A Change in Perspective

Is necessary to appreciate late adulthood

At a recent gathering, I was asked what I’ve learned about this stage of life, late adulthood. I could have said any number of things, but I believe one adjustment is most important: an attitude shift, change in perspective, a new view of this stage of life.

The term retirement conjures up images of withdrawal and endings, as this Forbes article describes.

The words “retire” and “retirement” derive from the French retirer, meaning to withdraw. The common definition of retirement today is to leave your job and stop working. Words shape our vision and thinking. As long as we keep using the word retirement or any derivative such as “the new retirement,” that whiff of withdrawal, of closure, of endings will linger. And so will visions of what the word evoked a generation ago: retirement as the time to stop working and, hopefully, enjoy yourself—travel, play golf, hop on an RV, pursue hobbies. At least until aging and infirmity catch up with you or your partner.

The ‘whiff of withdrawal’ is still in the air, which is why I prefer the term late adulthood to retirement. Late adulthood has the potential to be expansive, not constrictive. Late adulthood as we are now experiencing it is the exact opposite of what retirement meant to older generations. It’s not an ending, but a beginning; not a withdrawal, but a deposit on new adventures to come. If we shift our attitudes toward those expectations, late adulthood can be an expansive, growing, and transformative time of life.

At least four expansions might take place in late adulthood.

Identity

For many, retirement causes an identity crisis. After the confusion subsides there is a realization that you have always been more than your job. Reminders of previous interests come to mind, and your identity is amplified in every direction.

I wrote this in a 2024 article:

Who are you? You are a unique, complex, collection of personality traits, experiences, skills, knowledge and spiritual maturity, and in retirement, you will have to let go of your identity in terms of your career. Your career was necessary and important for others and for your development, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. The older you get, the more complex and interesting the puzzle grows.

In other words, your identity expands. You have always been yourself, but late adulthood is the time to recognize aspects that have gone unacknowledged or underdeveloped. As you grasp these aspects of your personality, it will be enlarged.

Use of Time

Gone are the days when you felt like you had all the time in the world to try out new activities, learn interesting things, and upgrade your intellect. Now, you realize that there are fewer years left to live than you have lived.

This makes the late adulthood years precious. You don’t want to waste them, so shift your thinking a bit and start every day with gratitude for the day and a reminder that this day is important.

Explore, expand your view of what you can do with your time, and use every day to the best of your ability. It doesn’t as much matter what you are doing as how well you are doing it. Ask God to lead your days and to give you energy to meet each day with your best attitude and performance.

It’s true, we don’t have as many years left as we have lived, but our use of available time can become more intentional and will feel expansive.

Purpose

I’ve been thinking about purpose quite a bit lately. I’ve whittled it down to the simple, but not easy, statement: Follow God’s lead. Only he knows how what we do will be threaded into his purpose, and his purpose is the only one that matters.

I’ve simplified the concept of a purpose which has enlarged my attitude toward pursuing it. Instead of wondering what my purpose is in this crazy world, I can simply trust God to lead me in the right direction. It opens my mind to possibilities and helps me to live in freedom.

Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Galatians 6:15 MSG

Shifting my attitude from the common ‘little patterns’ of retirement to expectations of daily purpose in late adulthood offers me freedom. When we follow God’s lead, everything we do is significant.

It’s up to God to weave our work into his purpose. We don’t control the future; time is out of our hands. We only have responsibility for the present. So, live every day purposefully, expansively and with gratitude.

Spiritual maturity

Finally, in my opinion spiritual maturity has the potential to expand exponentially in late adulthood.

One of my good friends decided to read through the entire Bible in 2025, and we did it together. I was impressed that she was spending so much time and energy reading different translations, taking notes and asking questions. She had the time and was using it for spiritual growth, which I applaud.

Reading the Bible is the best way to get to know God, his heart, and his character. It’s his story; he is the protagonist of the entire Bible. If you desire, you can supplement with other ways to improve spiritual maturity such as serving, prayer, fasting, or meditation.

The point is to seek God. He is not hiding and will be found by anyone truly seeking him. Spend time getting to know God and your spiritual life will expand.

If you shift your attitude toward anticipating the new expanse of your identity, use of time, purpose, and spiritual maturity, instead of withdrawing, late adulthood will be a joyful and transformative time of life.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will… Ephesians 1:11

Has your life expanded in late adulthood?

Photo by Anika Huizinga on Unsplash