We’ve all heard the expression, “That person or they have retired in place.” When do you usually hear this and what does this statement really mean? All of us have our own interpretation of this phrase; possibly meaning that this individual is doing no more than necessary to satisfy the job requirements. Or, it could mean that they have lost their creativeness and are resigned that everything will stay as status quo.

The word ‘retirement’ actually comes from the use of Old French around the year 1533. It was first used by military divisions to order the ranks to ‘fall back’; consequently, allowing the senior officers time to rethink a battle strategy and advance at another time.

As we use the word retirement today, it is accepted that we mean that individuals have reached a sufficient age to leave their professions, even military service, to pursue some of their true passions, loved hobbies, even travel the world. And, as we see in the Boomers’ generation, this is proving to be untrue. Current surveys reveal that 41% of the early ‘retirees’ are starting second careers, forming start-up companies, joining the Peace Corps, even inventing new products to serve those with mobility problems such as, motorized chairs and one-touch auto dialers for medical assistance.

If you think you may have become ‘retired’ too young, ask yourself:

• Are there other activities that you are not able to do by living in the status quo, unable to make progress because tackling more than one obstacle is too overwhelming?
  
  
• How is your family or community image affected by remaining in a place of resignation?
  
  
• If a personal loss is holding you in place, how will you obtain the professional resources you need for resolution and integration back into the mainstream? What outside resources do you need to contact for assistance and a strategy plan?
  
  
• What feelings do you experience by watching others move on into other careers, relationships, even other cities? How much longer can you be left behind, abandoned, pushed aside, even avoided?
  
  
• Are you waiting on someone else to make decisions regarding your life or your career’s direction? What requests do you need to make so that you regain some focus and drive in your life?
  
  
• If you have clutter surrounding you, how can you devise a workable timeline to remove, store, give to relatives, donate to worldwide missions, or even sell the items?

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
James A. Baldwin