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Friday, May 13, 2011

Retirement: Achieving Goals and Community Relationships

           Alfred Adler identified and developed the basic ideas expressed in this blog entry[i].  I used his approach to the understanding of personality during the years I worked as an Industrial Clinical Psychologist. I still think of myself as an Individual Psychologist, which is what he called himself and those who used his model.
         All of our lives we strive to achieve things, most of which are connected to our social relationships.  In addition during the years of our employment a central focus is to do the very best job we can to seek perfection. In addition we generally live and work within various forms of community relationships.
         This April, following a Department strategic planning meeting, I was given a farewell party. Dr. Betty Rideout, one of Kwantlen Psychology faculty members, presented a ppt show illustrating of my life accomplishments.  It was very exciting and, as my colleagues laughed and cheered I felt a great deal of joy. Sometimes tears came to my eyes.  All of my life I have sought to do my very best.  I have also worked hard to help others.  I believe that I have had these goals since my younger brother Rodger was born and I started “helping” my mother. At first I did my best to please her. After a while I did my best because it feels good.
         Now as I face retirement I must respond to new challenges and adapt to the world as it changes. I expect that these adjustments will continue until the end of my life.  But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.
         I began to develop my strategies for retirement goals when I began creating my first workshops. During the last year and a half I have be continually concentrated on further improving my retirement workshop which I intend to market to the business community.
          In addition all of the over 90 posts on my blogspot are dedicated to my goal of doing my very best to help others who have either retired or are planning to retire. I intend to continue posting.
         The questions I have asked myself and now ask you about your retirement are:
         1. What goals would you like to achieve during your retirement?
         2. What accomplishments are you most proud of during your work life?
         3. What social relationships are most important to you?



[i] Adler,A. (1979).Superiority and Social Interest. George C. McCloud Limited,                Toronto    ISBN  978-0-392-00910-1

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