COMING TO TERMS WITH NATURE: Senior Citizens /Retiree Navigation Strategies; from sedentary lifestyle to lifelines of transformation

“Haa, Coach, this is serious; I have just three more years to retire; from your analysis, I have not lived. How do I access myself and where do I begin from at this point in time?” This was the painful outburst of a Civil servant in one of my recent coaching session in Nigeria and how real could this be for many would be retirees and those already in the saddle of retirement?

Statement of the Problem

Have you ever wondered why many ‘would-be’ retirees are scared about the next level? To many, the years after retirement appears in their imaginary mind like a haunting shadow. The ‘doctoring’ of their age, manipulations and the maneuverings around the work space prior to retirement leaves much to be desired. Theyjust cannot fathom the dimension of life in retirement. They fall into blankness and immediate emptiness covertly or overtly in reality and would not see what lies ahead. Empirical studies have shown that the next level thinking about what is ahead of them to many is more of apparition rather than a positive realization of bliss and ultimate fulfillment. The ideas and motivation needed for the actionable steps to power their next line of action soon dissipates into the thin air. Critical thinking becomes an embarrassment and exercise in futility in spite of the pre-retirement training.

 The many years of active engagement soon become a barrage of shredded lifestylethat does not tally with the accumulated protocols built over the decades of active service. Sooner than later, sedentary lifestyle sets in with its attendant challenges bearing its tale on the holistic health, strength and vitality. General weakness, emotional lull  and nosedive in the face of inherent potentials, some never tapped or grossly unassessed during the active years of service becomes the order of the day. The sicknesses and infirmities they never had become the frequent experience that decolorizes their daily moments and distorts their expectations.

From the standpoint of psychosocial appeal, the mythology of pre-retirement training; that crash programme and the quick fixes of few months of sensitization is rather coming too late and besides, inaccurate on many occasions being bereft of the much needed profiling of the would-be retirees, the unbundling of the active service life, the dismantling of the old order, the exploration into the current emotional existence that should deliver and decorate his new reality is completely left untamed. He appears lost in his own world being loaded and coded. He soon realizes that what was taught at pre-retirement modules is a far cry to his daily realities. He begins to wander and query daily his fixated life as heasks the question within himself- for how long?

The many unsung tragedy of the African retirees!

Many senior citizens after retirement grope in the dark in apparent day light being in denial of the working knowledge of what moves their tick. They soon discover that the moment of restafter much work over the years open them up to a number of challenges and personal difficulties they never envisaged. Life becomes a bore and nothing seems to satisfy. In the words of Dr. Myles Monroe of blessed memory, they “simply look for a new world they cannot find”. Where is that ecosystem where every senior citizen belongs?…that truly spell rest, satisfaction and a continuation in terms oflifestyle that is most amenable to change given the current energies, the disposition and dispensing of strength for a new thrust? There is always a space where he could find another line of accomplishment and a place where his sense of belonging truly situates.

Coming to terms with reality via nature is the panacea to acute lifestyle of the senior citizens. Nature has abundance for every retiree within and without. Being 60 or so is not a license for seclusion but a lifestyle for supports and substance. It is never a façade or falsity but a fulfillment of a lifetime running upon a reassuring gesture.

21 lessons of transformation nature teach every senior citizen/retirees.

