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The Retirement Business Card Dilemma—And Now What?
When saying, “I’m retired” just doesn’t cut it—
a personal statement
Enough of this historical, and somewhat hysterical, resume for the moment. Now that I am retired, how am I going to introduce myself? What am I going to do with my time, my energy, and my resources? As my history shows, I’ve been continually defining and redefining myself in imaginative, even chaotic, ways for forty years— often creatively, always in light of my responsibilities. Retired now, I am relatively free from obligations, especially freed from the pressure to focus my efforts on making a living. Ah, so now what life shall I choose to create?
The way I choose to introduce myself these days indicates to others what it is that I want to focus on now; what I want to engage in conversation about; what I want to know more about; and what it is I hope will occupy my time as I move forward: |
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Pastor, Chaplain, Community Leader?
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Mentor for Small Business Owners, Business Coach, Consultant to Budding Publishers?
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Project Manager, Artist, Poet, Author, Novitiate Musician, University Student?
Over the past decade, deciding what to put on my business card has not been an easy task. What should I call myself now? Sanity requires me to say “Yes” to some opportunities, and to close the door on others. In what ways do I want to remain engaged in the tasks I have loved in the past? In what ways will my willingness to take on unfamiliar challenges with new colleagues energize me and bring me joy? In the process of evaluating future ways to invest myself in the light of retirement freedom there are few external guidelines and no definitive timetable. Sometimes I really have to concentrate just to remember what it was that I always dreamed I would spend my time doing if I were ever to be free.
All of these questions stimulated by retirement and aging are spiritual in nature
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Now that I no longer have to make a living, what shall I do with the rest of my life?
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How should I occupy my mind? What shall I focus on learning?
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Where can I find meaningful involvements that test my creativity?
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How shall I best invest myself and my resources in providing real service to others?
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What difference can I make during this fourth quarter of my life?
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What activities and occupations will nurture my soul and deepen my wisdom?
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Who am I? Redefining Self, The question of Identity
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What will I do with my Time? The question of occupation, Purpose, Meaning
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Whatever will I do with my Money and Things? The question of Putting Assets into Action
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Who will I walk with? The question of Loving Relationships
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How will I deal with my Death? The question of Holy Aging supported by Maturing and Deepening Faith
As I have been asking these substantive questions during this young old stage of life I have found myself testing out a newly expanded, one page business card:
Donald A Tubesing, PhD, MDiv b. 1942
Social Entrepreneur
Applying energy and skills to projects that pick my brain, that warm my heart and that require:
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The analytical mind of an MBA
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The vision of a clairvoyant
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The experience of a street smart entrepreneur
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The inspiration of an orator
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The curiosity of a scholar
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The savvy of a sidewalk salesman
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The cooperation of a good friend
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The passion of an Evangelist
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The determination of a Pit Bull
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The eye of an artist
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The single note of a long submerged musician—Donny One Note
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The soul of a mystic, and
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The warm heart of a caretaker
To carefully selected one of a kind visionary projects that draw people together by fostering spiritual depth and nurturing human community. |
Well, what do you think? Yep, I’d have to agree. This is a bit much!
But, to date this outrageous way of introducing myself without using the word “retired” has left me relatively free to pursue the random array of possible occupations that flutter through my life and capture my interest each morning when I arise. Let’s see what emerges next along this journey.
Or let’s try this one on for size ???
Donald A Tubesing
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Fairly nice guy, despite being a bit hyper
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Quirky sense of humor that can be somewhat unnerving
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Sometimes loses balls, loses money, loses temper, loses names and details, but always HATES LOSING ANYTHING! – go figure.
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Poor Golfer, but remains consistently energetic and loudly vocal about it.
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Not all that consistent or steady, but a dependable hard worker
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Tries to be kind, and still can think on his feet
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Lucky to have several people in his life who love him consistently
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And, Grateful.
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