The unretired lifestyle can be an exciting adventure. When I started this blog, The Un-Retired Entrepreneur, a few years back, I was contemplating ways to expand my work in different ways.
Personally, I never contemplated retiring completely. I was and am committed to sharing my skills and experience in ways that make a positive impact in the world.
The Unretired Lifestyle Becoming a Trend
“I see retirement as just another of these reinventions, another chance to do new things and be a new version of myself.”
This whole thing about unretirement is grabbing attention, and it’s for good reason. When we hear ‘retirement,’ most of us imagine leisurely days, travel, and time spent gardening or maybe taking up painting. But that picture’s changing a bit.
More seniors are choosing to hit the workplace again. Whether it’s by necessity or choice, it’s a trend that’s shifting how we think about those golden years.
So, what’s unretirement all about? It’s basically when folks retire, hang out for a bit, and then decide to rejoin the workforce. It’s a pretty big deal because it means rewriting the retirement narrative. Rather than seeing retirement as the end of your career, it becomes more like hitting pause on the full-time grind.
Unretirement Options
“Retirement at sixty-five is ridiculous. When I was sixty-five I still had pimples.”
The unretired lifestyle is all about living life to the fullest extent. Each area of our lives deserves our attention no matter our age.
Whether additional income is needed to supplement retirement funds or one is interested in staying active doing work one enjoys, there are options available.
- Assess Current Situation — Figure out what is desired and then create a plan based on current skills, experience, and interests. Abilities we take for granted are much needed by others without those particular talents. Never underestimate what we have to offer.
- Introspection — take some time to reflect to determine what we really desire at this point in our lives. No matter what the challenges there are solutions available.
- Fine-Tune Skills if Necessary — brush up any skills that we haven’t used for a while if we feel a bit rusty.
- Understand Our Value — the marketplace needs skills that we possess and older workers are valued because of what they can offer.
- Have Realistic Goals — take an honest assessment of current skills, current ability to deliver, and any improvements that can be made. If health is an issue assess what is possible. There are viable alternatives. A neighbor who is a doctor had a bike accident and could no longer perform his work because of his disability. He transferred his skills to an online business where he is now sharing his expertise and serving others in a different way.
As the theme of my website indicates, “When you Love what you Do, Why retire?”. there is much more living to do in a joyful and impactful way.
The Unretired Lifestyle Fulfilling a Need
“Wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure. Great necessities call out great virtues.”
Let’s be straight about demographics. Life expectancy is on the up, thanks to advances in health care and better living standards. There are more people hitting 65-plus, and many are still raring to go.
Some of them gotta work because they didn’t save enough. Rising living costs, especially healthcare, can strain even those with savings.
But it’s not just about the cash. Many are jumping back in because they miss the buzz work gives. Think about purpose, social interaction, and keeping the noggin sharp. It’s not unusual to see people unretire for that sense of community or to stay mentally engaged. The workplace isn’t just where we earn a living; it’s where many feel alive and connected.
When we talk about industries grabbing seniors and saying ‘come back,’ it’s often ones needing expertise and experience. Education, healthcare, and consulting are big on tapping into the seasoned know-how of older workers. Plus, today’s tech-savvy seniors can navigate digital tools better than you might think, making remote work an ideal fit.
Of course, this isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Some face age-related discrimination or gotta brush up on new skills. Health can also be a hiccup. It’s crucial for businesses and society to step up, break down these barriers, and make the workplace welcoming to everyone, regardless of age.
The Unretired Lifestyle Contributing to Positive Change
“The ultimate lesson is that there is no immunity, no matter our age or the size of our retirement account, from going through constant cycles of integration and disintegration in which we are humbled and hopefully set to rights with the world again.”
Unretirement is a shift, a chance to rethink not just retirement but work itself. It shows how flexible and forward-thinking our society can be. Age? Just a number when it comes to contributing to the world.
Each moment is an opportunity to grow and expand. Thus, we are able to increase our contribution to the world in many ways.
With the appropriate mindset, we recognize a need and are there to provide the necessary help. This can be in a professional capacity or an unexpected encounter with a stranger.
Being unretired is all about living life fully no matter our age. Our increased awareness of our value allows us to contribute in effective ways.
Job-related, volunteer activities, or a combination of both keep us actively involved and making a positive difference in the lives of others as well as our own well-being. There are so many wonderful ways to contribute.
Once we value ourselves and our skills appropriately we will realize that each moment provides us so much for which to be grateful. We will be humbled by this responsibility to extend ourselves in any way in which we are intuitively led.
I encourage us all to stay actively engaged in life and observe areas of need where we can be of service. Whether paid in a monetary way or not we will soon recognize that we cannot give without receiving.
The unretired lifestyle provides us wonderful opportunities to earn additional income, stay active daily, and make a needed contribution. Let us all recognize our importance and value and proceed accordingly.
Peace. Love, & Light to All,
Joseph William
As someone who’s still got a couple of decades before ‘retirement’ even comes up, I find this whole concept of unretirement fascinating. The idea of viewing retirement not as a finish line but a pivot point resonates deeply, there’s something powerful about realizing we’re still evolving, no matter our age.
I love that this trend acknowledges the need for purpose and connection beyond traditional career paths.
I’d be curious to hear more from those who’ve taken the unretired path.
Did you go back to something familiar, or was it a total career pivot?
It’s inspiring to think there might be an opportunity later on to bring a lifetime of experience to something completely new!
Thanks for your thoughts and insights, Benjamin. I combined a few areas such as business development and my work in mental health, I am now a partner in an art-inspired footwear and clothing company that generates money for mental health foundations to raise awareness of the challenges in teen mental health. It keeps me actively engaged as well as current with the ever-evolving technology. Best, Joseph