The Art of Reinvention: Embracing New Beginnings After Divorce

Such an interesting and vital topic: “retirement and reinvention”. It had me going back to the chapter that I’d written on just that topic and titled “Retirement is not a dirty word”, in my book Engaging with Ageing: What matters as we grow older. This book is in libraries, and for those who would like more than my short summary on this topic, that chapter is (I believe, unblushingly) well worth reading.

Briefly, though, with healthy longevity on the horizon for many, a post-retirement life that can span several decades should – as journalist Adele Horin put it – be regarded as “a gift that can’t be squandered”. The exciting thing, then, is how to make the most of it in ways that suit each of us as individuals. For some, there is a natural and painless progression into this new life, and – looking back – I offer myself as a case in point. From a fulltime profession as a medical education researcher, I switched to setting up my own very small (staff of one, me) research and development consultancy, which had me working part-time on a whole variety of projects for another 10 years, until my mid-60s. By then, with my love of writing firmly cemented and including quite a bit of freelance work, both paid and pro bono, I had made the decision to write a book about ageing in a realistically positive way, as a useful guide to these interestingly complex stages of our lives.

In amongst many wonderful trips overseas, the joys and responsibilities of grandparenting and family life, and the indulgencies of doing activities that I loved, from bush walking to movie going, that book took shape, and was published 13 years later.

And, unexpectedly, transformed my life, with a steady diet of invitations to talk about ageing, anti-ageism, and a whole battery of related issues, in settings ranging from libraries to conferences, and from face-to-face to being on television and radio. While continuing with my freelance writing.

Essentially, my writing has led me to the combination of what could be considered reinventing myself through a couple of part-time second chance careers, first as a consultant and now as an author and public speaker, and – also – as a volunteer, with my pro bono writing for various organisations for older people. And, at the same time, I’ve allowed myself plenty of the extra time available to retirees, for the sheer enjoyment of doing pleasurable leisure activities. And summarising it, what I have been maintaining is a combination of meaningful activities and frivolous fun.

For each of us, however, there are options for how we want to do retiring, and that might work organically, as in my case (through my research background and love of writing), or might require some planning and experimentation to find what works to suit our particular personalities, circumstances and interests.

As to how to do this, here are some tips drawn from the Retirement chapter:

• When approaching retirement, give some thought as to whether you are someone

  • for whom work is tied to a sense of worth, and so part-time work might be a useful transition while exploring more leisure time, or

  • who has clear plans for fully retiring, in which case take the plunge.

• In either case, make sure to ensure that you have the long-range financial security for your particular retirement plans.

• If you plan to embark on a second career, in a new direction, reinventing yourself, then the sort of occupation that appeals to you most might involve one or more of the following considerations:

  • Making the best use of your past experience;

  • Starting in an area that excites you;

  • Doing something that you enjoy;

  • Fulfilling a lifelong ambition;

  • Needing further education and training;

  • Doing something for others;

  • Building on a skill or talent that you have;

  • Working on something surprisingly different and stimulating.

• If you are also – or instead – considering volunteering, focus on criteria that are important to you, which might include doing something:

  • You feel passionate about;

  • You find interesting;

  • Will keep you as busy as you want to be;

  • Brings you a sense of fulfillment.

  • Includes you in a group of like-minded people;

  • Gives you a feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day.

Excitingly then, with such a choice of options and adding the pleasure of more leisure into the mix, retirement can be regarded as something wonderful for those of you who have ahead of you what is – essentially – a second adult life which can best be described as a halcyon period of renewal.

Anne Ring ©2025