I have previously introduced the concept of the Seven Levels of Energy, and how they influence how we think, feel, and act about retirement. This is at the very core of my LEADING YOUR RETIREMENT system. In this article, I describe one scenario that is based on real life observations, to illustrate how people may react when they leave the full-time workforce.
As you read through these descriptions, pay close attention to the progression from thought to emotion and then to action, and try to identify which level you resonate with the most.
Scenario One: ‘Ideal’ Retirement
You finally made it! This is your last day in the office after a rewarding, decades-long career. Your finances and your health are in top shape, and you are now free to enjoy your well-deserved retirement. As your colleagues line up to congratulate you and say goodbye, these are some possible reactions you may have:
Level 1 (Victim): “There is no reason for me to celebrate anything. I am going to be bored to death. I have no idea about what I will be doing from now on. Might as well sit on the couch and watch TV all day…”
Level 2 (Fighter): “Why celebrate anything? I will soon have to use my retirement funds and pay more taxes. I will dispute this even until my last breath!”
Level 3 (Rationalizer): “I have been looking forward to this, but I am not convinced that my retirement funds will last. I better get busy and find another job…”
Level 4 (Caregiver): “I am finally free of time commitments. So many people need help out there. I will now dedicate all my time and efforts to volunteering”.
Level 5 (Opportunist): “This is the moment I have been preparing for. I feel great peace and freedom. I will be able now to spend more time in my business as a motivational speaker”.
Level 6 (Visionary): “The Foundation I created a few years ago is running smoothly. I feel so much connection with others that I know I can make a deeper difference in the world. It is time to bring my ideas into action”.
Level 7 (Creator): “What retirement? Existence goes on, until we become free in Spirit”.
How to Shift your Energy
I am almost certain that you noticed the change in energy from one level to the next, and perhaps you are asking yourself, why such differences if this is considered an ‘ideal’ retirement scenario? Most importantly, how can you take control of your energy, and shift it so that it works for you?
How you react energetically is influenced by external or internal obstacles. External barriers are not always under your control, although you could choose to minimize their effect.
Internal energy blocks, such as limiting beliefs, interpretations, assumptions, and that bothersome inner critic, are usually under your control. For example, in the Level 2 response described above, this person has convinced himself that it is unacceptable to pay taxes on retirement funds, and worse, he has turned this way of thinking into a habit, so that the reaction to retirement will always be at that level.
What if he were to change that driving thought, or interpretation, that he does not have to pay taxes? Maybe he needs to be reminded that he took an income tax break earlier when he contributed to his retirement fund… Oh, yes, I forgot!
That simple thought, and letting go of that feeling of resentment, immediately results in an energetic shift, into cooperation or perhaps an opportunity not seen previously because all thoughts and feelings were clouded by anger.
My friends, that’s how you shift your energy. Sometimes you need help in doing this, because first you have to become aware of where you are energetically, of the blocks that are holding you back, and then you need to be held accountable for work towards making the shift. That’s where coaching is important.
Next week I will be covering a not so ideal scenario – being ‘forced’ to retire too soon. Stay tuned.
In Peace and Prosperity
