The Six F’s of retirement according to 64PLUS, the retirement coaching practice. 64PLUS helps people to transition to a fulfilling retirement.

 There are three pillars that support a fulfilling retirement: 

·      Health

·      Wealth

·      Factor X

I wish I could rhyme Factor X with the other two but, until I can, Factor X is the name for all those emotional aspects of retirement that go beyond health and wealth. You will meet some of them in this article.

I won’t discuss wealth, as I want to leave to one side all those money issues to do with how long you will live, the potential for rising inflation and the perennial issue of investment uncertainty.

Also I won’t discuss health as, in the 64PLUS practice of retirement coaching, it’s assumed you have your own health and exercise plan.

But finally there is Factor X, the emotional side to retirement, which can be summarised in this question: will you have a fulfilling retirement? 

Now we are in the realm of the emotions and feelings that govern retirement, where there are two salient registers:

• Fear of what lies ahead

• Excitement about a new future

And these are opposite to each other, as clearly one is negative the other positive. Those who are excited by retirement can be trusted to map out their own future, while those engulfed by fear and apprehension should benefit from some help. Let’s go into more detail.

I have identified six of these fears, as they can apply to anyone on the threshold of, or recently entered into, retirement. I call them the 6 F’s of retirement, where F stands for “fear”. Here they are, and of course there are many more:

• Will I be bored now that I have seven days a week that are potentially free?

• I had a routine when I worked, how will I cope without one or will I need a new routine?

• I used to be important when I worked, do I need to find a new way to be important?

• Work defined me, how can I now define myself (to others as well)?

• Will my children and/or my partner be worried about how I’ll cope in this new world of retirement?

• When I worked I had a purpose, a use, a value to others but what about now?

Do you feel any of these? Are any bells ringing?

If so, you may benefit from retirement coaching and 64PLUS can help.

 Contact jon@64plus.com.au for more information and visit the website www.64plus.com.au