1. Retirement is never a call into extinction but distinction at another level. A dimension of life in definition and never distortion or delusion.
2. Truth be told, retirement is a basket of opportunities coming in various shapes and sizes for attraction and spotlight and not fright, fight or flight
3. That you are retired does not mean you are tired; you are simply given the opportunity to re-invent yourself as you leverage the reality you can see to your utmost advantage.
4. Know and understand that retirement offers to you a tripartitecurrency and not tragedy; the potentials, the present value and the prospect;for your next level transaction in the market of daily existence. Otherwise is simply to for famine in the midst of plenty.
5. Retirement is not a ground for idleness orself-abandonment. It is an opportunity for unique engagement given you the moment to truly experience and enjoy your persona
6. In retirement, life offers you the platform for articulation and behavioral sequence, so that you can find your new alignment, given your personal equipment for the required assignment.
7. Retirement is a moment for exploration for new expression in fresh leases, within the appreciable and appropriate lifestyle.
8. An opportunity to conduct behavioral profile in order to establish what was, what is and what could be.
9. A real time to exercise and experience a personality– that is hitting the ground running without abrasion or superimposition.
10.  A time to ascertain versatility in order to prospect for originality as we re-affirm new levels of authority.
11. In retirement, a man reappraisesrethinks and revisits his life in order to revamp and regain the residual energies for actionable projection.
12. A moment to elevate and elongate lifespan through the appreciation of lifestyle upon definite lifelines. It is not a time to harbor deaths and disasters in piece meals.
13. A sandwich of age with the desire for a satisfying structure, hitting the ground running without losing grounds.
14.  Retirement offers the senior citizen the platform for the plain truth model; first to be mastered and secondary to be marshalled.
15. Retirement 101 says; well-done for the work done, welcome to the world within and well up for the worth without- given your profound passion.
16. A time to ascertain current energies given the concerned strategies while containing the allergies.
17. The behavioral possibility curve is redefined in order to design his new persona in tandem with his details ‘in situ’- and that without decline or detours.
18. His “look emphasis” precedes the “leap entreaties” as he receives the much needed support to discern his passion, define his posture and deliver his possibilities.
19.  A sandwich of personal and societal usefulness; where ambition meet with actionable steps, reeling out in ‘evidenced based procedures’ as he packages to manage himself without damage. This is the secret of long life.
20. In early moment of retirement; retirement behavior says 3things must be defined and delivered; the place of best fit, the power of significance and the projection of a new confidence interval and level. This is what delivers every retiree and senior citizens from the negative side of sedentary living.
21.  Not to come down with the unexpected as a retiree, you must imbibe the principle of relativism; where current energies must be harnessed to address conscious learnings and yearnings for new avenues for earning income….not just subsisting by pension.

Candid advice for every senior citizen, retiree, and would be retiree.

1. Know your limits (currently) but never limit your knowledge.
2. Conparism is a behavioral error; seek timely and immediate support for self-evaluation and “behavioral impact assessment test” realities.
3. Presumption and suggestions are first cousins in the behavioral errors family never assume your fit and feats, find out all these, professionally.
4. Align your new emotional ecosystem to capture the reality of your ticks without the tricks. This would help you traverse the true wellness without wane.
5. Make up your mind to navigate retirement through basic protocols that wins identifiably, otherwise life becomes a bitter one on a daily basis.
6. Identify your basic drive; appreciate what oppositions and opportunity swings around your way; given your potential.
7.  Enjoy the services and resources that give you daily inspiration; make self-expression the fluid that runs in your veins.
8. The game of comprehensive hygiene must be played and never downplayed; otherwise you are likely to settle down in personal energy warfare against yourself as a lifestyle protocol.
9. Know and upload your new behavioral canvas; “productivity in longevity” given your areas of personal authority in all simplicity. This is a provisional intervention offered by SABA Resources
10. Desire to live long, strong and young (even as you age wisely) Request your free accessories at ;james1kom@gmail.com or put a call through as you begin the initial phase of the reality checks.

Components of Retiree Reality Checks; B-O-L-O-G-I 101

1. Be yourself inside out.
2. Own your own.
3. Locate your place.
4. Occupy your space
5. Grow your strength
6. Initiate your idea on your ground

Final remarks

Are you a senior citizen? A retiree or would-be? Waste no time anymore, place a free request now for BOLOGI 101 and radiate vibrantly. You have more to live for in retirement. Support the course of a senior citizen today as you spread this offer to retirees and the ‘would- be’ immediately. Let them know it is time to enjoy the other side of the work life without stress.Nature has abundance for them as they get into the right frequency. Nature is working for allwith his abundance and never against anyone. Look out for the next edition: 50 inadequacies of modern pre-retirement training and the lifestyle of some senior citizens

Dr James Komolafe is Cognitive Behavioral Therapist,Consultant Behaviorist/CEO School of Articulation and Behavioral Alignment Resources (A.K.A SABA Resources). He lives and practices in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. To reach him; 08035999220 or james1kom@gmail.com