Alternatives to Retirement: Time to Begin Your Second Life

Not everyone aspires to retire from a job, get a gold watch, sell the house and move to a retirement community to live out his days playing golf, going to lunch or traveling in an RV. You have alternatives to retirement.

Frank works as a fix-it man at an entertainment venue in Baltimore. He's 77 and has retired about four times since turning age 65. Retirement just doesn't seem to stick with the man. Each time he retires, he spends the first few months doing projects, then he goes stir crazy. He makes those around him crazy as well. About 5 years ago, he gave into the fact that he's just meant to work all his life. He chose a job that wasn't demanding, allowed him to get out and see people (a necessity for his personality) and earned him a bit of spending money. He's compromised a bit after his last retirement effort. Now he only works part time.

Some people never retire because they can't afford to stop working. Others don't retire in the traditional sense because the idea is just not appealing to them. While it was the norm to retire years ago, it's not the norm today. It was also the norm then to work for a company for one's entire working career. That rarely happens anymore either.

As with so many other things, people are finding out they have alternatives to retirement. Here are some of them:

Retire for a little while. You know when it's time to leave a job. You're tired, you're ideas are met with contempt or humor and you don't find satisfaction when you complete a task. The magic, retirement age mark just makes it legitimate for you to leave that awful job behind. It served you well for a time, but now it's sucking the life out of you. Still, you don't know what you want to do. Take some time off to figure out what it is you really want to do. You haven't been able to do that in the past, have you? You'll know when it's time to begin a new endeavor. If you don't know, a loved one will push you along because you'll start getting on their nerves.

Volunteerism

Peace Corps. While technically you are out of the paid work world, you are hardly ready to be sedentary in front of the TV watching soaps. You must be at least 18 years of age to join the Peace Corps, but this is one organization that recognizes those long in the tooth have a lot to offer. They have no upper age limit. The oldest volunteer on the books is 86 years old. So, any skill you can bring will be appreciated. For more information, check out the Peace Corps Web site on volunteers: http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.howvol

Senior Corps. This program revolves around those who are of retirement age. It's the largest volunteer network dedicated to those age 55 and over. According to the Web site: "You've gained a lifetime of experience. Now is the time to put your skills and talents to good use by volunteering through RSVP."

The programs within the program are senior grandparents, senior companions and RSVP. The RSVP program serves as the catch all for all other categories. With RSVP you can draw on your work life to make things better for other who don't have your knowledge. For more information, check out the Web site: http://www.seniorcorps.gov/about/programs/rsvp.asp

Be a Rebel with a Cause. All the years you worked 40+ hours a week, you never had time to do things within your community you wanted to do. Maybe you wanted to get involved in local politics, or maybe you've watched as beloved local spots have gone into disarray. You wanted to do something about it, but couldn't. Now you can. Perhaps volunteering with an organized, national group doesn't appeal to you. You like being hands on and seeing a cause-and-effect result to your efforts. It will take more work on your part, but you can hook up with local organizations or start your own to tackle local issues you haven't had time for in the past.

Do what you were meant to do. A large amount of those who scoff at retirement quit their jobs as if they are going to retire, but that's where the similarity ends. Instead they start over, perhaps pursing a vocation they had always wanted to pursue but life got in the way. Many women become nurses later in life.

Others, like Ray plan to pursue a dream. Ray, on the brink of retirement, has been making a retirement plan that is anything but retiring. It's a second career built around the things he really loves. It's a vocation, rather than an avocation. He works a high-pressure job that makes use of his ability to troubleshoot. That's what has paid the bills for Ray, his wife and four children over the years. And he's loved it, but he let go of some dreams to do it.

Ray has had two real loves since as far back as high school: woodworking and music. He's been building guitars for loved ones, and he's even constructed a drum set, as a hobby. He gets it naturally. In his little woodworking shop, he keeps tools made by his great, great grandfather, a woodworker in Hungary. So, it's in the blood.

When he finally takes the big step into retirement (sort of), he hopes to start his second life. He won't be building instruments, he says. He reserves the instruments he builds for loved ones. Instead, he hopes to fix broken instruments under the tutelage of one of the greatest guitar players of our time. (The name is being withheld purposefully.)

Ray has gone to the man's shop just to see how they plane wood, and he came away from that invigorated. Ray is overjoyed at the prospect of restoring instruments for those who love them. It's important to note that Ray's son is a musician. His father took a job that allowed his son to pursue the same love he has. Now it's his time.

What do you want. While Ray is looking at an endeavor that certainly isn't a second career, he will be doing what makes his heart and soul beat. This is just one aspect of the working after you retire.

The Second Career. Maybe you got married and took a job to support your family. Dreams got shelved, but they didn't die. You can retire from the job that paid the bills and do what you want to do.

Gasp. Yes, take that last statement in. Now you can do what you want to do. Nothing scares people in retirement than that phrase. Most are given options such as pottery, but not start a second job. Moreover, most think they will not be accepted in a new career.

Odds are you took a job because it paid the bills, provided benefits and allowed you time with your family. And that's a great thing. But think back, way back. If money were no object, what business would you be involved in. If you are retired, and need spending money rather than living money, now is the time to do what you want to do. Many people have gone into teaching in that second career. The only person who has the answer as to "what' is you.

You don't have to retire in the classic sense. You only have to ask yourself one question: What is it I want to do. Then go about doing it.