An Elevated Retirement After a 40-year career in public service, mostly as a botanist for the U.S. Geological Survey, Joan Daniels retired in 2015. Well, she sort of retired because she continued to do emeritus work for another 18 months. She credits this transitionary period with helping her prepare for what her life would look like post-career.
JOAN DANIELS NEVER FAILS TO STAY BUSY
for Joan. “I have to admit, I haven’t returned to outdoor climbing yet, but I continue to climb indoors and explore the outdoors, just not in such a risky way.” What Joan has found, much like Ann discussed in this month’s cover article, is that travel is much more accessible than she once assumed. “Provided you don’t need to stay at the fanciest places,” she notes, “you can really go anywhere. On top of that, there is more than enough beauty and excitement right here in the U.S., even in Colorado, that I could never be bored.”
Our clients range from wanting to retire as early as financially possible to wanting to work for as long as they can. Joan falls somewhere in the middle. “On the one hand,” she says, “I loved my job doing field work, and I felt I was doing something important for the environment. On the other, there came a time when I realized it was time to start looking for the next chapter. As I transitioned out of working full time, I became excited about the possibilities.” Joan, a perpetually active person, always knew traveling and exploring nature would be integral parts of her retirement. “When you’re working, you don’t always have the chance to go everywhere you would like,” she says. “After retiring, I’ve been able to travel to Utah six times, make two trips to Europe, and visit Jamaica and New Zealand.” That’s quite a full passport, and those voyages often involve hiking, including a trek through the Alps. When at home, Joan stays just as busy, participating in yoga classes, learning to play golf, and spending time with her boyfriend.
As far as ideas for others who are approaching retirement, Joan has two big pieces of advice. “First, do it as soon as you feel comfortable,” she says. “You want to retire when you still have plenty of energy left. Second, find activities to keep you engaged and stimulated.” Joan credits Ann with guiding her through the retirement process and helping her approach her post-work life with zeal. “I remember Ann teaching a class about how the first ten years of retirement are the most active,” she recalls. “Since then, she’s been an invaluable resource. I meet with her regularly, and she answers questions I have about all aspects of retirement, not just the dollars and cents.” Kudos to Joan for climbing to new heights after finishing up a wonderful career. Her life is proof of what’s possible when you view retirement as a new adventure rather than just the end of work.
A climbing injury at the beginning of her retirement inspired Joan to approach the coming years with a sense of urgency. “When you’re laid up for six months, you see how precious your time is,” she reveals. “As soon as I got better, I took stock of what I wanted to do before it was too late.” While many people would use an injury as an excuse to settle into a sedentary lifestyle, it had the opposite effect
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