Intentional Retirement, pt. 2: Transition

In our last podcast, we talked about preparing for retirement. We highlighted the importance of planning beyond the finances and balancing pleasure with purpose.

But what happens when we get there? Suddenly, the career is over and the demands of the job are gone – as is the paycheck! How do we handle this important time of transition?

Three major areas of focus are finances, health, and lifestyle – and they’re all connected. The key at the beginning is to understand our position and plan well enough to enter retirement with confidence. As we develop that understanding, we enable ourselves to pursue our retirement priorities without constant worry about money.

Mental and emotional preparation is also important. The transition into retirement brings with it significant changes in lifestyle and often changes in our most important relationships, especially with our spouse if we’re married. This is a time for open and honest communication, flexibility and intentionality, and lots of grace! There’s a good chance that our retirement won’t meet all of our idealized expectations; this calls for an ongoing attitude of contentment and thankfulness – two key characteristics of the Biblical steward.

Podcast host James Lenhoff helps us think through some important questions in all these areas and outlines an approach to retirement that helps us make the most of our “fourth quarter”.