Rejuvenation
What if there actually was a “fountain of youth?”
In the Ron Howard movie Cocoon, a group of senior citizens find one! Featuring an all-star cast, this fantasy is about the aging residents of a Florida rest home who get rejuvenated after swimming in a pool containing alien cocoons.
Before the swim, the doddering oldsters suffer from failing health — bad eyesight, aching joints, feebleness, etc. After splashing in the water, they’re able to play basketball, go disco dancing, and enjoy making whoopee. Their minds are sharp, their bodies are fit, and they have energy to tackle anything in life.
The surprise hit won two Oscars and merited a sequel.
Wanting a New Lease on Life
Why so popular? Because every single one of us desires a new lease on life. We all want a new joy, a new outlook, a new chance to make a difference. We’d all love to be re-energized with youthful vigor and a new sense of value and purpose.
Obviously, the movie was science fiction. But in the real world, we can enjoy many of those same fictional benefits through careful planning, intentional living, and self-discipline — regardless of advancing age.
In fact, I’m currently enjoying the advantages of “replacing retirement with rejuvenation.” Not with magic water, but by scheduling time before the beginning of each calendar year to pursue activities that foster what Webster defines as “the process of making someone look or feel better, younger, or more vital.”
Replacing Retirement with Rejuvenation
This rejuvenation priority is separate and independent of my other priorities (spiritual, relationships, calling, health, and financial freedom). To achieve it, I focus on activities and pursuits that align with the definition above and do not look at leisure time simply as a vacation. Molly and I recently returned from a long weekend in Las Vegas. While there, we hiked the Red Rock Canyon, raced exotic cars, relaxed and enjoyed time together. To top it off, we saw Carlos Santana perform at the House of Blues. (And oh yeah, I gambled a total of $70.)
Our Vegas getaway was primarily focused on celebrating our relationship, but it also gave us a healthy dose of rejuvenation. This coming February, I have 3 weeks scheduled to snowmobile in Ontario and Quebec with my good friend Michael. This 21-day snowmobiling trip is also about rejuvenation because it involves several of my passions. I will snowmobile 4,000 miles or so through various weather and terrain conditions that will be both demanding and exhilarating. I will be outdoors — which I find rejuvenating regardless of season — and subject to the whims of Mother Nature. Plus, I’ll be sharing the experience with a close friend who has an equal passion for the sport.
Here’s the most important part: I will be disconnected from work, clients, phones, and social media. I will not look at my work emails, and only view my Gmail account for personal correspondence, checking hotels, and logistic issues. I will use the 3 weeks to disconnect from my vocation … and rejuvenate.
By the way, I always build in a day or two after returning to reengage and catch up on email before starting back to work. When I return from one of these extended rejuvenation periods, I find my mind is sharper and my body is more fit. My ability to solve problems and create value is greatly enhanced.
Rejuvenation of Mind, Body and Spirit
Having experienced the positive effects of rejuvenating my mind, body, and spirit, I am also more aware of when my energy begins to flag. Taking February and August off for rejuvenation requires me to work more intensely during the other months to keep up with clients and commitments. To keep my energy at or near peak, I schedule time off around the major holidays, like Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (when I grab at least a week). But I look at these breaks more as vacations, because I’m not always able to fully disconnect. I treat these shorter breaks more like a “recharge” than a rejuvenation.
Looking ahead over the next 3 years, my plan is to build in an additional 30 days off per year, with an ultimate goal of 6 months working, 3 months rejuvenating, and an additional 3 months for vacation, travel, and holiday time.
That’s how I “replace retirement with intentional living.”
And it doesn’t involve searching for a pool powered by space aliens.