So, you’ve retired. What’s next?

But within that statement lies the problem. Yes, you have the golf course, the river for fishing or the plethora of paths for walking but what about those rainy days? What will you do with your time then? There are only so many card games a person can play!

Learning new skills can be challenging, so much so that sometimes it can be discouraging to continue. However, you should persevere; when you have a conversation in another language or play a song fluently for the first time, there is no better feeling of accomplishment. Acquiring new skills may not change anyone else’s life but it will improve yours. Your repertoire of skills will have grown and some of these skills can open doors to new opportunities. Perhaps you will now be able to join a local band or visit a different country and converse with the locals there.

Creative projects are a different experience. There are no guidelines or set rules apart from the ones you set yourself, and even these can change! With a creative project, you are in complete control. It is up to you what you write or design and only you can judge whether it has been successful. Everyone has different levels of creativeness and people exercise these in different ways. The beauty of a creative project is that you are the only person to decide when the project is complete and, at this point, you can look back at the journey you took to arrive at the finished piece to then take pride in what you have produced. 

Have you ever thought of what your children will remember about you? Do they know your life story, your struggles, your achievements? Who will tell your grandchildren or great-grandchildren about their origins or what the world was like when you were a child? 

You will

Now is the perfect time to write your private autobiography.

Writing a private autobiography is a very rewarding and enjoyable project. It gives you a chance to look back through the years and talk about your fondest memories, the funniest stories and the fascinating people you have met throughout your life. It is a cathartic experience as when one story links to another, by person or place, you remember something else you had previously forgotten. It gives you an excuse to look through the photo album, as you can look to those photos for inspiration when looking for stories, events or people to include in your book. 

Do you know about your grandparents’ lives? Where were they born? What did they want to be? How did they meet each other? Do you have any burning questions you wish you could have asked them? The same will apply to your grandchildren, who will love to know your story. The project is not only a cathartic experience for you, the finished product will also be a precious gift for your children and grandchildren, allowing them to put themselves in your shoes to understand the experiences you have had and the decisions you have made. 

We work with our partner LifeBook - they are private autobiography specialists and have supported hundreds of people around the world with writing their private autobiographies. Since 2011, they have seen people become authors for many different reasons. This is what their founder (Roy Moëd) had to say about their reasoning and why it is so important that you write your private autobiography.

“We help our authors write their autobiographies for all sorts of reasons, one of the most common being that they don’t want their lives to be forgotten. Writing a private autobiography ensures this doesn’t happen. It protects your legacy and guarantees that your life stories will be enjoyed by the generations to come.”

Nigel is a recent author of LifeBook’s and when asked about his motivations for writing his life story he stated:

“It started with my daughter, who’s now 33. I’ve always told her stories about what I used to do in the past. Sometimes when I hear her telling them back to people, they’re not exactly what I told her. So, she said, ‘All right then, why don’t you write a book, Dad?’ I replied, ‘I couldn’t write a book. I’m not very good at that sort of thing.’ (Sometimes, I can’t even write an email!) Then she suggested, ‘Well, can’t you get somebody to write it for you?’ I thought about this, looked on the internet and found LifeBook. After one call, the rest is history.”

“LifeBook was able to get a local interviewer in Mexico City to get in touch with my father immediately to set up a date for the first interview. Unfortunately, just three days before they were about to interview, my father did pass away, and so I don’t have the LifeBook, which is one of my greatest regrets It would have been such an amazing gift for me and for my children; having had that, I’d encourage everybody to explore LifeBook and get going with it today.”                                                                                                                     

When a person retires, they should take on new projects as these allow for continued personal growth and are beneficial for mental health. There are many types of project but writing a private autobiography can be a truly enjoyable, cathartic experience. It is also a great gift for loved ones. 

If you would like to learn more about how to write your private autobiography, call LifeBook now on 0800 999 2280 and request a free booklet or visit the LifeBook website.