While Lee and I were in the mountains recently, we started talking about what retirement might look like one day.
I asked him what he hoped to do in retirement. His answer was simple: fishing and traveling.
Then he asked me.
I immediately started rattling off ideas. I said I’d love to continue teaching yoga, volunteer at Good Neighbor if we’re still in Beaufort, continue serving as a Stephen Minister, kayak, travel, work on photography, take up pickleball, and hopefully have Gracie become a therapy dog so she can visit hospitals or read with children at schools and libraries.
As we talked, it struck me that our answers were very different. Lee has worked hard his entire adult life and poured so much of himself into his career. Beyond boating and fishing, he hasn’t had much time to develop hobbies or other interests.
The conversation got me thinking about one of the lessons I love from the Blue Zones.
Purpose doesn’t retire.
In the Blue Zones—the regions of the world where people tend to live the longest and healthiest lives—having a sense of purpose is considered essential to longevity. The Okinawans call it ikigai, which roughly translates to “the reason you wake up in the morning.”
Notice there isn’t an age limit attached to that.
Retirement may mean leaving a job, but it doesn’t mean leaving behind your purpose.
In fact, one of the challenges some people face in retirement is that so much of their identity has been wrapped up in their work. The routines change. The schedules disappear. The interactions with coworkers become less frequent. Suddenly, there is a lot of time and a big question to answer:
What now?
I think that’s why it’s so important to cultivate interests, relationships, hobbies, and ways to serve others long before retirement arrives.
Purpose can look different for everyone.
Maybe it’s volunteering in your community. Maybe it’s mentoring someone younger. Maybe it’s joining a pickleball group, learning photography, gardening, kayaking, traveling, or spending more time with your grandchildren. Maybe it’s becoming more involved at church or finding new ways to use your gifts to serve others.
Having things that excite us, challenge us, and connect us to other people gives meaning to our days.
As a health coach, I’ve learned that wellness is about much more than eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly. It’s also about having reasons to get out of bed in the morning. It’s about continuing to grow, learn, contribute, and connect.
When I picture retirement, I don’t picture slowing down. I picture having more time to invest in the things that bring me joy, deepen my faith, help others, and keep me connected to my community.
So I’ll leave you with the same question our mountain conversation sparked for me:
What are you retiring to?
Because purpose doesn’t retire. And perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is to keep cultivating a life filled with curiosity, service, relationships, and things that make us excited for tomorrow.
It’s never too late to start taking care of your health.
If you are looking for support with nutrition, strength training, stress management, or creating realistic wellness habits, health coaching can help you create a plan that fits your lifestyle and goals.
