Welcome to my first blog as your resident “Nextnik” life coach!  My name is Kendell Anderson, and I coach successful men and women to “live (their lives) by design, not by default.”   Most of my clients are already successful– professionally and personally, and come to me seeking to improve upon already fulfilling lives.  I hope to illustrate, through examples taken from my coaching experience and my own life, how working with a coach can really make the difference between a “good” life and a “great” one.  Let’s get started!

I’d like to speak directly to those NextNik community members whom are close to retirement – either by age or by choice, and may be wondering what to do in their next phase of life.  I’d like to offer my own “top five” list of things to do once you’ve made the decision to leave your current career.

Do nothing – allow yourself at least a week or two to do absolutely nothing.  This is harder than it sounds.  Most successful retirees feel like they have to run to the gym, to the charity down the street, to their children’s houses, or even to their basement, to find their next project.  My advice is DON’T.  For the first month if possible, allow yourself the luxury of being a human BEING and not a human DOING.  This will allow you to break old habits and open your mind to new possibilities.

Come up with your answer to the inevitable question, “But what will you DO with your time?”  First, realize people are asking this question out of jealousy and insecurity.  They wish they could retire or have the courage to try something new.  Don’t let them make you feel one tiny bit guilty.  My favorite response to this question, which keeps others in the dark until you are ready to answer the way you choose, is, “I wish I knew!”  How refreshing, perhaps for the first time in your life, NOT to have an answer.  Learn to live with uncertainty!

Unplug yourself!  Take a break from the computer, phone and television.  Most likely, you’ve been responsible, getting back to people and keeping in touch with what’s happening in the world.  What about dropping out of touch for a week?  A month?  This is not to say you won’t return important calls, but for once, unplug the technology and get still with just yourself.  Only through quiet and stillness, which can be very uncomfortable for most of us, can we hear that little voice inside that says, “I want/need _________.”

Journal.  It doesn’t have to be complete sentences – just write!  Find a journal that’s attractive and take pen to paper!  If you can’t get started, make a list, or draw a picture.  Set a goal for yourself to fill a page a day – with stream of consciousness writing, lists, pictures, quotes, whatever speaks to you.  One client of mine chose to answer the same question every day for a month, “I want _____.”  After a month, he saw a trend.  He started by writing, “I want a change in my life.”  Then, he wrote, “I want adventure.”  Then, weeks later he wrote, “I want to go to Oregon and go white water rafting.”  My client not only went white water rafting in Oregon, he ended up moving there a year to fulfill his desire for a more adventure-minded lifestyle. Talk about change!  Journaling helped him unearth his true desires.

Consider working with a life coach.  A coach serves as an advocate, sounding board and confidant. A coach should challenge you to live your best life, as defined by you.  For more information on coaching, check out www.coachfederation.org or contact me at  kendell.anderson@comcast.net.

It’s not “What Next?, it’s “What Now?”