By Cathy Hartt, RN, DNP

Retirement Or Resilience?

It’s interesting to leave a career after 40 years. Everyone says the word “retirement.” I’m a little baffled about how to respond, because on one hand, I am no longer needing to be out in a traditional workplace in order to advance my career and take home a paycheck.

On the other hand, I have an art business that requires a lot of time – just like any small business start-up. I’m also a positive psychology resilience practitioner who plans to get a second business going related to my passion for helping humans improve wellbeing.

So, what is the definition of retirement? According to Merriam-Webster.com, retirement is:

“withdrawal from one’s position or occupation or from active working life.”

Can one withdraw from an occupation but still have an active working life?

Retirement & Longevity

Historically, before the industrial age there was no retirement, sick leave, or anything that resembles today’s benefits. There is an obvious downside to having to work until the day we die.

According to some studies, the risk of mortality goes up for those who retire early – especially men. Work gives us a reason to move our bodies, to interact with others, and provides a sense of purpose. It keeps the brain active.

When looking at the longest lived populations, Blue Zones also found positive impacts of continuing to work longer. According to Dan Buettner, the Blue Zones guy, long-lived people in Blue Zones continue to live their purpose through their work until they die.

If you have a job that gives you a sense of life purpose, then it makes sense to continue to work as long as possible. However, in 2024 Gallup found that over half of US workers are not engaged at work. Furthermore, active disengagement was seen in about 17% of workers. Unfortunately, our workplace isn’t always a such a Blue Zone.

So, does retirement make us more or less resilient?

I think it boils down to a couple of things. A sense of purpose is vital. If your job provides it, no matter what age you are, then letting go could have negative health impacts. Golf is fun, but hobbies only go so far before we habituate to them.

If you are actively disengaged at work for any reason, then finding a path that reunites you with your purpose could make retirement a beneficial move. That sense of purpose could be caring for families (I see this more with women who care for grandkids), starting a business, or community service of some sort.

The other piece of retirement that may decrease resilience is social isolation. We say “I’m going to retire to my room” meaning that we are going to isolate ourselves. Recent studies have found that social connections one of the main determinants of longevity – just talking so another person every day makes a difference.

The Bottom Line: Finding Connection & Purpose

The bottom line is that human beings need to connect to a sense of purpose – they need to feel that they make a difference. And, human beings need to connect to other humans – even is small ways – every day.

My personal choice was initially to work a few more years. I went back, got my doctorate and thought I had found a meaningful job. I wasn’t even thinking retirement until I realized that the job wasn’t eutopia. Not even close. My autoimmune thyroid went whacky. I felt like I was tempting cancer cells every day. I knew retirement was the better option.

Before I even retired, I started my dream of having my art business, Art from the Hartt. It was a weird transition when I stopped going to work every day. Despite having a dream business – well, art and nursing are pretty different. Over time, I found purpose in learning new art techniques and expanding my entrepreneurial skills. It was healing to use a top strength of creativity daily.

Two years later, I see that it is time to expand back to my work in resilience because it has been a thread of meaning and purpose during the past 20+ years of my life. I look forward to the new social connections that will come through connection with those who are passionate about resilience.

Me and one of my hand painted clocks.