Creative Aging: Rethinking Retirement and Non-Retirement in a Changing World

by Marjory Zoet Bankson

Discover Your Unique Gift
''Creative aging is a choice.... If we remember that transition always begins with endings, moves on to a wilderness period of testing and trying, and only then do we reach the beginning of something new, then we can embrace this encore period of life with hope and curiosity, remembering always that it is our true nature to be creative, to be always birthing new ways of sharing our planet together.''
- from the Epilogue
In a practical and useful way, Marjory Zoet Bankson explores the spiritual dimensions of retirement and aging. She offers creative ways for you to share your gifts and experience, particularly when retirement leaves you questioning who you are when you are no longer defined by your career.
Drawing on stories of people who have reinvented their lives in their older years, Bankson explores the issues you need to address as you move into this generative period of
Letting go of the vocational identity associated with your career or primary work
Feeling stuck, stagnant, resisting change
Drawing energy from the past, discovering unused gifts
Forming a new vision of the future
Crossing Moving from stagnation to generativity
Stepping out into the world with new hope
Finding or creating new structures for a new kind of work.

Genres: Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2010

Reviews

[Debbie Hoskins · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a year where my husband died, I have another change. I am taking early retirement. I wrote in pen the date I'm actually retiring in the middle of 2017, but I guess I wasn't quite ready to actually do it.
I'm 55, which I think is too young to retire. One of my ideas for making money and establishing a full-time career as an artist, is to give creative and spiritual workshops to retirement communities. As I'm researching, I came upon the term "creative aging" and this book came up. As I'm starting to read, it is going to help me with material for my workshops, but also help me personally and it's not very thick.
I finished it!
It wasn't very memorable, because I finished 12/26ish and needed to look at the book to do a review.
But it might just be because experience and prior reading has already convinced me of her message.
We can be active in retirement and find our life's calling. She suggests being thoughtful and taking your time as you decide what actions to take.
She does have some interesting titles in a further reading list.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of a number of books I have skimmed about what might happen as one ages, this one is often faith-based in its examples. The author's seven stages/issues--release, resistance, reclaiming, revelation, crossing point, risk, and relating--make sense and each is accompanied by questions. The biggest reason I will remember this book is that one of the examples is someone I know! (Name was changed but details kept, as noted by the author in the intro.)

[Dr. Lisa Cowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author did an excellent job writing about tools for reclaiming parts of ourselves that we had little time for when in the midst of careers, raising a family and all the busyness of life. I liked both the thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter and the spiritual nature of her ideas. Worth the read if you are rethinking what retirement means.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for those approaching or around 60 years of age to maximize the encore years with generativity rather than stagnation.

[Flewts · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many factual books about planning for retirement, how to arrange your finances, what to do about estate planning, wills, etc. But what so many people facing retirement are actually concerned about is ... what will I do all day? Who am I when my career no longer defines me? Whether you were in business or a stay-at-home parent whose children are flying off to adventure, these are questions that can leave you perplexed. Marjory Bankson's book will not give you the perfect answer for your life, no one could, but she will show you a process that will help you get in touch with the things that are important to you, the gifts you have not had time to nurture, the way to keep (or invite) joy into your daily life as you make the next steps in the road ahead.

This is a book that should be given to every friend about to retire, or who has already is retired and at loose ends.

[Mark Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sure sign of a book I got something out of is the number of places I highlighted in it. And I highlighted a lot in this. Will need to come back someday and review the highlights. The parts on generativity and creativity were good.

[Jean Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, but I doubt it'd mean much to anyone under 50. Basically, her advice is to keep on plugging on, working--but not so hard and on one's own terms.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taking spiritual gift to another level. Good read to re aquaint you faith in the years to come when life work balance changes.

[Maridith Geuder · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those who've reached a transition stage in their lives, a helpful view of creative ways one may shape the 'generative' next steps.

[Micki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightened ideas of how to make the retirement years productive to give your golden years more meaning and better health.