A year after retiring (on my terms): How’s it going and how am I doing?

Exactly one year ago, I wrote: “I'm delighted to share the next stage of my life. Effective today, I am free to focus my time on the issues, people and activities that truly align with my passion and values. I’m retiring – on my terms.” Some people thought I shouldn’t retire, and frankly most believed I wouldn’t. But I did.

It’s time to hold myself accountable, though: How – and what – have I done since? Last year, I identified three themes for my intentions:

• “Staying active in the sustainability world, focusing on my two priorities: (1) honest climate strategy and (2) helping the next generation of sustainability leaders deal with all the stuff my generation is dumping on their plates.
  • Results: Mixed. None of us knew how tough things would get, including me. I’ve written what I thought and it seems to have helped some folks. I wish I could have done more to help my next gen leadership friends through this. Plans to work with a business NGO on next generation sustainability leadership fell through, so I haven’t found the right venue for that.
• “Spending much more of my time on things that I've cared about, including family, history, travel, my synagogue, and the wonderful cultures and mountains of New Mexico.” 
  • Results: Great. Despite some family health challenges, I have been able to spend more time with family and friends (both new ones and reconnecting with old friends), travel (from erupting volcanoes in Italy to near-misses with Super Bowl celebrations in Philadelphia to beautiful wild country in southern New Mexico and throughout the west), synagogue, The Keshi Foundation helping Zuni artists, and lots of history (including leading a major history event in Santa Fe, and preparing to present on the Armenian diaspora in Boston in August).
• “Continuing to consult for up to 10% of my time where I think I can have a real impact on those priority issues.” 
  • Results: Mixed. I’ve done some coaching and had a great engagement with a circular economy start-up in Amsterdam. I’ve stayed within my 10% ceiling. But again, I don’t feel like I’ve done enough to help my next gen leadership friends with the challenges they’re facing.

One thing I didn’t anticipate: having to become more political. In response to the growing attacks on our democracy, I have worked with a few friends here in Santa Fe to set up a web site and newsletter to help our friends who have been feeling helpless and hopeless. 

• Results: Incomplete. We’ve only been up and running for about 60 days, so we’ll see. This isn’t how I thought I would be spending time in my retirement, but you have to do what you can.