Four in the morning and I’m waiting for a plane, Judy. Starting the day with your thoughtful post and with eyes and heart on the loving Evaluator of our worth. Thanks. :)
Love this. Interestingly, I also struggled somewhat when my husband retired because I felt "important" because of his career. Funny, huh? I've only recently realized how I relied on this for my own worth. I was so proud of his abilities, his responsibility to carry hundreds of people in a jet at 35,000 feet to safety on the ground. And then he was finished. And this part of MY own value diminished. So silly. But real. That might be an interesting exploration for you too. Or maybe you have done this already? How do spouses feel important in light of their partner's work and then retirement? Thanks for all your words.
That is interesting idea, and I think I will explore it. Of course, it’s good to feel proud of our spouses, but the impact on our feeling of importance is another story. I don’t remember feeling that I had lost importance when Dan retired the first time, but that was a while ago, so I might just not remember🤷♀️. Thank you for your thoughts, Beth, and enjoy your weekend!
A conflict I’m currently experiencing is unsubscribing from content that I valued during my professional career. It’s hard for me to let go of information and the opportunity to engage as a professional in a particular field and sector. I’m no longer relevant since I’m out of the game I which I earned a status of importance. Now how do I fill in the void of subscriptions and the silence in my previous work community. I’m out of site out of mind.
I get it, Judi. I have felt similarly in the past, and it's not easy. For me it wasn't about feeling less important, well maybe just a smidge, but relationally things were changing. Eventually, new contacts filled the void, and I trust they will for you too. It always takes me a while to adjust. Thanks for your thoughts, Judi!
Judy, this discussion is fascinating to me as I had never heard of PIPs before, although I certainly understand the concept. When my husband retired after over 40 years of full-time pastoral ministry, he was sorry to leave our beloved final congregation but had no issue whatsoever leaving the big office (with a fireplace!), the recognition, the influence. And I felt the same leaving my corporate job. I'm so thankful, as Cheryl said below, that we know the one who is the true Evaluator of our worth!
I hadn't heard of PIPs either, Maggie. It is an adjustment to leave all that "important" stuff behind, and I've had to remind myself of that a time or two. Sometimes I'm astonished to think that the Evaluator values the like of me, and then I'm extremely thankful!
Well, I am no Peter in the Forbes article, and I was never a CxO. I am a retired person, who for a few years had been an "executive" in a Fortune 100 company. Let me say that entering retirement was not something I prepared myself for (I wrote about it in my Substack a few times), and I still have not completely figured out what my "life in retirement" should be like. But, I still qualify as an "important" person—I am just important to different people in my life, people who care about me, and matter to me! :)
Yi, I’m so glad you got a chuckle out of this article and that you still know you’re important to those who care about you and matter to you! In the end, that’s all that matters, isn’t it? And most of us are still figuring out what life in retirement looks like, but that’s the beauty of having the freedom to try different things, do new things, and enjoy it!
Four in the morning and I’m waiting for a plane, Judy. Starting the day with your thoughtful post and with eyes and heart on the loving Evaluator of our worth. Thanks. :)
Happy to provide you with something to ponder this morning!
Love this. Interestingly, I also struggled somewhat when my husband retired because I felt "important" because of his career. Funny, huh? I've only recently realized how I relied on this for my own worth. I was so proud of his abilities, his responsibility to carry hundreds of people in a jet at 35,000 feet to safety on the ground. And then he was finished. And this part of MY own value diminished. So silly. But real. That might be an interesting exploration for you too. Or maybe you have done this already? How do spouses feel important in light of their partner's work and then retirement? Thanks for all your words.
That is interesting idea, and I think I will explore it. Of course, it’s good to feel proud of our spouses, but the impact on our feeling of importance is another story. I don’t remember feeling that I had lost importance when Dan retired the first time, but that was a while ago, so I might just not remember🤷♀️. Thank you for your thoughts, Beth, and enjoy your weekend!
A conflict I’m currently experiencing is unsubscribing from content that I valued during my professional career. It’s hard for me to let go of information and the opportunity to engage as a professional in a particular field and sector. I’m no longer relevant since I’m out of the game I which I earned a status of importance. Now how do I fill in the void of subscriptions and the silence in my previous work community. I’m out of site out of mind.
I get it, Judi. I have felt similarly in the past, and it's not easy. For me it wasn't about feeling less important, well maybe just a smidge, but relationally things were changing. Eventually, new contacts filled the void, and I trust they will for you too. It always takes me a while to adjust. Thanks for your thoughts, Judi!
Judy, this discussion is fascinating to me as I had never heard of PIPs before, although I certainly understand the concept. When my husband retired after over 40 years of full-time pastoral ministry, he was sorry to leave our beloved final congregation but had no issue whatsoever leaving the big office (with a fireplace!), the recognition, the influence. And I felt the same leaving my corporate job. I'm so thankful, as Cheryl said below, that we know the one who is the true Evaluator of our worth!
I hadn't heard of PIPs either, Maggie. It is an adjustment to leave all that "important" stuff behind, and I've had to remind myself of that a time or two. Sometimes I'm astonished to think that the Evaluator values the like of me, and then I'm extremely thankful!
PIP ... haha, I love it!
Well, I am no Peter in the Forbes article, and I was never a CxO. I am a retired person, who for a few years had been an "executive" in a Fortune 100 company. Let me say that entering retirement was not something I prepared myself for (I wrote about it in my Substack a few times), and I still have not completely figured out what my "life in retirement" should be like. But, I still qualify as an "important" person—I am just important to different people in my life, people who care about me, and matter to me! :)
Yi, I’m so glad you got a chuckle out of this article and that you still know you’re important to those who care about you and matter to you! In the end, that’s all that matters, isn’t it? And most of us are still figuring out what life in retirement looks like, but that’s the beauty of having the freedom to try different things, do new things, and enjoy it!