#LivingYourBestLife: Rethink Retirement: Pursue Passion and Purpose Instead

We talk to a celebrity advisor and brand specialist for tips on how to enjoy the rest of your life with passion and purpose in part 3 of our Living Your Best Life series.

Instead of slowing down for a life of leisure, relaxation, and rest as she approached retirement age, Jaunique Sealey’s mother started a business. Applying her expertise as an attorney to start her own law practice, Sealey’s mother now represents the citizens of Flint, Michigan, where cost-cutting measures led to toxic drinking water and caused a massive public health crisis.

“Not only is my mother managing her own business, but she’s impacting the lives of so many who need an advocate. She is such an inspiration to me,” says Sealey, a business and brand specialist, CEO, and well-respected thought leader who has worked with artists Lady Gaga and the late Prince.

In her new book Regroup: The How-To of Never Giving Up, Sealey shares her expert advice on how to explore more life options and defeat obstacles that get in the way of what we really want. 

“We’re shifting from this expectation of retirement after working for years in a corporate career,” says Sealey. “Some are unable to retire for financial reasons, but more often, I think we’re recognizing that the best parts of a person are fully developed at the age of retirement. You are your most useful and informed. You’ve learned all of the lessons to be impactful and efficient.”

Instead of setting it all aside, Sealey says now is the time to chase your dreams, starting with these six steps:

Define what you want

You’ve paid your dues working to meet your obligations, and now it’s time to be selfish, to not have to think of others. “Use this moment to be a dreamer and ask yourself what you’d like to do and what is meaningful to you?” Sealey says.

Figure out what financial and personal resources you have to move forward

Look at your time, energy, and financial flexibility. “A lot of people talk themselves out of getting started because they aren’t drilling down to the bare essentials,” says Sealey. “The financial output may not be as much as you think it is.” Examine your goal and see if you can start small, in a way that is comfortable and doable for you.

Take the first step

Instead of over-extending, Sealey recommends making small bets instead of large gestures to get started. Maybe your first step is to test your dream of selling heirloom linens and artisan home decor wares at an event hosted in a home or restaurant, rather than leasing a storefront for thousands of dollars. 

Try more than one thing

If you’re an artist, start with a pop-up art show or online gallery. “Run different experiments. To be able to afford yourself the adventure of exploring options, you have to be comfortable with change, and know that some things will not work out,” says Sealey. “Give yourself the opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t- and then pursue the path of what does work. That is the formula to be able to make radical shifts without making a radical change.”

Create your own opportunities

Sealey says entrepreneurship is a significant option for women in their 50s, who typically have plenty of experience to draw from. “I talked to a woman at a conference at Duke University- where I did my undergrad- who was re-entering the workforce after her kids graduated from high school. She had the educational preparation but she’d been out of the workforce for so long that she didn’t know what she would do,” recalls Sealey. “When she told me that she’d spent years fundraising for her children’s school, I told her it would be a mistake to think that is not a special skill. Raising money is a very valuable skill!”

Identify your hidden talents

Gratitude is a really important factor to mix in when you’re thinking about trying something new or facing obstacles. Look at your situation and life experience and find something to be grateful for; maybe you make friends easily, or you can offer a unique perspective in a specific area. “That type of gratitude can help to identify hidden skills that you didn’t realize you had,” Sealey says. Being of service can also help you discover ways you’re needed, and allow you to use knowledge from setbacks in your own life to reach others. 

Create a rewarding life filled with passion and purpose as you move into retirement age. Whether you want to use your expertise or gifts to pursue a new career, educational or fitness goal, or entrepreneurship, now is the time to follow your dreams.

A Harvard-trained attorney and Duke-trained engineer, Jaunique Sealey’s uncommon adventure that led to working with artists like Lady Gaga and Prince began when she turned down the opportunity to build her net worth in favor of the opportunity to build her self-worth. Along her journey, she wound up with both. As a business/brand architect and serial entrepreneur, she’s become a well-respected thought leader whose unique experience-based insights on entrepreneurship, resilience, brand development, and social media have been popular features on national platforms such as Forbes, The Huffington Post, Mashable, TechCrunch, Fox News, Business News Daily, and The National Journal. A popular speaker for her accessibility and humor, she has been a featured presenter at SXSW, Kre8tif! Asia, Loyalty World, NAMM and SFMusicTech.

Connect with Jaunique Sealey on Facebook/JauniqueSealeySpeaks, Twitter/JaUnique, Linkedin.com/in/jauniquesealey/, Regroup The How-To of Never Giving Up launches April 18, 2017, and can be found at your local independent bookseller or Amazon.