement activities and a lower monthly income are the two main obstacles, which is the reality for most retirees, there are two ways to deal with the issue: “Let it be,” meaning accept a retirement that is not in line with your dreams, or do something about it.

Watch the video, where I will explain how I “killed two birds with one stone.”

This is the link to the pages mentioned in the video:

https://thegoldenagelifestyle.com/PersonalDevelopment-FreeTraining

“The key to success is dedication to life-long learning.”

Stephen Covey

Conclusion For Personal Growth and Development

We all have to deal with challenges in life. The difference between succeeding and failing is the challenge. A continued growth mindset is essential for personal development, especially when retired.

Be fully aware of your strengths and weaknesses. As retirees, we have a tremendous advantage: Experience!

Use your skills, knowledge, and life experience. They’re an asset that no one can take away from you.