Retirement. Relaxation. No worries.
Or is it?
It has been suggested there are 4 phases to retirement. Knowing what to expect can increase your confidence and competencies to move through the phases with the least amount of stress or distress.
The 4 phases of retirement:
- Phase 1 is Vacation time. This phase is the party phase, the ‘do whatever I want’ phase. Do I want to sleep in? Do I feel like going on a holiday? Do I want to go to the beach? I can do whatever I want because I am retired. I worked hard all my life and now is the time for me to enjoy my hard work. This phase is fun. But it doesn’t last as long as you think. Feeling excited to do whatever you want tends to last from a few weeks to a year. Then what happens?
- Phase 2 is the struggle stage. This is where you feel uncomfortable feelings of anxiety, depression, boredom and feeling obsolete or invisible. Your identity takes a hit, and you wonder who you are now that you don’t work anymore. Social connections tend to decrease due to the lack of proximity and availability of work colleagues. Routines become inconsistent and sometimes feel arbitrary. This stage hits hard. The lack of purpose and power infiltrate every fibre of your being. But take hope, the next phase is just around the corner.
- Phase 3 is the sample everything phase. This phase is where you try new things. This might be trying a variety of new hobbies or clubs, volunteering your time and expertise, or even picking up a casual or part time. This phase focuses on discovering more of your identity, what you like, what you have always wanted to try. Fear of failure is near non-existent in this phase, as the emphasis is on finding fulfilling, joy inducing activities to participate in. Needless to say, the next phase follows on with pursuing these activities.
- Phase 4 living with purpose and finding satisfaction in life. This phase is where you continue pursuing your interests that you found brought you joy. This phase is refining what you learned from phase 3 and investing your energy in the activities and roles that are meaningful to you. Generally these activities tend to contribute to and are valued by society. For example activities that give back to others including mentoring, advocacy, creative pursuits, and community building tasks. This phase is where you will find yourself living your best life. The happiest retirees are the ones who have found purpose beyond productivity. They did this by working through the phases and learning from their experiences.
If you would like to be one of the happiest retirees, counselling can help you navigate your way through the phases. In a counselling session, we could explore the current phase you’re in and build on your psychological strategies. For example:
- Phase 1 strategies could focus on maximising your happiness, embracing the feelings of joy, contentment and excitement.
- Phase 2 strategies could be reflective or introspective. Asking the questions of the meaning of life or who am I? Other strategies could target symptoms of depression or anxiety and build on your coping skills.
- Phase 3 strategies could be aimed at highlighting your hidden strengths or suppressed interests. Skill building could focus on being open to new experiences and establishing a sense of safety when exploring the unknown.
- Phase 4 strategies could incorporate the principles of ACT, where you start to intentionally make decisions based on your values rather than your thoughts or feelings.
These are just a few ways counselling could support you as you navigate retirement. Every counselling session is led by your needs at the time. You are welcome to book an appointment and see if counselling can help you become one of the happiest retirees too.
To make an appointment with Cassia, you can Book Online. Alternatively, you can call Vision Psychology Brisbane on (07) 3088 5422.