Smart Women Don't Retire -They Break Free: From Working Full-Time to Living Full-Time

by The Transition Network, Gail Rentsch

Overview

For the amazing female pioneers who shattered the glass ceiling, a practical and inspiring guide to reinventing what's next.

Boomer women have been trailblazers throughout their professional lives. Now that their careers are losing their edge and children leave the nest, these women are ready to do for retirement what they did for the working world--redefine it. The first book from The Transition Network focuses on the unique needs of women as they explore new possibilities and redesign the old model of retirement, which no longer offers the challenges that these women experienced throughout their careers.

This book shows how to create new and exciting work and volunteer opportunities and how to discover new outlets for creativity and passion. Rich in practical advice and stories from women who have successfully navigated this stage, Smart Women don't Retire -- They Break Free is a blueprint for women seeking a whole new set of life choices.

The Transition Network is a nation-wide community of women who are creating exhilarating new transition possibilities. Members network through monthly programs; online; and through dynamic peer groups. Members have had successful careers in government, finance, international corporations, and the arts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780446537476
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	06/13/2008
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	324 KB

About the Author

The Transition Network (TTN) is a dynamic community of women who are creating exhilarating new transition possibilities. Members network online and through monthly programs and dynamic peer groups, with chapters in New York, Washington, Chicago, and other locations across the country. Members have had successful careers in government, finance, international corporations, education, and the arts. To find out more about The Transition Network, you can visit its Web site at www.TheTransitionNetwork.org.

Table of Contents

Foreword   Lynn Sherr     vii
Introduction: Christine Millen and Charlotte Frank, Cofounders of The Transition Network     xi
Thinking About Retirement
What Is This Thing Called Retirement, and What Does It Have to Do with Me?     3
Why Am I Suddenly Thinking About Something New?     21
Can I Afford to Make a Change?     39
Redefining Retirement
What Do I Get out of Work?     61
Suppose I Don't Want to (or Can't) Stop Working?     75
How Can I Scale Back on Work and Find Some Balance?     104
Reclaiming Retirement
I've Always Wanted to ...     121
How Can I Give Back and Enjoy It?     157
How Can I Stay Connected with Friends and Make New Ones?     174
Why Is My Partner Driving Me Crazy?     195
Conclusion: How Do I Get the Most out of This New Stage of Life?     217
Acknowledgments     225
About TTN     227
Start a Peer Group     229
Resources$dCompiled by Nancy Bowles     231
Bibliography     241
Index     251

Editorial Reviews

Whereas parents before aspired to the ideal of completely escaping the work world for a warmer climate, baby boomers are developing new models for their "golden years." Public relations professional Rentsch is a founding member of the Transition Network, a national organization for women focused on retirement transition issues. Drawing on research and interviews, she explores a range of topics, from preparing for and deciding when to retire to overcoming self-defeating stereotypes about aging women and uplifting ideas about a meaningful retirement. Each chapter presents frank discussions, inventories and checklists, and case studies of real women's lives. Interpersonal topics like coordinating retirement with a spouse and cultivating friendships as one ages are also covered. The book concludes with a rich listing of web-based resources as well as books and articles on retirement issues. Most useful for women who are financially able to choose retirement options, this insightful book reinforces the idea that retirement can be transformative and even "cool." Public libraries catering to active retirees would do well to purchase.
—Antoinette Brinkman

Library Journal

Whereas parents before aspired to the ideal of completely escaping the work world for a warmer climate, baby boomers are developing new models for their "golden years." Public relations professional Rentsch is a founding member of the Transition Network, a national organization for women focused on retirement transition issues. Drawing on research and interviews, she explores a range of topics, from preparing for and deciding when to retire to overcoming self-defeating stereotypes about aging women and uplifting ideas about a meaningful retirement. Each chapter presents frank discussions, inventories and checklists, and case studies of real women's lives. Interpersonal topics like coordinating retirement with a spouse and cultivating friendships as one ages are also covered... This insightful book reinforces the idea that retirement can be transformative and even "cool."


—-Library Journal

"All women 50+ should read this book...regardless of where they are on their retirement journey!"

—Jeri Sedlar, Co-author, Don't Retire, REWIRE! and Senior Advisor to the Conference Board on the Mature Workforce

"Women are investing in their health by being part of the Transition Network-making the connections to explore retirement, finding new friends, and engaging in social and volunteer activities. This book will spread that message to women across the country."

—Dr. Eileen Hoffman, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine NYU School of Medicine, Specialist in women's health, pioneer in the field of gender-based medicine

"The Transition Network (TTN)...is the only organization I know that zeroes in on the needs of successful women as they enter a new and productive transition in their lives...Now they have developed an invaluable handbook that spells out the challenges along the way, along with solid advice about how to meet them."

—Suzanne Braun Levine, first editor-in-chief of Ms. Magazine and author of Inventing the Rest of Our Lives: Women is Second Adulthood

"Boomers are continuing to pioneer each stage of life——in the next decade a huge number of women will be making a work-related transition from a life time career to whatever comes next. They will need sage advice and the community of like minded women to ensure that their transition is a positive one. This book from The Transition Network provides a valuable orientation to this process; it is rich in practical advice and inspiring stemming from the stories of women who have just recently journeyed through and navigated this complex stage of their lives..."


—Jennie Chin Hansen, President-Elect, AARP

From the Publisher