What type of retiree will you be? Part 2

What’s your retirement style? I've identified four different types of retiree - Activists, Individualists, Specialists and Traditionalists.

I think of Individualists as the self-actualisers of the second half of life - they have the need to fulfil their potential and be all that they can be, and their ideal retirement would be a portfolio of activities which combines:

• meaningful work,
• learning,
• personal development, and
• community and/or voluntary activity.

Examples of Individualists would be Sylvia Hopwood from the UK, who, at 76, runs The Recycle Works and its accompanying website/online store offering recycling and composting equipment, bulbs and seeds and eco-friendly products. Another example would be my friend, Beryl, who, in her late 60’s, is a well-respected NLP trainer, co-owns a coffee shop on Anglesey and prepares all the soups and baked goods for the coffee shop each morning.

The Individualists may have downsized their lives earlier in life in order to follow their dreams. They are the ones who are most likely to start a small business in retirement, open a B&B, take off in a motorhome/RV for a couple of years or go off on adventures – maybe trekking through the Himalayas or doing VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) or Experience Corps work.

Does being an Individualist in retirement float your boat? If not, take a look at the other articles in this series to find a retirement type that's a better fit for you.