Jane Mail, By Jane E. Brody

Oftentimes, it seems as though success is the defining myth of adulthood. With the exception of fleeting moments of satisfaction, the denizens of the working world seem to inhabit a world in which happiness is task based-- success is only a brief gulp of air in an unending relay race. Considering this, one encounters a recurring query-- if people are unhappy working, why do they attempt to act as though they are not? In his answer, “How to Do What You Love,” Paul Graham dissects the myths of the modern worker and delves into the mechanics of manufacturing a fulfilling work life. Using a delightfully straightforward and simplistic tone, Graham’s knowledge of his audience-- young people-- proves to be the driving force behind his rhetoric.

Not everyone has the same dreams and desires; thus, no one’s retirement is exactly the same because of outside influences like previous hobbies, gender roles, stresses pertaining to previous careers, marital life experiences, and previous level of physical activity pre-retirement. As stated by Barnes-Farrell, that retirees’ demographics like age, gender, and health can shape an individual’s retirement (Barnes-Farrell, 2003). Bill prefers living a very active lifestyle that involves going to the gym, swimming, biking, running and paddleboarding. Whereas, Rose prefers to spend her retirement relaxing inside her apartment watching baseball, reading, taking naps, talking on the phone to her children, going to church and spending time with her family. The differences observed between these participants could be

As adults enter the stage of later adulthood, many changes will begin to develop for each person. The aging process includes transitioning from work life to retirement, changes to roles, social positions, social policies, determining living accommodations with healthcare needs, and relationships with families and peers. The stage known as the golden years comes with great challenges while adjusting to the many changes in a person’s life. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Transition from work to retirement

As I join the many other adult students over forty going back to school and starting over with a certificate or degree for a new career all in the hopes of making more money for a better living. Pursuing a new career can be an easy call for people, whose old jobs have disappeared, forcing

After 40, many people begin to look at life differently which they often begin to feel that life really is too short to be stuck in a dead-end or unsatisfying job. In this middle age situation, it is a time in which adults take on new responsibilities at the workplace and therefore, people of this age often feel a need to reappraise previous life structures with an

In conclusion, ageism in today’s times is a real form of discrimination and needs to be fixed. An individual’s skills and capabilities should be based on a personal level, not their age. The elderly and the young need just as much job opportunities as the middle-aged individuals living in the

In doing some research for this assignment, I found a lot of different views on aging and retirement. There is an article I read about how devastating unemployment can be. Ms. Reid, who is 57, has been laid off and job hunting for four years - without a single job offer, despite the countless applications she has submitted, and a college education. "There are fears in the background and they are suppressed. I have had nightmares about becoming a bag lady" she states. "It could happen to anyone. So many people are so close to it, and they don't even know

As all humans age there or many worries, concerns, and questions in general about how to deal or prepare with this time in their lives. One question often asked, “Is there life after Retirement?” I have found evidence to compare from a news article along with a research article that shows that there is.

In order to explore the individual experiences of an older adult in the United States, we conducted an interview of a 78-year-old white male living in Silver Spring, Maryland. Throughout this paper, the interviewee will be referred to as Edgar; this is not his real name. The interview was conducted in the home of one of the interviewers because it is close to Edgar’s home. Throughout the interview, we discussed Edgar’s personal experiences with ageism, the physical and psychological effects of aging, family and social supports in old age, and the transition from work to retirement. While his experiences with personal aging are similar to that of many other individuals his age, his experience as full-time male caregiver offers unique insight into an unofficial occupation dominated by women.

Aging is described as a sequential, irreversible, progressive, and non-pathological process of maturation in an organism and that translates to a gradual decline in the ability to perform activities optimally. Aging is an individual process that can be a period of stress for individuals especially following their retirement (Hiller & Barrow, 2015). The current study sought to understand the process and experience of aging from the perspective of elderly individuals. In discussing matters of aging and retirement, many assume that women are always eager to retire, and adjust well, as compared to their male counterparts (Bauger & Bongaardt, 2016). Many people assume that since women are generally made as homemakers, they are willing and happy to retire while men, whose nature is to be the main source of family income, find it hard to be out of work (Moody & Sasser, 2014). Indeed, there exists very little literature that sheds some light on this area, particularly on the attitudes of each gender towards retirement and process of aging. Given the significance of retirement to this life stage, the study sought to understand the emotions and views of individuals regarding their retirement through the lenses of (1) Physical health and wellbeing, (2) Friends, Family, and Community, (3) Work and leisure, (4) Finances and lifestyles, and (5) Living

As our age moves up in years and we become senior citizens we slowdown in productivity and begin to re-explore life as

We all are currently aging. We live in an again paradox. But, it is what we choose to do with our time while we have it that counts the most. As a young adult, and before this class I was very unaware of the importance of planning your retirement as early as possible. There are many things that go into planning for a successful retirement. Such as, but not limited to: Where will I choose to live? What will I do to stay mentally active? Or even, when will I choose to retire. In this paper, I will go over a plethora of aspects for my personal plan for aging.

For many people, finding a career that is both fulfilling and practical is a strenuous task. Fortunately, there is a plethora of different interventions, techniques, assessments, and inventories designed to aid those individuals in making the wisest career choices possible. But are any of those routes inherently better than the others? Or are all the differing options separate but equally effective? Donald Super’s Life Span Theory and John Holland’s Theory of Vocational Choice are just two of the many theories used for career counseling. Both methods are distinct in the way they approach career issues, yet despite their differences, there are some resemblances between the two theories as well. Comparing and contrasting these two theories will make it easier to see if one theory is better than the other for career counseling or if they are both equally effective.

It is crucial for each person to find his own way in life. Only after its finish, he would be able to reach what he dreamed of and to have satisfaction from his work. In spite of the fact that the destiny of a person does not completely depend on him, this person is able to make his life in a way he would like it to be. Getting older, a human quite often thinks of questions about the meaning of his life and of what role he plays on the Earth. A person often dreams of happy life and believes that he will accomplish most of his goals. Unfortunately, not all his dreams are

Life-Span Theories. Trait and factor theories tend to deal with career issues at one point in time, whereas life-span theories take a long-term, developmental perspective (ibid.). The most widely known life-span theory is Super’s Theory of Vocational Choice, which suggests that individuals pass through stages of vocational development involving developmental tasks at each stage; it also considers the performance of multiple roles and their interaction across the life-span (Stitt-Gohdes 1997). However, some studies have shown that the life stages Super outlined are not exactly applicable to women, especially as their roles have changed in the last few decades (Sharf 1997). Super considered self-concept and vocational maturity to be important