A woman with short dark hair, wearing a navy blue shirt and dark pants, standing outdoors in front of green foliage and a black wooden fence, smiling at the camera.

Meet Carol

Hi, I’m Carol and just like you, I am transitioning into retirement. In fact, my journey started a couple of years ago, after having had a long and fulfilling career in the corporate world, which took me to different countries and cultures.

I am an accredited Coach and HR professional, and for over 35-years, I have worked with people to support them to get the best out of their careers. One of my key takeaways from those I’ve worked with, is that the people who know themselves best, and are intentional and planned about where they invest their time, seem to have the most fulfilling lives and careers.

My retirement story

As I approached retirement, I’ll admit that I just wanted to get off the treadmill – like many of you, I had given it my all, and it was going to be my time! 

The last thing I wanted to do, was to go on a journey of self-exploration and planning. I was exhausted and it was all I could do to pull a financial plan together to secure my future. My sole focus in that first year, was where we would go on holiday and how much golf and other leisure activities I would be able to fit in around my social calendar.

This kept me distracted for a while, but a year in, once the big holiday was over, I realised that I was waking up with a bit of an ‘empty feeling’ in my gut.  Yes, my time was my own, but I didn’t really know what to do with it. At the same time, I realised that I didn’t want to waste time drifting around aimlessly, because I realised that at this stage of my life, time is finite!

That got me wondering – is this just me, or are other people in my stage feeling the same way? I decided to do some research. I started interviewing retirees from different walks of life, across different countries and I got others to complete a retirement readiness index to understand how they were feeling.

Take the quiz

It will come as no surprise - the results showed that the vast majority of people have done financial planning, but most had massively underestimated how big the transition to retirement is and the impact it would have on how they feel. Very few had paid attention to understanding their priorities for this phase, and even fewer could connect with what gives them meaning. Many reported that their time seemed to be a commodity that others in their family laid claim to, whenever they had a need. In short, I was not alone in how I was feeling.

Leaving it to chance isn’t a strategy

It became clear to me, that leaving retirement to chance and ‘going with the flow’ wasn’t delivering the feel-good factor it promised to do. Clearly, there was a bit more to it.

I began a process of applying the coaching and planning tools I had used in the corporate world, to retirement planning and realised that the same principles apply! 

By using myself as the ‘crash test dummy’, I identified three key areas where I needed more support. I then spent the next 6 months researching the best tools in the market to address these gaps and designed my own signature programme.

A middle-aged woman with short brown hair, glasses, and earrings sitting in a gray office chair at a white desk. She is wearing a light blue top and light pants. On the desk there is a laptop, a coffee mug, and a yellow and blue patterned item. She is in a room decorated with framed artwork on the wall, including a black and white tree drawing, a poster with the word "Berlin," and an abstract portrait of a sleeping woman. There is a lamp with a dark shade and a guitar in the background.

What my clients are saying

  • “The best I have come across. Carol kept me bound wanting to hear more! Her presentation was flawless. She clearly knows her subject.”

  • “Carol was just great! Very personable, clear in her delivery and explained the topics in a very easy to understand informative way. Excellent notes too were given to us before the session.”

  • “Carol is an excellent coach. She expertly navigates the information and content. She is very well organised and her examples – and questions for participants really made me think and had a good impact.”

A woman walking her Dalmatian dog along a grassy area by the water with trees and a partly cloudy sky in the background.

The thriving retirement blueprint

A Step-by-step program to your next chapter

1

Know Yourself

This is where you reconnect with your new identity and your purpose in this phase. 

2

Dare to Dream

This is where you identify with what is possible and prioritise what matters to you.

3

Plan to Thrive

This is where you design your personal blueprint for how you will spend your time and how you can pivot when things change.

Curious to know more?

Your retirement, your way

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I know that with a bit of insight, preparation and planning, retirement can truly be all you dreamed it would be and deserve.  It’s not a one size fits all – it is whatever you say and plan it to be. It starts with connecting with self, daring to dream and planning to thrive!

If your retirement is the best time of your life, this is not for you. If you think there may be more to it and want more out of this time, book a call for a free, no obligation exploratory chat.

Let's chat