How to Stay Active in the Community During Retirement Posted on August 8, 2020September 3, 2020 Achieving true wellness during retirement involves more than merely staying physically fit. It means engaging in all six dimensions of wellness: physical, social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual and vocational. Vocational wellness is a dimension that enables an individual to continue a life of learning, seek out new challenges and build connections within the community. Explore meaningful pursuits Retirement is typically defined as the end of one’s “working life.” But in order to achieve whole-person wellness during our retirement years, we must continue to invest our abilities and interests in meaningful pursuits. A person works toward vocational wellness by expressing his or her values through activities that are at once personally rewarding and contribute to the well-being of the community at large. Vocational wellness enables us to achieve personal enrichment, whether that’s through a part-time profession, a hobby or a volunteer activity. Through vocational pursuits, retirees can discover new talents and interests, get a sense of personal satisfaction – even uncover new opportunities. These pursuits may involve engaging in a hobby, volunteering, mentoring, teaching or a range of other activities. Identifying opportunities When choosing a vocational pursuit, retirees should ask themselves a few simple questions: What hobbies, interests or talents do I have that could benefit my community? What transferable skills can I use from my previous career to help those around me? What pursuit(s) could I benefit from learning more about or becoming involved with? Answering these questions can help any retiree find the perfect vocational fit for their skillset. At Lutheran SeniorLife, we make it easy by offering resident directed clubs, volunteer options and part-time employment opportunities. Making your mark Listening for and following your vocational calling is a lifelong process. While a “vocationally-well” retiree may have reached the end of their “work life,” their involvement in the community continues through meaningful post-career activities. They continue to seek out new learning opportunities, enhance their current skill set and find new ways to express their values. Lutheran SeniorLife recognizes the satisfaction that comes from putting one’s abilities to use during retirement and acknowledges the importance of developing and maintaining those skills through structured involvement in the community.