Retirement, in the not so distant past, consisted of working long and hard for 40 years and retiring to a life consisting primarily of relaxation and recreation. Many retirees only concentrated on the financial aspect of this transition and did not anticipate how much more there was to this life transition. Some discovered that they could not live on their retirement income and went back to work full-time or part-time. Others, without financial challenges, chose to modify their retirement to include more meaningful pursuits that might include work to feel more directed and productive.

Baby boomers, who have watched previous generations fail to effectively plan this important transition, will create a retirement plan that is unique to them. Each retiring baby boomer must design their retirement plan in a conscious and thoughtful way. This is important because retirement involves many personal decisions that reflect one's career history, interests, temperament, family circumstances, needs, wants and desires. Failure to plan may lead to an aimless path of confusion, uncertainty and miss-direction.

Here are some questions that you might want to consider:

• Are you thinking about retiring in the next several years?
• Would you like to create a retirement vision that is ideal for you?
• Are you challenged with what retirement means to you?
• Are you wondering how family and friends fit into your plans?
• Do you want to continue to work, start a new business and/or volunteer while creating life balance?
• Do you wonder if you can financially support your retirement vision?
• Are you uncertain about where you want to live when you retire?
• Are you wondering what kinds of activities you will be attracted to when you retire?
• Would you like to give back to your community but are not sure how you will contribute?
• What kind of activities will you be attracted to?

Retirement can be the best time in a person's life or it can be a challenging time. This is such a personal decision, and it is really up to each individual to decide what their vision of retirement will look like. A Life Coach can help develop a unique plan that reflects who you are and what you want in your retirement. With a life coach as a partner in the planning process, a prospective retiree can optimize their goal of a purposeful and fulfilling retirement.

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