Why Lustre? Because We Want To Change Retirement.
By Erica and Karen
When we retired, we were excited about how we would use our experience in a new venture, the exact nature of which we had not yet figured out. About a year later, we realized there was no general recognition of how useful we might be—we being both the two of us and the millions of retired career women now and in the future looking for purpose.
We also began to understand why this was happening. We were new. The millions of Boomer women who entered the workforce decades ago were the first large group of women to work until retirement. So no-one know exactly who we were, or what we wanted. We decided to show everyone exactly that.
We started Lustre to tell everyone, in words and images, about all of us. We had ten foundational ideas.
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We are new.
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Our cohort is growing every day.
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We have substantial resources–experience and other assets..
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We have lived lives that we shaped to suit ourselves.
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We will do retirement differently from men.
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Few images circulating in media or society show us as we are—vibrant and lively.
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Many images show us as we are not—feeble, needy and vacant.
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Post-career, we have no role models, just as when we entered the workforce. Once again, we have to be the role models.
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Retirement, as it was invented in the 1950s, is completely outdated.
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Retired career women will reinvent how post-career life can be.
We aimed to show us as we all are–engaged women connected with the wider world, women with wealth, curiosity, experience, and drive. We attacked stereotypes that hold us back. We talked about style, and travel, and home. And all of you gave us positive feedback that cheered our souls! Of course there were some negatives. We hate bookkeeping, proofreading, the absence of a paycheck. We get aggravated when we goof–which we do often.
But we are learning all kinds of new tips and tricks, meeting extraordinary people, and having fun. It has been a better gig than we imagined. Expensive, but we’d rather spend on this than a therapist. We look forward to whatever is next—for Lustre, and us, and you!
Thanks for being trailblazers! I am enjoying taking the ride along with you.
I appreciate all the advice and inspiration you provide as we women navigate through this unpredictable chapter in our lives.
Thank you for creating Lustre. I’m venturing into retirement in 2024 and a little uncertain about it. Time to create a plan and Lustre is both encouraging, supportive and idea generating.
The freedom to choose each day and year has been phenomenal my first three years after closing corporate chapter. First year was toughest also happened the pandemic started 6 weeks after I retired- where I felt I had little to define myself by. But the freedom and choices and no rules makes this trail blazing incredible- a whole new chapter of choice and the financial means to accomplish
“Retirement” for me is merely redefining where I will place my energy and experience in new ventures. I’m loving the ability to create each day‘s plan into creative pursuits rather than follow the same schedule of travel, meetings, and “to do” lists. And creating/supporting new women’s networks is the icing on the cake! Thanks for creating this inclusive forum. ❤️
Newly retired January 2023…immensely enjoying my new lifestyle! Thank you for Lustre! Planning on sharing you with two newly retired girlfriends. We’re all 30 plus year Veteran nurses looking forward to new adventures now that our service has completed.
Wendy L
Retirement is just another re-invention for me. Great opportunity to do so much because I have so much more to give.
I retired from University teaching 9 years ago; spent the first five years doing some volunteer speech path work at the parochial school my grandkids go to; then went to work a couple days a week for a virtual teletherapy speech path company. Surprised as I never expected to do that. Now at 48 years in my career, I am going to take a leave of absence this fall and see if I really want to go back in second semester. I’ve always had summers off as I worked in school systems or universities. Wondering how it will feel not to do fall school start up!
Pat
Retirement from my day job 8 years ago has given me the opportunity to realign with what’s important to me. It’s not retiring from life, it’s realizing all the possibilities that life offers and having the time to pursue and enjoy them on my terms. I couldn’t be happier!
Thank you. I’ve had a difficult time reinventing myself.
As I submitted my notice of retirement, I hadn’t thought through what retirement would look or feel like. I began searching the Internet for communities of retired career women and that is when I discovered Lustre.
Reading its ‘10 Foundational Ideas’ brought forth a calmness in my mind & heart—just when I needed it! I was reminded that our generation of career women are changing the look & feel of retirement. We are carving out retirement in ways it suits each of us-free from outdated expectations. We will ‘be’ where we will ‘be’. We will bloom wherever & whenever. And, we have this community in Lustre for support!
I am reminded of a sweet statement in the movie “The Help”: “I am KIND, I am BEAUTIFUL, and I am IMPORTANT”. Perhaps this is a relatable description of each of us. We will move forward in our retirement years with our eyes & our minds wide open & experience fully the amazing possibilities before us!
Forced early retirement from my airline career due to Covid was a jolt. While thrilled I’m not involved in the new trend of abuse by passengers, it’s wonderful to find this creatively designed site filled with exactly the things I’ve been feeling ever since, but thought I was alone. Thank you!
lots of things i would kike to pursue. I got yoga teacher certificate. want to write wand to draw or paint. I’d like to travel, even if in my state. Problem married 45 years. Husband takkes car of finances. Been helping my daughter get back on her feet .Guess u have to work with what i have How do i put me first and do what i had hoped to do???????
I am so happy that I stumbled upon your information today! Alas, women on the move. I am a post career professional. Not wealthy, but working on a smaller scale to provide experiences such as events, retreats, a podcast, coaching, speaking and more to celebrate, uplift, and promote women age 50 or better. Wishing you the best! Gloria Darling,