For some men, retirement feels like erasing part of their identity. It causes us to face the big question: who am I, if I am not my job?

 

Today’s guest shares why retirement isn’t about a loss of self, but a chance to break free from the “autopilot mode” of our midlife and enrich another part of ourselves. As an applied developmental psychologist, Deborah Heiser, Ph.D. has dedicated her life studying human growth and development. 

 

Not only does she examine the ways we interact with each other, but she also looks at how we adapt to the different seasons of life — from birth until the end. In this episode, Deborah shares with us the power of seeing retirement as an opportunity. 

 

We covered:

 

• Why building a social life outside of marriage is essential for older men
  
  
• The commonly overlooked stage of life that motivates us to give back
  
  
• How to practice giving yourself more credit (and why it matters)
  
  
• The reason why retirement makes some people feel a loss of power
  
  
• Reframing the idea that leaving work means erasing a part of yourself
  
  
• 3 surprising things we have to look forward to about growing older 

 

Links

The Mentor Project